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Guidelines on Research Equipment & Supplies
To conduct ethnographic research you will need to make a financial
commitment for equipment. So of the below you may already own and therefore it will not be an additional burden.
1. Cell phones
2. Photographic and/Digital still image camera
3. Audiocassette recorder, either or both of traditional analog and
digital audio recorder
4. Digital videocamcorder
5. Microphones, optional
6. Personal laptop, to upload digital images and recordings as well
as to use for text processing.
7. Research Supplies
1. Cell Phones
If you have a global cell phone plan, this is great. Review all
the details for use in México, including local calls, calling international
to the USA and for receiving calls.
If you do not, you might consider getting an old (yes, not fashionable…)
nokia or similar that can be re-programmed for use in México on a
prepaid calling card basis (this is the Amigo Card system). Of course any phone that suits your fancy can be used to be reprogrammed for local use (I dont suggest this for a phone for which you have a USA-based contract!). This costs about $20 have of which goes to toward prepaid minutes. This cell phone will be
helpful for us as a research team to be able to maintain communication
in cases where we are divided in the city doing separate but integrated
documentary research or when traveling. Old phones can cost from $10 including shipping
to much much more if you go to EBAY. These should not be used however to receive international
calls as you will quickly consume vast amounts of money! For international incoming calls figure out carriers' service for Mexico.
CALLING CARDS for USA calls. I have found that a prepaid calling card called SUITE ONE is the
cheapest rates for USA to Mérida. If you have ATT as your home line
you may also get their ATT global calling card. This has 15cent rates
to call from México to USA and I believe vice versa. I have been told
that this rate has recently dropped to 9cents for anywhere to anywhere.
2. Still Image equipment. It is required to
bring a camera.
SLR Photographic Film Camera or Digital Camera (min suggested 3 megapixels).
Most participants will choose to bring a digital camera for their
basic documentation; film photographers need not bring or work with
a digital camera, but must understand that project requirements entail
sharing print or scanned copies of all documentary work.
film development on site in Merida and Playa del Carmen (not Piste nor Chichen Itza) is available.
If you are buying or already have a digital camera, take a few days
to explore ALL of its features before arriving to Mérida. Do
several different kinds of shoots: Action, night, still or portrait
photography. Figure out the limits and strengths of your camera. I
have found my own digital camera to be very weak and impossibly SLOW for night action shooting
- which is not good due to our documentation of Mérida night
life (people dancing, talking, walking, playing music, street theatre, doing things!).
3. Audio Recorder. Required of all participants.
Choice of technology is dependent you're your research focus-your own interests in terms
of present and future research interests.
- Technology is such that regardless of your needs, it should be
available in walkman size or smaller.
- DO NOT BUY microcassette recorders made for dictation. These are
not suitable for ethnographic research purposes nor fieldwork. Read
comment below about notebooks regarding digital voice recorders
(i.e., "digital dictation" machines for business)
- The basic walkman style audio cassette recorder. This basic field
equipment. You can buy a $20-50 version as your basic recorder.
Panasonic and Sony are the most common and good brands for this type of low end recorders. It is also recommended for the future, for your future as a field researcher, that you have one of these
as a back up for any and all occasssions, even if you are primarily using
other devices. The old style audio recorder is the best technology
for in-situ field recording of interviews that involve one or more
person. The higher the quality of the machine ($200-$300) the better; but these will also need a good, professional microphone.
- The cheaper product will have an integrated microphone and integrated
speakers. The higher quality products will have external mic and
a plug for external speaker/headphones. The price of the high end
machines are actually mostly because of the quality of the microphone.
Get a lapel mic.
- For the highend walkman style recorders buy Sony or Aiwa. Marantz
is also good brand for music recording but does not come in walkman
sized machines. These are all identified as professional recorders.
When you talk with sales reps, find out for what kind of professional!
(i.e., musician, journalist, etc.).
