[Nfb-science] data collection protocol for research assistants/readers

[cheryl fogle]

Hello,

I'm wondering if anyone has ever developed a data collection protocol when using research assistants or readers to collect visual information and would be willing to share their protocol with me.  I want to standardize observations among two or more research assistants so that visual data will be valid in the analysis phase of my Ph.D. dissertation.

My committee believe that I should only have one assistant during the 4-6 months of my field work, because they think that more assistants would introduce interobserver errors. They don't understand as we do that it's necessary to fire people sometimes and other times readers/drivers leave voluntarily for a number of reasons.  I have been stuck for several years without making progress on my fieldwork because I have been trying to fund all travel for myself and travel/salary for an assistant on one large grant.  This is museums in five states plus Washington D.C. I have received enough small grants for one trip to a single museum about two weeks duration.  That is why I'm looking for ideas on protocols to standardize information.  I'm wanting descriptions of color of stone tools, photographs taken, handwritten field records read, and counts on number of places where small stone flakes were removed to shape the artifact.  I can feel the overall pattern of flake removals, but I can't tell each individual scar.  I have received small grants, enough to do a pilot study, and I'm thinking of finally beginning my research after spinning my wheels on this issue for three years since I advanced to candidacy.  If I don't act soon, I'm going to have to apply to my university for an extention.  I work full time and am considering paying research assistants out of pocket then taking tax write off for educational expenses.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Cheryl Fogle
Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology
University of New Mexico
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Hello,
 
I'm wondering if anyone has ever developed a data collection protocol when using research assistants or readers to collect visual information and would be willing to share their protocol with me.  I want to standardize observations among two or more research assistants so that visual data will be valid in the analysis phase of my Ph.D. dissertation.
 
My committee believe that I should only have one assistant during the 4-6 months of my field work, because they think that more assistants would introduce interobserver errors. They don't understand as we do that it's necessary to fire people sometimes and other times readers/drivers leave voluntarily for a number of reasons.  I have been stuck for several years without making progress on my fieldwork because I have been trying to fund all travel for myself and travel/salary for an assistant on one large grant.  This is museums in five states plus Washington D.C. I have received enough small grants for one trip to a single museum about two weeks duration.  That is why I'm looking for ideas on protocols to standardize information.  I'm wanting descriptions of color of stone tools, photographs taken, handwritten field records read, and counts on number of places where small stone flakes were removed to shape the artifact.  I can feel the overall pattern of flake removals, but I can't tell each individual scar.  I have received small grants, enough to do a pilot study, and I'm thinking of finally beginning my research after spinning my wheels on this issue for three years since I advanced to candidacy.  If I don't act soon, I'm going to have to apply to my university for an extention.  I work full time and am considering paying research assistants out of pocket then taking tax write off for educational expenses.
 
Any ideas would be welcome.
 
Cheryl Fogle
Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology
University of New Mexico