DESCRIPTION
In the last decades, the Hispanic population in the United States has been growing rapidly bringing with it a variety of new languages, traditions, customs, and cultural influences. With the incorporation of these influences to the community the necessity of a new and more cultural appropriate methodology emerged. This paper explores the methodology of pláticas, culturally relevant conversations used to engage Hispanic populations in research. It highlights the significance of pláticas in understanding shared cultural experiences and the importance of adapting research methods to fit the participants’ cultural contexts. The author draws on three distinct research projects where she used pláticas to collect data and provides practical guidelines and lessons learned for conducting them, emphasizing the need for researchers to build trust, choose appropriate settings, and utilize flexible protocols. Key considerations include understanding participants’ backgrounds, selecting the right timing and location for discussions, the necessity of preparing for unexpected shifts in conversation, and how to document the data depending on a different number of factors. Ultimately, pláticas emerge as a valuable methodology for qualitative research, fostering deeper engagement and more detailed data collection.
Suggested citation:
Ayala Chávez, R. (2025). Let’s Have a Plática – Tengamos Una Plática: Practical Considerations and Lessons Learned From Conducting Pláticas in Three Different Settings. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251353451
DESCRIPTION
In the last decades, the Hispanic population in the United States has been growing rapidly bringing with it a variety of new languages, traditions, customs, and cultural influences. With the incorporation of these influences to the community the necessity of a new and more cultural appropriate methodology emerged. This paper explores the methodology of pláticas, culturally relevant conversations used to engage Hispanic populations in research. It highlights the significance of pláticas in understanding shared cultural experiences and the importance of adapting research methods to fit the participants’ cultural contexts. The author draws on three distinct research projects where she used pláticas to collect data and provides practical guidelines and lessons learned for conducting them, emphasizing the need for researchers to build trust, choose appropriate settings, and utilize flexible protocols. Key considerations include understanding participants’ backgrounds, selecting the right timing and location for discussions, the necessity of preparing for unexpected shifts in conversation, and how to document the data depending on a different number of factors. Ultimately, pláticas emerge as a valuable methodology for qualitative research, fostering deeper engagement and more detailed data collection.
Suggested citation:
Ayala Chávez, R. (2025). Let’s Have a Plática – Tengamos Una Plática: Practical Considerations and Lessons Learned From Conducting Pláticas in Three Different Settings. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251353451
Credits
Regina Ayala Chávez, Catalyst Consulting Group, NC
This material is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0100. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
This linked product was created by another institution (not by the NISE Network). Contact owning institution regarding rights and permissions.
NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.