ETHNOGRAPHY ESSENTIALS - DESIGNING CONDUCTING AND PRESENT

Informationen zum Autor Julian M. Murchison is associate professor of anthropology and sociology at Millsaps College in Jackson! Mississippi. He conducted ethnographic research in southern Tanzania for nearly two years. He regularly travels to Tanzania with students and supervises their independent research projects and ethnographic writing. Klappentext This volume offers a comprehensive, stand-alone guide to ethnographic research. It introduces students to the excitement and challenges of the field and guides them step-by-step through a single research project. The author emphasizes ethnographic writing and the link between research process and current theoretical thinking about ethnography. Topics covered include choosing a topic, research design, writing a proposal, participant observation, interviews, mapping, kinship and organizational charts, archives and secondary data, sorting and coding data, evaluating and revising your ethnography and much more. Zusammenfassung * Ethnography is a branch of cultural anthropology. However, the last few years have seen growth in the number of designers, marketing people, and others outside the academic social sciences applying ethnographic methods to study how people behave * This book offers a comprehensive, stand-alone guide to ethnographic research. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface.The Author.PART 1 THE WHY AND WHAT OF ETHNOGRAPHY.1. WHAT IS ETHNOGRAPHY?Ethnography: The Engaged, Firsthand Study of Society and Culture in Action.A Brief History.How Ethnography Has Changed: Doing Contemporary Ethnography.Ethnography as Firsthand Research.Ethnographer as Research Instrument.Collaboration as Research Model: Ethnographer as Student.2. CHOOSING AN ETHNOGRAPHIC TOPIC.Where to Look for Possible Topics.Ethnographic Topics: Studying Places, People, or Events.The Benefits of a Relatively Specific Focus.Thinking About the Nonobvious as Discoverable.Cultural Knowledge and Behavior in Action as Research Objects.Practical Concerns.Considering Ethics from the Start: Your Obligations to Potential Informants.Topics You Might Want to Avoid.3. RESEARCH DESIGN.Turning an Idea or Topic into a Research Question.Linking Questions to Methods.Key Methods to Consider for the Ethnographic Project.What is Practical or Feasible? Time, Availability, and Ethics.4. WRITING A PROPOSAL.Identifying and Reviewing Appropriate Literature.Statement of the Problem.A Clear Research Plan.Identifying Your Project's Larger Relevance.Human Subjects Review and Approval.PART 2 ETHNOGRAPHY IN THE FIELD: COLLECTING DATA.5. A GUIDE TO COLLECTING DATA AND TAKING NOTES.The Fleeting Nature of Ethnographic Data."Should I Write it Down Immediately?"The Importance of Detail in the Ethnographic Record.Writing Notes Versus Using Recorders.The Prospects of Transcription.What Is Important and What Is Superfluous--"What Do I Need to Write Down?"The Ethics of Collecting Information.6. PARTICIPANT-OBSERVATION.The Apparent Paradox: Participation and Observation.Balancing Participation and Observation.The Importance of Time.Depending on Informants as Teachers and Guides.Getting Started.Regular Versus Extraordinary Behavior and Conversations.7. INTERVIEWS.Starting with Informal Interviews and Conversations.Informal Conversation as an Avenue to "Real" Culture.A Good Interviewer Is a Good Listener.How to Record Interview Data.Using an Interview Schedule.How to Start an Interview.Good Versus Bad Interview Questions.When to Conduct Formal Interviews.8. ANALYZING ALONG THE WAY.Identifying Key Themes and Questions: Paying Attention to Your Data.How to Organize Your Notes.What Have You Learned?What Do You Still Need to Do?Has the Research Question Changed?Tweaking the Research Design.Getting Feedback from Your Informants.Writing at the Midway Point.9. ETHNOGRAPHIC MAPS.Space and...

List of contents

Preface.
 
The Author.
 
PART 1 THE WHY AND WHAT OF ETHNOGRAPHY.
 
1. WHAT IS ETHNOGRAPHY?
 
Ethnography: The Engaged, Firsthand Study of Society and Culture in Action.
 
A Brief History.
 
