One, No One and One Hundred Thousand

One, No One and One Hundred Thousand step-by-step

In a nutshell?

Taking field notes is the bread and butter of good research. This is a field note technique. It is a technique to reflect on the different masks we wear in our interactions.

You’ll write letters to friends, family and colleagues as a way to reflect over the research experience through different voices.

Who came up with it?

Gioel is experimenting with it as a PhD field note technique.

The inspiration:

The name​ ‘One, No One and One Hundred Thousand’ ​ is inspired by a famous italian novel in which a charter becomes aware that there are many versions of himself, and has a sort of existential freakout.

Here is ​ more​ .

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Where was it piloted?

Here we go: ​ https://gioelgio.wordpress.com/

What do I do?

You talk about your observations, stories etc. in a letter to a friend.

How long does it take?

Leave 30 minutes to write a letter right after you take part in a participatory observation, workshop, or experience you would like to record.

How can I implement this technique, step-by-step?

Step-by-step description 1. Think of a friend, family member, colleague or co-participant 2. Write a line or two about who they are. (e.g. Laura is 30 and she is british. She works at Youth Business International in London, we are colleagues, but we also become good friends in the process) 3. Write your letter a. Make sure to write down the date, time, and place of the story you are about to tell . b. Be specific about the facts, numbers, details of what happens in your story c. Write about your sensory experience (What did you see, hear, feel, smell, taste?) d. Comment on your perception, keeping in mind your are writing to your friend - them as a target audience.

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What are the benefits of using this technique? ● It allows you to keep good ethnographic notes ● It will help you reflect over cultural differences ● It pushes you to reflect on how your experience would be perceived by different people - it expands the way you understand your experience ● It makes you reflect on what you have seen and experienced - it adds meaning to it, while making you realize that the meaning you assign to a situation and experience is relative

What are the challenges of using this technique?

● For it to be useful, it should be done regularly. If you systematically collect letters, you can use the material of the letters as data.

What was the impact of using this technique? How did we measure it?

This technique can help you become aware of your thoughts.

When could I use this techniques?/Or experience using this technique?

You can use this technique during your research, while managing a project, or in any situation where you need to reflect over your lived experience.

Learn More: Interesting links/Audio visual material

Tips and Traps Notes Try to write the letter as soon as you are done with an experience. You will forget lots of important details if you don’t write them right away! If you cannot write the letter right

3 away, jotting down brief words or phrases while at the field site will help you remember more details.

Adaptability This technique could be easily adapted to reflect over ethical dilemmas during the field.

Pick 3 people that you respect (Ideally they would be 3 people from diverse background in terms of age, gender, origin, etc). Write to them about the situation you face. Why was it ethically challenging? What are you thinking of doing?

Notice the difference tone and language you use to to share the story. How do you expect them to respond to the situation?

This reflection should help you think of the ethical situation with different eyes, and different perspectives.