This document contains the plans for conducting the field studies of Appalachian parents of young children which are part of the Appalachia Educational Laboratory's Home-Oriented Preschool Education Program (HOPE). HOPE is an integrated approach to education for preschool and kindergarten children being developed by AEL's Marketable Preschool Education Program (MPEP). A preface lists the six other reports in the HOPE study. Information provided here concerns the purpose of the HOPE study, a discussion of the methodology used, criteria for site selection, procedures for obtaining data, and a description of the field studies planned, which include a demographic study, a television study, a competency base study of American children (by age 6) and a parents materials study which aims in part to assess the reading level of the parents involved. An appendix gives general instructions for home visitors who will be administering surveys to Appalachian parents. (MS)