Ethnographic Research

Presented by Diana Solano

Presentation Content
Definition Ethnographic Research Step-by Step/methodology Instruments for collecting data Advantages and Disadvantages References

What is Ethnographic Research?

It is a systemic approach to learning about the social and cultural life of communities, institutions and settings (LeCompte & Schensul, 2010, p.1) The study of culture or cultures; the description about the way life of ethnic, race, or indivuduals group. (Yuni, 2009, p.110)

Ethnographic Research Step-by Step/methodology

According to Malinowski (as it is cited by Yuni, 2009) an ethnographer must: 1. Doing observations about what is happening in a social interaction and in the environment where that interaction takes place. 2. Being involved and participate in communitys life. 3. Doing interviews to the individuals and actors who participate in the happenings which take place in that community

Instruments for collecting data

a) Personal Documents: Life story Biography Autobiography Interviews Personal Diaries Notebooks

Instruments for collecting data

b) Narrative Records

Anecdotage Field notes Time samples

Instruments for collecting data

c) Mechanic

Records Photographic samples Video Audio Documents consultation

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages: Define a problem when the problem is not clear Define a problem when it is complex and it is Present in a variety of sectors and systems, Identify participants when they are not known (here the identity includes the social roles of the individuals). Determine the settings in which the phenomena occurs.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages: Understood or unidentified, determine the factors which produce that situation Documenting a process, Identify and describe data and phenomena which appears suddenly in the context researched, Designing the appropriate scales and measure instruments to describe the individuals and communities observed.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Disadvantages: According to North Carolina University: The research findings depend on interpretations and observations of the researcher. It is difficult to determine to what extent the findings and conclusions of the research are valid, because of the lack of numerical data. It is impossible to do generalizations due to the phenomena is studied and observed as a single situation.

References
LeCompte, M. D. & Schensul, J. J. (2010). Designing and Conducting Ethnographic Research: An introduction. Plymouth, UK: AltaMira Press. North Carolina State University (n.d.). Ethnographic Research: chapter twenty-one [Power Point Presentation]. Retrieved from www.cals.ncsu.edu/.../fraenkel7_ppt_ch21.ppt Yuni, J.A. (2009). Mapas y herramientas para conocer la escuela: investigacin etnogrfica e investigacin-accion (3rd ed.) Argentina: Editorial Brujas.