The goals of this module are to:

  • Provide social science researchers with an overview and introduction to the concept of research fatigue,
  • Prepare researchers for fieldwork by providing an idea of what to expect before visiting energy-impacted communities, and
  • Present next steps toward a Code of Ethics or Best Practices for conducting social science research in energy-impacted communities in the future. 

By completing this module, you will:

  • Gain skills that are valuable to your academic studies, fieldwork and career,
  • Have the opportunity to reflect on your personal values and interests that may affect future projects, and
  • Become part of a larger cohort of researchers engaged in this topic.

We also hope that this project will:

  • Serve as a catalyst for discussion in and out of the classroom, and
  • Contribute to the broader impacts of this work.

Your guides through many of the video clips will be Dr. Julia Haggerty and Kristin Smith. Haggerty is an associate professor geography in the Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University and principal investigator for the Research Fatigue in Rural Communities project. She directs the Resources and Communities Research Group, a highly collaborative lab focused on natural resource and economic development issues in rural regions. Dr. Haggerty is assisted in this module by Kristin Smith. Smith is a PhD candidate in geography in the Department of Earth Sciences at Montana State University and Program Coordinator at Headwaters Economics. Her research interests include economic geography, rural development, and regional governance.

 

Montana State University's Dr. Julia Haggerty and Ph.D. researcher Kristin Smith discuss how to consider what research outcomes might look like and how to find out what a community may need. (Video length: 3:15. Click the CC button at the bottom of the video frame to see captioning)

 

Previous: Introduction to the Course

 

Next: Meet the Researchers