Following a successful outcome at Confirmation stage, you are ready to prepare for and then undertake your empirical research: your ‘fieldwork’. This is likely to take up a significant part of your post-confirmation year.
The structure of PhDs vary enormously. However, what is common across all of them is the need to keep in contact with your supervisors and have regular supervisory meetings. If you have periods of extended fieldwork away from Sheffield, you must agree a timetable of work before you depart and regular contact should be maintained by email or video meetings.
Reflecting this expectation of continued engagement, students carrying out fieldwork overseas should note that it is not possible to de-register for this period. Whether or not you are actually present in Sheffield, the full fees are payable and, as a department, we are required to evidence that regular contact has been maintained with you.
Research Council students should claim for UK fieldwork costs according to the rules that apply to them. A clear costing needs to be made for overseas fieldwork at the time of application and unless full provision is met by a Research Council or other source, external funds must be sought. Supervisors and students involved in projects that contain proposed overseas fieldwork must recognise that raising funds may be a major integral component of the first year's research activities and resources for this should be identified prior to commencement of research.
Expenses
Students in receipt of bursaries/scholarships (for example, CASE or ESRC) should note that all expenditure should be agreed with their supervisors prior to purchase and that in order to meet University Financial Directives, authorised university suppliers must be used for all equipment purchases over £50. Information on University Procurement can be found here. Failure to meet these Directives can result in claims not being met and at worst suspension of registration.
Information about research grants and support schemes can be found here.
It is important that both PGR students and their supervisors are aware of the need to keep safe when engaged in university business on fieldwork. This awareness includes both personal safety and in relation to others, for example, working with participants in the specific fieldwork site and any potential health and safety issues which are particular to the fieldwork location, for example, an organisation’s health and safety requirements.
Our students are from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and fieldwork will be undertaken in diverse settings for various reasons, including abroad. Students and supervisors should discuss any particular safety issues which may arise when conducting fieldwork in the appropriate supervisory sessions before fieldwork commences, and see these guidelines as general principles to be adapted to specific fieldwork situations. Working alone, for instance, in a participant’s home, or a public place off University premises, can mean additional safety precautions need to be addressed. With this in mind, specific reference is made below to safety measures for working alone.
Supervisors should also discuss these issues as part of the ethics approval process so this can inform students’ reflections when completing the ethics form. However, health and safety are ongoing issues which should be addressed throughout the PhD process where appropriate.
Below is a suggested checklist for supervisors and students to consider and which they may find helpful in preparing for fieldwork as well as links to other University sources of information.
These should be exchanged between supervisors/students so that they both have the relevant contact details when fieldwork commences, including an emergency contact. (It may well be that the emergency contact number is a person other than the supervisor, but the supervisor should be given this information in case of emergency.) It is advised that someone knows of the student’s whereabouts when conducting fieldwork at all times, especially if in someone’s home, at night, or at other places/times when the student may potentially be more vulnerable. Supervisors should be informed by the student when fieldwork is anticipated to start, the location of fieldwork and the student’s fieldwork timetable.
Student:
Full name, address and mobile telephone number
E-mail address
Emergency contact name, address and telephone number
Supervisor:
Full name, address and telephone number
E-mail address
Travel Insurance
The University provides free comprehensive travel insurance for all staff and students for overseas trips. When arranging insurance, please forward a copy to the DHSO.
Risk Assessment
The Department has in place a General Department Risk Assessment.
Any member of staff and PGR students undertaking a risk assessment should first complete General Risk Assessment Techniques training.
For guidance on risk assessments for events or any other activities please contact the DHSO.
Any member of staff and PGR students looking to travel with work, either abroad or in the UK needs to complete the Department’s Travel Approval Form first. The form asks for information about where you’re travelling to, why, how it will be funded and if there is any impact on teaching or other responsibilities. Please make sure this is completed and approved in advance of making any bookings. You should also refer to the University's Fieldwork and Travel Policy.
A risk assessment should be carried out for all field trips and significant off campus activities organised by the Department. The main aim is to identify any significant hazards which could pose a risk to staff, students or anyone else affected by the activity.
All risk assessment should be sent via email to the DHSO for checking prior to approval by the Head of Department/ PGR Supervisor.
For further guidance on risk assessments for field trips and off campus activities please contact the DHSO.
Staff and PGR students, travelling to participate in an event where the risk is low, eg a conference or meeting and the trip is less than a month and does not involve students, the new Low Risk Events Travel Form should be completed. The risk assessment is included within the form.
For all other trips, ie fieldwork and field trips, trips of more than a month and trips involving students, the new Risk Assessment for Trips Form should be completed well in advance of the trip. Please make a copy before completing the form.
Much of the form has been pre-populated with existing control measures that should apply to most trips. Where there are additional control measures, specific to your trip and/or destination, these should be added to the column 'Additional Control Measures'. The FCO travel advice should be checked for guidance on any additional measures that may need including in the risk assessment.
Information on harassment can be found here. Information about hate crime can be found here.
Students can report incidents of harassment, bullying or hate crime using the Report and Support system. You can report incidents you have experienced yourself or witnessed, and can submit your personal details (in order to receive support and advice) or make a report anonymously.
Further useful information on harassment and hate crime can be found here.
The SSiD’s student handbook has some comprehensive general guidelines for students in relation to their personal safety; covering issues such as being out and about in the city, at home, women’s safety, safety from fire, police advice and security services information.