Msc Cultural and Social Anthropology
Final research report
Fieldwork report Sept 2012
At the end of the research period, you will write your final research report for your supervisor.
This report will be based to a large extent on the interim reports that you sent 'from the field.'
You will need to hand it in on the 23st September 2012, at the latest.
The report discusses the following:
1. Your entry 'in the field':
 Contacts, gatekeepers and sponsors:
 Who help you getting entry (so-called sponsors), into what networks?
 Who entertained some kind of control on your access, or claimed you (gatekeepers),
and how did you deal with them and their actions?
 What 'informants' did you get in touch with, and what social groups or categories can
you organize them (compare backgrounds, age, gender, etc.: compatible or exceptional
as group or category within your broad research population).
 Where did you live, with whom did you stay?
 Language: communication & communication problems? Use of an interpreter, and if
so, how did that work out?
 Any entry problems other than gatekeepers and language issues that affected your
research?
2. Central questions:
 What was the central question that guided your research, has it changed during the
research, and if so, why.
 What were the sub questions that guided your research, did all show to be relevant,
did other questions pop up? Why?
 What research activities did you undertake to answer these questions, and explain
why you chose these methods. Offer a clear overview of, and for, each sub question.
For example, in the case of interviews: with who (classify, for example: 7 DutchChinese owners of restaurants, 1st generation migrants), how many, about which
topics in particular. Also describe the type of research method (e.g., informal
interviews: how, where, what did this method offer).
3. Evaluation of your research:
 An overview of your research material:
- Interviews about . . .
- Observations about . . .
- Case . . .
- Studies about . . .
- Event analysis of . . .
- Photos
- Documents
- Etc.
 What went well/wrong, and why?
 Which applied methods and techniques offered the best insights, and why? Which did
not?
 A brief summary of your preliminary research results: a first, provisional answer to
your (newly formulated) research question in a few points.
 In addition, discuss: What has interested you the most in the research? What struck
you the most? Any information and insights that surprised you, that were not expected,
but that you would like to give a place in the thesis?
4. Reflection on your research.
 What obstacles and setbacks did you encounter, and how did you try to deal with
these?
 What effect did this have on your research? Be frank: All researchers have to deal with
unexpected twists and turns in the research. The point is to acknowledge this and
reflect on how it affected the research, e.g. in your contact with informants or the
topics that you could discuss. Sometimes setbacks also have unintended positive
results.
 What positive outcomes did/do you experience from your research, personally,
socially, and/or scholarly?
5. A first draft of the table of contents of the thesis: of chapters and, preferably also of
sections of each chapter, structured along your main topics and argument. N.B.:
 Go back to your theoretical framework, the definitions and classifications as used in
your research proposal and define in which theoretical discussions you wish to partake
in with your thesis.
 Legitimate your chapters and sections each in 3 sentences. What are they to contain?
 Keep in mind the maximum length in pages for your thesis (60-75 pages, 25.00030.000 words). Basic structure of the thesis: 10 p. Introduction; 3 chapters of 15 p.; 5
p. Conclusion). For more info on the thesis requirements see the digital study guide
[ http://studiegids.uva.nl/web/uva/sgs/en/p/1161.html the look for the ‘schedule’,
then click on ‘Master thesis Cultural and Social Anthropology (20 EC)’.]
 Think about what ‘genre’ you deem fit for your thesis in relation to your main topic(s),
argument and applied methods. Consider the use of vignettes, presentations of
dialogues (chats, interviews, life histories) or in-depth descriptions (from participantobservation), the role and place of photographs and other visual research material, etc.
These matters will be elaborated upon in the ‘Ethnographic Writing’ module following
your period of fieldwork.
Length of the final research report: 4000-6000 words.
The report is discussed by the supervisor and student. The supervisor fills out an exam slip
('tentamenbriefje') with an 'AVV' (pass) when the research report is deemed satisfactory. This
covers the 20 EC of the research.