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By Root 1431 0

a copy of the book. At that point, feeling that it was the least I could do, given their willingness to open up their lives to me, I promised to provide copies. As the study progressed, I began to worry about how the families might react to the book. One impetus for the study was my desire to correct what I considered the superficial and overly romantic view of child rearing that dominated the literature. I wanted to present a realistic view of family life. Still, as I grew emotionally attached to the family members, I worried about the necessity of objectifying them in the writing process. I was concerned that what I planned to write might hurt their feelings.26

When I was still in their homes, sitting around in the kitchen chatting, collecting the original data, I did try to warn the families that the final product probably would not be to their liking. “You know, when someone takes a picture of someone and everyone else thinks it is fine, but the person really doesn’t like it?” I would say. They would nod, somewhat uncertainly. I would then continue, “Well, that is how it will probably be with the book. You probably won’t like it.” Still, I think that the families and I were both surprised by the level of pain, hurt, and dismay—the very kind of reaction Burawoy notes—that the book created for many. One mother said, “I know that you warned us.” But seeing the results in print made the findings painfully real.

This likely negative, even “traumatic,” aspect of research has not been fully integrated into methodological writings, despite striking examples from well-known—even classic—studies. Arthur Vidich was hung in effigy after Small Town in Mass Society was published; communities featured in the early sociological studies such as Yankee City also expressed ire. William Foote Whyte reported the tense reaction, particularly on the part of Doc, to Street Corner Society.27 More recently, a few researchers have vividly described the anger and hurt expressed by ethnographic study participants, but these descriptions have tended to focus on the researcher’s decision not to reveal her or his intention to write a book or the researcher’s decision to conceal key information which would have mattered to study participants.28

Considering the Alternatives

To help mitigate problems study participants experience, some researchers suggest that ethnographers should share the study results prior to publication, so that participants can articulate their concerns.29 This viewpoint is both optimistic and problematic. It raises complex questions regarding the balance between what researchers owe study participants and how much control the researcher ought to retain over what is written.

Some people argue that having participants read draft text and give feedback provides “buy in” on the part of respondents.30 Writers on this subject have also recommended various forms of “member checks.” These range from sharing certain information with participants in order to confirm the accuracy of small details to asking respondents to validate the researcher’s analysis and conclusions. Checks of the former type generally are of little consequence to a study’s main argument or to the relationship with the study participants, particularly if they can be managed in informal, verbal interactions (e.g., stopping by to say hello and checking the information in the midst of a broader conversation about other issues). But checks that involve sharing the written report or a prepublication draft can bring significant perils.

Although the voices of study participants are crucial, they represent only one piece of a complex puzzle. Who should decide the focus of what the researcher writes?31 Study participants are likely to want certain issues to be developed and recast to reflect their own views. If a researcher requests the time and energy of respondents to read text and provide feedback, then the researcher should plan to incorporate that feedback. But academics face constraints from disciplinary standards, editorial boards, and publishers about the shape