What is fieldwork in oral literature?
Fieldwork study is a systematic fact-finding mission whereby learners go out to collect oral material. This fact-finding mission is done to record and analyze this information for conclusions.
Definition of terms in oral literature fieldwork
The Common terms that are used in oral literature fieldwork
Field - Field in oral literature refers to any place where a learner who is doing fieldwork goes to collect oral literature data.
Research – Research in oral literature is the process of gathering, recording, and
analyzing oral literature material in the fieldwork
Data - Data in oral literature fieldwork refers to the information (data) gathered in research.
Transcription– Transcription refers to the act of writing down oral material in the original language of performance exactly as it is rendered without any alteration or directly from a tape recorder.
Informant - Also known as the respondent, an informant in oral literature fieldwork refers to any person who provides information to the researcher in the process of fieldwork.
The interviewer – The interviewer refers to the researcher as he asks questions to the respondent.
The Interviewee – The interviewee is the person responding to those questions (informant).
Rapport – Rapport refers to a cordial relationship between the researcher and the informant
Translation– Translation refers to the act of giving meaning in another language to what is said or recorder
Importance of fieldwork in oral literature
What is the importance of fieldwork in oral literature?
Fieldwork in oral literature is done with a very clear purpose or objectives. These objectives include:
- Fieldwork provides learners with an opportunity to experience oral literature in its real form through seeing, hearing, and participating in performances in the field.
- Through fieldwork, learners can relate what they learn to real-life situations. Fieldwork provides learners with an opportunity to detect ant new trends even as they confirm what is there as oral literature is highly dynamic in nature.
- It helps the learners to sharpen their skills of observation, recording, and analysis.
- Since Oral literature is a performed art that can only be fully appreciated in the context of a performance, fieldwork enables the learners to appreciate its performance aspect.
- By taking part in fieldwork, learners help in reaching out to the lots of oral literature material in the areas of songs, narratives, proverbs, riddles, and tongue twisters that are yet to be collected recorded, and analyzed.
- Fieldwork provides the learners with a moment of relaxation and enjoyment outside the classroom situation thus breaking classroom monotony and also enhancing their ability to socialize and interact with different people.
Stages in Oral Literature Fieldwork
What are the stages involved in fieldwork?
- The process of carrying out fieldwork involves five stages:-
- Doing preparations for the fieldwork study
- Collecting data during the fieldwork study
- Recording the data obtained
- Processing the data
- Analyzing and interpreting the data.
1. The preparation stage of oral literature fieldwork study
The preparation stage of fieldwork study involves the following:
i. Deciding on what is to be researched.
ii. Identification of the catchment’s area location of the study.
iii. Seeking official permission for the study from the authorities.
iv. Conducting a pre-visit before the actual study to gain insight into the physical and social environment of the field beforehand
v. Conducting library research on the topic of research to establish a research gap.
vi. Preparing material for recording and any necessary equipment.
vii. Working out an estimation of time and money required for successful completion of the study.
2. Data collection stage of oral literature fieldwork study
Data Collection is the process of gathering and acquiring the information being sought. In this process, the main issue is establishing contact with the informant, establishing a rapport, and using certain techniques to get the required information. These techniques of getting the required information include listening, observation, participation, and interview. These methods are required to be used together as they complement each other.
a) Listening.
The researcher listens from an audio source and gathers information from what is said.
b) Observation
Under this technique, the researcher stands aside and uses his eyes and ears to obtain information from a source. It is worth noting that a researcher may get wrong perceptions of what is going on or fail to get insights into what is going on while he/she stands aloof.
c) Participation.
This technique is also called participant observation. Here the researcher becomes part and parcel of what is going on as he observes from within. This technique is used to gather first-hand information without the prejudice of the respondents.
d) Interview
This technique involves the researcher obtaining the required information by subjecting the informer (interviewee) to a set of questions and recording the responses. This way, the researcher has a chance to gauge the feelings of the respondents and probe further if need be or when answers are provided.
