In 2008-2009, we offered a forum for FIELD RESEARCH. This was not used by anyone, so we deleted the forum. This note explains why we thought it was a good idea at the time. It may be an idea we can develop in the future in some way, as our network grows. If you would like to send us any comments about field research and the Research Cooperative, they will be welcome at any time. See Admin contact details in the right-hand column of our website.

Offers can be made by local experts, guides, and interpreters who would like to work with visiting researchers, in any context or field (natural, social, rural, urban, etc.)

Requests for help can be made by researchers planning work in a particular location, area or country.

If you are researcher who can make a recommendation, we suggest that you describe the situation in general terms, without giving the names and contact details of third persons, unless you have been asked to make such details public.

If someone asks for further details, after seeing your recommendation, then you can give further details as appropriate, in private.

Researchers involved in the natural and social field sciences often seek loca experts, guides and interpreters in order to:

- become familiar with a local area or region

- learn about local protocols,

- obtain transport, food, and accommodation.

In the field sciences (geography, anthropology, archaeology, biology, geology, and other specialisations), the information obtained from local experts, guides and interpreters is often of central importance for the work eventually published. Local experts, guides and interpreters may also be researchers, teachers, students, village leaders, elders, farmers, or traders. Whatever their background, their contributions should be acknowledged in the resulting publications, and also by accepting them as part of the wider research community in which we all operate.

Recognition is usually given in the form of personal or generally-stated acknowledgements in the text of a paper, or at the end, and is also sometimes in the form of coauthorship by an individual or group.

In some research areas, the local knowledge sought or obtained may be commercially-sensitive information.

In such situations, participation in research may be based on a contract that is essentially a commercial agreement. It is not the role of this Cooperative to be directly involved in such commercial relationships. We can only serve as a medium for initial contacts between other parties. The specific negotiations that follow are a private matter.

We do have a general interest in how negotiations take place between researchers, local experts and local communities, and this could be a subject for future discussion by a special-interest group (please contact us if you would like to establish such a group within the Cooperative).

The question of how and when to obtain 'prior informed consent' has been widely discussed in the field sciences, and it would be useful if visitors to our website could find some guidance on the matter.

If you are any sense a 'local expert', and would like to communicate your knowledge in some way, then please feel free to join the Research Cooperative.

If you would like to discuss your experience of working with researchers, as a local expert, please tell us. It might be useful for us (The Research Cooperative) to establish an open forum for such discussion.