ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of a task that is applicable to most research projects: conducting a review of previously published research findings, which frequently takes the form of a literature review. It considers some additional issues of gathering background information in ways beyond reading through existing reports or published articles. The executive staff at National Helping Hands (NHH) is interested in conducting an evaluation of internal processes at the national office level, including how the national office interacts with member organizations. A subject matter expert is a person with knowledge, expertise, and experience within a particular policy domain or program area, or one who has general knowledge of systems, processes, products, or technologies, or both. The idea of field research refers to data gathering that takes place in a natural setting. While the term originates in the natural sciences, it can be applied to a social science context as well.
