ABSTRACT
In many ethnographic studies, the first contact with the study community involves meeting key informants. Often, the research is connected with one or more NGOs involved in an intervention project, so the first contacts are likely to be with the NGO staff people. On the other hand, if the research is connected with a program to improve schooling in a district, or some other complex institution, your first key informants are likely to be government administrators or other officials. Often, in addition to contacts with key informants, meetings with groups can be useful in the beginning phases of data-gathering. In some cases the 'host organization' will want to hold an orientation meeting in order to introduce the research team to their staff people and to give your research team information about the structure of the organization. Other types of group meetings will include social mapping sessions and perhaps so-called 'focus group discussions', which are also discussed.
