The article describes the methodology of the study, focusing on how the principal researcher entered the field and maintained contact with his subjects. The second section focuses on philosophy and the question of multidisciplinary research. The article examines issues pertaining to the individual ethnographer's values, ethics, and moral standards. The final section focuses on practical considerations associated with ethnographic research -- the investment of time, creation of rapport with subjects, and legal aspects of illicit drug research -- which may apply specifically to alcohol and drug research, but which are mostly relevant to any type of field research. 5 notes and 40 references