Ethnographic research

1. 1. ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH<br />Its uses <br />

2. 2. What is Ethnographic Research?<br />Ethnographic research is an attempt to obtain a
holistic picture as possible of a particular society, group, institution, setting or situation.<br
/>There are a variety of approaches used in this type of research. The key tools are all
ethnographic studies are in-depth interviewing and on-going participant observation of a
situation. <br />The emphasis is on documenting and portraying the individual experiences of
individuals by observing them or by interview in order to get the whole picture. <br />
3. 3. Ethnographic Concepts<br />These are needed to guide the researcher in making his
work and reaching conclusions which are:<br />Culture according to behaviorists it is the
sum of the social groups observable pattern of behavior, customs and way of life. It is also
the logical cohesive pattern in the myriad often ritualistic behavior and ideas of a group<br
/>The interpretation of culture is considered by many a primary contribution of ethnographic
research<br />
4. 4. Holistic perspective<br />In conducting research, one must consider the important
background of the subject such as social structure, beliefs, politics, symbols, rituals and the
environment<br />Developing a holistic example demands that the researcher spends a
great time out in the field gathering all kinds of data.<br />
5. 5. Contextualization<br />This is a process in which the data should fit the background of the
findings.<br />For example a school administrator recommended the termination of an after
school tutoring project because of low attendance at 50% it was found out that 50% was a
good figure since the students who attended were those who failed in the lessons. <br />
6. 6. Emic perspective<br />This is called the insiders perspective.<br />Behaviors can be
easily understood by researchers if they are in the inside of the research area.<br />There
are what is called multiple realities which are allowed to be seen by the subject. <br />
7. 7. Thick Description<br />When researchers prepare their reports they engage in thick
description which involves describing things that hey have seen and heard in the field. <br
/>In thick description thick detail is mentioned<br />
8. 8. Number checking<br />A major objective of ethnographic research is to represent as
accurately as possible an emic perspective of reality.<br />This is done by number checking
in which the participants review what the researchers have written to check for accuracy and
completeness<br />
9. 9. Non-judgmental orientation<br />Here the researchers do their best to refrain from making
value judgment about the unfamiliar practices. <br />Though none of us can be completely
neutral, we must guard against the most obvious biases.<br />
10. 10. Do Ethnographic Researchers Use Concepts?<br />
11. 11. Topics that can use ethnographic research<br />Those by their very nature defy
quantification i.e. Interaction of students and teachers in classroom discussion<br />Those
that can be best understood in their natural rather than artificial state<br />Those involving
study of formal organization in their totality i.e. Schools, school districts, etc.<br />Those that

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involve study of activity i.e. Classes, athletic teams, administrative units, etc.<br />Those that
involve study of individuals or groups over time. i.e. Changes of student attitudes, reading
programs, school programs, etc.<br />Those that study behaviors and roles. i.e. Attitude of
school newly-hired teachers, new students, etc. <br />
12. Data Collection in Ethnographic Research<br />Sampling<br />No researcher however
can sample everything and can only observe a segment of the population<br />He has to
make a representative of the population.<br />
13. Data Analysis in Ethnographic Research<br />Some researchers propose hypotheses to
predict results in advance.<br />But rather they should address it with an open-ended
problem. i.e. What is the attitude of first-year students in this school<br />Descriptions should
be better described as portrayals and data collected should include dedtailed prose
descriptions.<br />The researchers aim to paint of a portrait of a school or classroom as
thoroughly as possible<br />
14. Data analysis <br />Triangulation find a common quality in the subject<br />Pattern
common ways how people behave or think<br />Key events these occur in every social
group that generate information<br />Visual representation maps, charts,
photographs<br />Statistics frequencies, modes, medians, average<br />
15. Advantages and Disadvantages<br />Advantages actual behavior is revealed; causes
of development can be obtained; researchers can see things in their natural state, not
artificial or contrived.<br />Disadvantages takes too much time; expensive; hard to digest
thick data, it is impossible to make an absolute generalization when one is just studying a
sample; there maybe defects in the validity of the conclusions; the bias of the researcher
remains<br />
16. Main Parts of Ethnographic Research<br />Dumping Ground or Effective
Alternative<br />Abstract<br />Purpose<br />Justification<br />Definition<br
/>Assumption<br />Review of related literature/prior research<br />Method and data
collection<br />Body/ sample collection<br />Results<br />Interpretation/Analysis/cause and
effects<br />Conclusion<br />Recommendation/s<br />