- For the low end products Panasonic, Sony, Aiwa, and other lesser
brands are adequate. Make SURE that what you buy on the low end
is a RECORDER and not just playback. Recorders are not an easy find
at the stores, even before ipod. Try ebay for low end products,
preference is new, but used is okay as well. For the high end, only
go with new. To buy these you will need to go to a major electronics
store that has diversified products.
- Digital audio recorders and DVRs (digital voice recorders) are good for: music recording; protected
environment interviewing; one-on-one interviewing; ambient sound
recording for multi-media production. The digital recording is not
good for situations that are live on the street or multiple speakers
if you are intending to transcribe. The recording will not be intelligible
to software that transcribes--- too many different sounds and voices
for the voice recognition to work. Thus interviews that are sustained
with one person in audio-protected environment is viable. See Sony
DIGITAL VOICE RECORDER PRODUCT INFORMATION RESOURCE GUIDE
- You may consider getting an high quality external mic for either
your digital or high end recorder. These range in the $100-300.
Do not buy cheaper products. Your integrated mic is already superior
to anything priced at under $100.
4. Video Camcorder.
Required for video-documentary work according
to participant focus, use Digital or DVD or Mini-DVD. Please
see the following discussion of tips on buying and using digital video
5. Microphones
Omni-directional, uni-directional, conference, or wireless
microphones depending on participant's research focus and needs; these
must be purchased separately if they are not provided with the audio
or video recording equipment or if participant has special research
needs.
6. Personal laptop computer, strongly encouraged.
Your computer should be a minimum equivalent to a Pentium III with high ram, large hard drive, and software for graphic image manipulation as well as text editing. Also ensure that your system has the ability to communicate and share information with other laptops. This may be in the format/medium of: USB Jump drives, zip drives, floppy drives, CD burner, DVD-CD burners.
One pentium III with Win98se is available upon request for use by students on a limited basis if arranged in advance.
You are not required to bring a printer or scanner. Limited printer and printing is available from OSEA.
It is STRONGLY suggested however that you bring a USB flash drive of at least 1 gig
7. Research Supplies
Participants need to bring their own supply of film, digital storage media, audio-cassettes. It is recommended that you are also bring your own supply of your favorite pens or pencils and notebooks, although these can also be purchased on location.
You will need to buy a set of notebooks for a total of 100-200 pages. Because you will carry these around with you all the time and be writing in them in awkward positions - standing on a street corner, kneeling beside a wall, sitting and swinging in a hammock-you need to figure out what you will find most comfortable and appropriate to use regarding size of paper, thickness, flexibility-durability and strength of the binding and covers.
I have found that small (half letter size) hardcover notebooks to be the most sensible and worthwhile. The hardcover allows you support and lightness while providing something hard to write against. The covers are also good protection against the elements. These come in sizes ranging from 50,100, 200 sheets. You can also find these in soft cover.
I suggest buying this in Mérida, because they will be less expensive. However the choice of cover might not suit your aesthetics! Because the production of paper products is totally geared toward the elementary and middle school consumer, your choices of cover will be limited to colorful flowers, Disney characters, ninja and hello kitty, batman, etc. Unfortunately, no Southpark covers are yet available… Sure, there will the hard to find simple plain color cover, but you have to do a little searching.
Personally I find the full letter-sized notebooks typically used in classroom context to be unwieldy for ethnographic fieldwork and field notes.
You will need to use a few notebooks for fieldwork. One for writing fieldnotes, one for jotting notes and one for a diary. The jotting notebook is to quickly record information in order keeps track of your hourly activities and all digital, film, audio, audiovisual documentation that you taking. The jotting notebook can also record other information as necessary. Because of this function, these jotting notebooks could be much smaller sized according to your own personal preferences.
As an alternative to the jotting notebook, you may also consider
the use of a digital voice recorder - or what used to be called dictation
machines.
Please read the Sony
DIGITAL VOICE RECORDER PRODUCT INFORMATION RESOURCE GUIDE
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