Fieldwork techniques in sociolinguistic research : a focus on the challenging environment in Baghdad

Abstract EN

There are various techniques that a sociolinguist may adapt while undertaking a research study.

This paper aims at enabling researchers to identify and understand these techniques for effective data collection.

These techniques which are simply referred to as fieldwork strategies are meant to give headway into the research.

They help a researcher in data collection and eliciting of the right information from the sample population.

Action research, surveys, case studies and experiments are used by researchers in sociolinguistic studies.

The importance of these techniques in fieldwork studies differs from one another hence a researcher must choose the most appropriate technique, one which will result in the best results possible.

It is undeniable that while undertaking a research work, a researcher will face several problems which may affect the validity and reliability of the research results.

Some of these problems are inaccessible information resources, cost constraints, ethical, and theoretical challenges.

Therefore a researcher needs to find ways of mitigating these problems, for instance properly constructed budgetary planning, or looking for funding of research work is one way of dealing with cost constraints.

However, data collection in violence and instable zones has revealed many difficulties.

The present issues in the wake of instability in places such as Baghdad have highlighted new difficulties and challenges faced.

The techniques are therefore deemed central in the successful completion of sociolinguistic research study, and hence the fieldwork strategy chosen by the researcher will be helpful in mitigating these problems.