Synopsis This is a paperback of a 1979 hardback which broke new ground in social investigation. There have, since, been other books on the experience of fieldwork, but this remains a much cited work. The eighteen essays in the volume describe the experiences of field research mainly in rural and urban India, and in complex organizations such as a hospital, a factory and a trade union. There are also accounts of work in Japan, Sri Lanka and New Mexico. This is an informative and helpful guide to those about to embark on their own field research.