Out of quantitative research, into ethnography: Studying Taiwanese migrants in China

There is no ‘orthodox’ research method in social sciences: there are just ‘different’ research methods for each individual, empirical research project. A research method should be decided on the basis of research topics and the availability of data. By turning to ethnography, I was able to collect more valid data than would have been the case with tape-recorded interviews and more than what was possible previously, writes Ping Lin.