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The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Vol. 30 No. 4 Oct.-Dec. 2005 960 Researching Traditional Medicine: A Review and Evaluation of Objectives and Methodologies Selecting study site and informants Study site and informants are two fundamental components of descriptive research. The overall location and population must be selected according to criteria estab- lished by the researcher. Statistical and sociological methods are used to sample appropriate study sites and informants, and the specific criteria and characteristics of the study site and informants must be detailed (Table 2). The location for the study site may be selected based on its political or natural boundaries and cultural background. The traditional medicine of the Golan Heights and West Bank region of Israel was documented to add to the regional base of medicinal plant knowledge. 15 Nolan 16 chose the Ozark-Ouachita highlands of U.S.A. to compare the medicinal plant use knowledge between peoples living in different parts of the mountain area. As unique me- dical knowledge often results from communities who share similar linguistic and cultural origins, studies may focus on ethnic groups such as the Zay people in Ethiopia. 17 Informants are local experts who offer esoteric (specialized) knowledge or non-experts with ex- oteric (common) knowledge of the community. 16 A study in New York City, U.S.A. compared the treatment knowledge between Latino tradi- tional healers and biomedical physicians. 18 On the other hand, plant medicines used among non- expert elderly community members in Sardinia, Italy were studied in an attempt to draw conclusions between their use of medicinal plants and unexplained longevity among male inhabitants. 19 Pioneer descriptive studies that conduct qualitative surveys of broad subject matter are often unselective with study sites and informants. Baird 20 compiled an overview of traditional medicines used by expert (traditional healers, medicinal plant traders and non-expert plant users (local people) throughout Laos P.D.R. Another study by Goodman and Ghafoor 21 documented the medicinal plant knowledge of expert (street vendors, shop physicians, and traditional doctors) and non- expert plants users (desert nomads, tribal leaders) in different regions of Pakistan. Table 1. Common data collected on medicinal plants and health practices. Medicinal plants Health practices among patients and healers • Local and scientific plant names • Methods of treatment • Nature of plants (examples: ceremony, herbal) • Wild/cultivated • System for diagnosis • Medicinal use of the plants • System for treatment • Other uses of plants (beginning to end of treatment) • Frequency of quotation by informants • Beliefs associated with cause of illness • Part(s) used as a medicine • Ceremonies associated with treatment • Preparation and administration techniques • Method for prevention and protection from illness • Effect of plants on patients • Demographics of patients seeking healers • Conditions when plants can not be used • Effect of treatment on the patient medicinally • Disease events/decision patterns for patient to • Rituals performed for plant collection seek sources of treatment • Cost of medicine • Concept of illness and death/dying