Skins field research requires the gathering of raw data outside of a library, laboratory or office environment. The approaches and methods used in field research vary across the Skins disciplines, depending on your subject area of choice. An example of this is, our conservation biologists who conduct field research may simply observe animals interacting in their natural habitat. In the sports medicine arena, for example, this may require the student to observe or partake in the testing of a patient or athlete.
Field research involves a range of well-defined, although variable methods; informal interviews, direct observation, participation in the life of the group, collective discussions, analysis of documents produced within the group, self-analysis, results from activities undertaken off or on-line. Although the method is generally characterized as qualitative research, it will lead to quantitative research which is moved to a laboratory on-site of the research of back to basecamp lab.