Though the interview technique is advantageous in that it can be used to obtain data from illiterate people, there can be a challenge getting answers to set questions. To mitigate this challenge, they need to researcher guide the discussions towards getting answers to set questions. It is worth noting that interviewees can put up a show thus misleading the interview, suffers memory lapse, or deliberately tells lies when using a translation there could be distortions
e) Questionnaires
A questionnaire is a set of prepared questions that a respondent is given to writing down the answers. Questionnaires can cover a wide range of information using one or a few researchers. The researcher just gets the kind of information he seeks and the respondents feel free. The major limitation in using questionnaires is that they are limited to only the literate people. There is also usually no opportunity to probe further as in the case with interviews and the respondents can deliberately give misleading information.
NOTE:
To overcome these problems of inaccurate information, the researcher should use a combination of various methods that reinforce each other and also seek to increase on the number of respondents so as to compare notes
3. Data recording in oral literature field research.
In practice, both data collection and recording going on simultaneously. The two may be done by the same person but some methods require a different person for recording.
The methods of recording data include:- memory recording, writing, type recording, photography or filming or video recording
a) Memory Recording
This is sometimes called the foreteller method as it was the sole method through which our forefathers stored oral literature for later transmission to the next generation.
However, a lot of oral literature faded out this way as it never got to the next person sometimes it was forgotten and distorted.
b) Writing.
This method is largely responsible for literal transmission. Written records are accessible to a wide audience across time and space. However, it is only accessible for those who are literate Furthermore this method is slow in recording performance and may lead to inaccurate recording. It also leaves out the visual details of the performance.
c) Tape recording
This method accurately records verbatim. The proceedings of the performance. It can even be concealed to avoid interfering with the performance. This can later be Transcripted and translated however, it is expensive as it requires at least a radio it also leaves out the visual details of the performance.
d) Photographing
photographs are also a means of keeping visual accounts of the performance. Such physical detail as costume and décor. The performance and the setting can be captured.
But this is narrow for it only records a few details. Besides, it is very expensive and requires some expertise.
e) Filming or video recording
This method is an all-around recording for it takes into account all details; it is audio-visual. But the cost can be prohibited while it might require somebody with technical know-how.
NOTE:
As in the methods of collecting data, the recording methods can be combined where possible to improve efficiency.
4. Data processing in fieldwork research
Because of the variety of recording techniques available, it is important to make a written copy of the findings of field research. Both transcription and translation will be carried out to produce a fair copy of the findings.
5. Analysis and interpretation of data in fieldwork research
After a fair copy is obtained the researcher can now classify the material into genres and make comments and conclusions based on the findings. Here the success of the mission is measured because of the objectives laid down at the beginning of the research.
Problems encountered in fieldwork study.
1. Language barrier between the respondents and the researcher thus necessitating an interpreter.
2. Some informants may be unreliable, suffer memory lapses or provide untrue information. Sometimes this may be a result of ignorance.
3. Failure to establish rapport.
Sometimes it is difficult to get the informants to cooperate and provide information. Some will even be hostile. The researcher should make a pre-visit to do the groundwork sometimes a researcher has to carry token gifts but it is good. Public relations on the part of the researcher that carries the day
4. Transport and accommodation problems.
Some parts of the country are not easily accessible and accommodation becomes a problem. A pre-visit gives the researcher an insight into what to expect and prepares accordingly.
5. Bad weather and environmental problems.
The researcher should be prepared for difficult conditions and adverse weather conditions.
6. Breakdown of research equipment in the course of transportation and movement the researcher may lose or damage some equipment. This calls for care and adjustment on the part of the research. If a radio breaks down, he may have to record everything in writing.
7. Timing.
8. This happens if the researcher has not prepared well. You arrive in the field to find that the performance is through or does not happen that season. A good example is the circumcision ceremony which only takes place at a certain time in the year. Failure to prepare well would cause the researcher to miss the performance
9. Cultural shock cultures are different and have different stands. In some areas, a man cannot alone interview a woman such situations call for creativity in complying with the standards and ensuring that the research goes on. The researcher must be sensitive towards such practices as greetings, dressing, relationships across sexes, and other sensitive cultural practices. A researcher goes out to understand and respect other cultures but not try and challenge them or change them.