Weekend Homework

At Evan's request, I am posting some suggestions for your weekend homework.  These are in no specific order.

• Contact people early. Don't wait until later this weekend, only to find out they had their monthly meeting on Friday
• Be courteous and respectful of their time. They are doing you a favor by meeting with you or speaking with you. Respect that they may take some time to respond to emails and that they may not call you back immediately.
• At the same time, be determined. If you don't hear back for a day or two, try to contact another person in the group. Use multiple modes of contact (email, phone, showing up in person). Be dogged.
• Don't just talk to the person in charge. Often, they have a vision of the organization that may not reflect reality. Try to get as many perspectives as possible.
• Stay objective (as possible). Don't play favorites and don't focus on just one person. The whole group is what's important.

As far as what I'm looking for in your weekend homework:

• Your plan of action: who you will contact, what relationship they have with the organization (leader, member), and when you will contact them.
• When you can expect to start observing. When is their next meeting? Will they allow you to take pictures?
• What you hope to learn. Why did you chose this group? What about this group is interesting or important (to you, to us)?