How Ethnography Has Changed: Doing Contemporary Ethnography.
 
Ethnography as Firsthand Research.
 
Ethnographer as Research Instrument.
 
Collaboration as Research Model: Ethnographer as Student.
 
2. CHOOSING AN ETHNOGRAPHIC TOPIC.
 
Where to Look for Possible Topics.
 
Ethnographic Topics: Studying Places, People, or Events.
 
The Benefits of a Relatively Specific Focus.
 
Thinking About the Nonobvious as Discoverable.
 
Cultural Knowledge and Behavior in Action as Research Objects.
 
Practical Concerns.
 
Considering Ethics from the Start: Your Obligations to Potential Informants.
 
Topics You Might Want to Avoid.
 
3. RESEARCH DESIGN.
 
Turning an Idea or Topic into a Research Question.
 
Linking Questions to Methods.
 
Key Methods to Consider for the Ethnographic Project.
 
What is Practical or Feasible? Time, Availability, and Ethics.
 
4. WRITING A PROPOSAL.
 
Identifying and Reviewing Appropriate Literature.
 
Statement of the Problem.
 
A Clear Research Plan.
 
Identifying Your Project's Larger Relevance.
 
Human Subjects Review and Approval.
 
PART 2 ETHNOGRAPHY IN THE FIELD: COLLECTING DATA.
 
5. A GUIDE TO COLLECTING DATA AND TAKING NOTES.
 
The Fleeting Nature of Ethnographic Data.
 
"Should I Write it Down Immediately?"
 
The Importance of Detail in the Ethnographic Record.
 
Writing Notes Versus Using Recorders.
 
The Prospects of Transcription.
 
What Is Important and What Is Superfluous--"What Do I Need to Write Down?"
 
The Ethics of Collecting Information.
 
6. PARTICIPANT-OBSERVATION.
 
The Apparent Paradox: Participation and Observation.
 
Balancing Participation and Observation.
 
The Importance of Time.
 
Depending on Informants as Teachers and Guides.
 
Getting Started.
 
Regular Versus Extraordinary Behavior and Conversations.
 
7. INTERVIEWS.
 
Starting with Informal Interviews and Conversations.
 
Informal Conversation as an Avenue to "Real" Culture.
 
A Good Interviewer Is a Good Listener.
 
How to Record Interview Data.
 
Using an Interview Schedule.
 
How to Start an Interview.
 
Good Versus Bad Interview Questions.
 
When to Conduct Formal Interviews.
 
8. ANALYZING ALONG THE WAY.
 
Identifying Key Themes and Questions: Paying Attention to Your Data.
 
How to Organize Your Notes.
 
What Have You Learned?
 
What Do You Still Need to Do?
 
Has the Research Question Changed?
 
Tweaking the Research Design.
 
Getting Feedback from Your Informants.
 
Writing at the Midway Point.
 
9. ETHNOGRAPHIC MAPS.
 
Space and Movement as Key Components of Culture.
 
The Importance of Space, Shape, and Distance.
 
Large- and Small-Scale Geographic Maps.
 
Mapping Interior Spaces.
 
Cognitive or Conceptual Maps.
 
Representing Movement and Behavior on a Map.
 
10. TABLES AND CHARTS.
 
Ethnographic Tables.
 
Interpersonal Relationships as a Manifestation of Culture.
 
Kinship as an Organizing Principle.
 
Other Organizational Charts.
 
11. ARCHIVES AND SECONDARY DATA.
 
Cultural Artifacts as Source

Product details

• Authors: Julian Murchison, Julian M. Murchison, Julian M. (Millsaps College Murchison, MURCHISON JULIAN
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 27.01.2010
• EAN: 9780470343890
• ISBN: 978-0-470-34389-0
• No. of pages: 260
• Series: Research Methods for the Social Sciences
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Education; Social sciences, law, business > Ethnology > Ethnology; Anthropologie, Völkerkunde, Anthropology, Social & cultural anthropology, Soziale u. kulturelle Anthropologie, Evaluation & Research Methods, Evaluierung u. Researchmethoden, Allg. Naturwissenschaft, General Science