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Author Hinrichsen, Megan B., author

Title Finding the unanticipated : flexibility in research and unexpected lessons from mixed methods ethnographic fieldwork among low-income parents and children in urban Ecuador / Megan B. Hinrichsen
Published London : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2019
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Sage Research Methods Cases    View Resource Record  

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Description 1 online resource
Series SAGE Research Methods. Cases
SAGE Research Methods. Cases
Summary For my dissertation research, I set out to examine the health and social impacts of microfinance in urban Ecuador. Over a year of research, it became clear that microfinance was not a significant factor influencing the lives of my informants. I used mixed methods to explore the key themes that were unfolding before me, particularly the problems of child labor and its long-term impacts on children. This case study is about the research that this project brought forth, not what it was planned to be. Therefore, this case study does not reflect on the results of my work but in the lessons learned about conducting fieldwork, alterations I made to my research plans, and how they affected my work. This case draws on three phases of data collection involving more than 300 interviews, participant observation, and the measurement of childreńs height and weight to assess their nutritional status (anthropometric measurements). Being flexible in your research journey and not ́falling in lové with your hypothesis and research plans are underrecognized research skills often overlooked in classroom settings. However, they deserve our attention because our work is better when we are capable of listening to the reality of peoplés stories, accepting challenges, changing our plans accordingly, and learning far beyond what was originally planned. Having carefully planned and selected methodologies is important but so is the recognition that real life does not always fit neatly into research outlines. Research is, above all, a learning process
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Description based on XML content
Subject Economics -- Ecuador -- Sociological aspects.
Informal sector (Economics) -- Ecuador.
Microfinance -- Ecuador.
Poverty -- Ecuador.
Form Electronic book
ISBN 1526474972
9781526474971 (ebook)