4. Independent researcher (maximal involvement) – Community members
help design or refine data collection instruments/protocols, and collect data
independently. This may include taking over parts of the project, or developing
related spinoff projects independently.
Data Analysis/Interpretation
1. Community informed of results (minimal involvement) – The standard
requirement of most northern research licensing and funding agencies is that
researchers submit translated annual summary reports of study findings to local
authorities.
2. Community as advisor – The researcher undertakes preliminary analysis of
data and seeks community feedback to ensure that the results make sense from
a local perspective.The researcher then revises the analysis and prepares results
taking local interpretation into account, but researcher interpretation takes precedence (i.e. community concurrence is not necessarily required).
3. Community as research manager (maximal involvement) – The community
must accept the validity and accuracy of the researcher’s analysis and interpretation before results can be finalized; community explanations for perceived errors
must be thoroughly addressed to the satisfaction of both parties.
Granted, not every research project will lend itself to the highest level of community
involvement, just as not all research will lead to practical applications or policy-relevant
ends. Nor should all research. However, scientific researchers have commonly been surprised at the insights brought by local community representatives – to even the most
technical projects – and how research has improved because of this unexpected input. It
is suggested that the most appropriate level of community involvement should be negotiated between the community and the researcher, for each separate project. Researchers
should remain open to, and actively seek, opportunities for involving local knowledge.
Furthermore, communities may wish to establish a local research advisory group to oversee a variety of research activities undertaken in and around their towns, as well as to provide a coordinated means of monitoring and negotiating research relationships.A sufficient
amount of time, and information-sharing, is sometimes required for both parties to define
a mutually agreeable level of community involvement. From there, involvement can be
adjusted as the project progresses and one or both sides re-evaluate the costs and benefits of community involvement. The following section on initiating community contact
provides some ideas for getting started in building a research relationship.
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N EGOTIATING R ESEARCH R ELATIONSHIPS W ITH I NUIT C OMMUNITIES