3. Physical Description
Select a section of this room which is
immediately across from where you are
sitting. Describe this section of the room in
detail. I’ll ask you to stop after 15 minutes.
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4. Physical Description
Discussion
How did you approach this exercise?
How is this exercise like the previous?
Unlike?
What was the most difficult part of the
exercise?
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5. The research tree: summarising
approaches
Gay, L.R. & Airasian, P. (2003).
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6. Ethnography
Ethnography is the art and science of
describing a human group – its
institutions, interpersonal behaviours,
material productions, and beliefs.
Ethnographic researchers are primarily
concerned with the routine, everyday
lives of the people they study.
Flick
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8. Ethnography as Product
Narratives which draw the reader into a
vicarious experience of the community within
which the researcher has lived
Three kinds of stories (see Van Maanen)
Realist
Confessional
impressionistic
Form
Introduction
Setting
Analysis
conclusion
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9. Research Design: cyclical
Collecting
ethnographic data
Selecting an
ethnographic
project
Making an
ethnographic record
Asking ethnographic
questions
Analysing
ethnographic data
Writing an
ethnography
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11. Symbolic interactionism
Sociological school which has been
influential in ethnographic studies. Its
principle interests are:
Meaning; human beings act towards things on
the basis of the meanings they have for them.
Process; these meanings expressed through
symbols are handled through an interpretive
process.
Interaction/Context: meanings are the product of
social interaction in society.
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12. Field research
Two principle methods of field research;
Participant observation
interviewing
In both, the researcher is the main
instrument for doing the research.
Problems of access and selection
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13. Access
Definition: gaining permission to carry out
the field research in a particular
social/institutional setting
Initial contacts
Gatekeepers
Ethical consideration
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15. Selection strategies: example
A participant observation study exploring
how people cross the road.
Locations: which roads to choose; pedestrian
crossings
Events: crossing the road; waiting; accidents
Time periods; different times during the day
People; differentiated by age, gender, alone/in
groups
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16. Participant observation
The researcher ‘participates’ in the situation
The researcher primarily collects material through
observation
Look at these field roles:
Fieldwork
Comparative involvement
Participant as observer
Complete participant
Comparative detachment
Observer as participant
Complete observer
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18. Descriptive observation
Aims to describe the social situation
The setting
People
events
Understanding context is fundamental
Descriptive observation often result in
narratives – stories
Events/episodes
Roles/characters
Time sequences
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19. Focussed/Selective observation
Focussed
Limiting the scope – focussing
Made after analysing descriptive data
They construct particular elements of the study
Selective
Further focus
Looking for contrasts, differences between
different elements
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20. Description
Task: To describe a person sitting across from
you, either one you know or a stranger.
Time: 15 mins
Select a person to describe physically
Arrange your 15 minutes to your best advantage
Use descriptive terms and work for accuracy
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21. Description: Feedback
What can you identify as major differences in
observation of a still life, a setting and a person?
How did you approach this exercise?
What was difficult for you in the exercise and what do
you want to do about it?
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22. Physical Description
Select an area on campus to observe. Set
aside 30 minutes of quiet time to describe
it. Set reasonable goals for the description.
For example, select one part of the library
or one section of the student union.
Again, write down your notes in fieldwork
form and then write them up on the wiki.
(nb do this with all the observation
exercises we complete)
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23. Feedback
How did you approach this description of a
setting?
How did this differ from the previous
description you completed?
What was the most difficult part of this
exercise for you?
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