Skip to main contentAbstract Active Listener – Someone who is visibly engaged through eye contact and body language, pays attention to the subtleties in tone and word-selection the informant and take notes that will lead to follow-up questions based on the responses of the interviewee. Analytic Memos Anonymity—a research subject has anonymity when there is no way to connect them to the specific data they supplied. Autoethnography—A reflective process that engages the personal stories of the researcher to understand the larger context Bias - Bias is defined as any tendency which prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question. In research, bias occurs when “systematic error [is] introduced into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others.” Building rapport - You build rapport when you develop mutual trust, friendship and affinity with someone. Code – The marking of patterns, commonalities and differences between events described by an individual, or in comparison to other narratives collected. Code of ethics—A code of ethics directs people or organizations in making decisions that are in line with their values Conceptualization Confidentiality—a research subject has confidentiality if their identities are known by the researchers but protected from exposure Cultural Norms- the shared expectations and rules of behavior and practice within a particular culture or society Cultural Relativism- the concept that people’s beliefs and practices should be understood based on their own cultural norms and not judged based on those of another culture Database Debriefing—following the end of a research project, debriefing is recommended or required to ensure no harm has come to research subjects Deception—not revealing the true nature, purpose or process of a research study Empathy- the ability to deeply understand and share the feelings of another through their perspective or point of view Epiphanies—some event or occurrence that changes the perspective, direction or understanding of the person to whom it occurs Ethnocentrism- using the cultural norms of your own culture to evaluate and judge the beliefs and practices of another culture Ethnographer - A researcher who studies a phenomenon with first-hand experience through methods of survey, interviews, observation, mapping, among others. This is done over a longer period of time. Ethnographic authority- Ethnographic authority refers to how ethnographers present themselves and their informants in text. Ethnographers' claims about their interlocuter culture and community should be truthful. Ethnographic mapping-The process of recording and displaying human action and interaction as it unfolds in space and over time. Ethnography - A research method that employs a strategy that includes both active participation and passive observation. Ethnography is writing about people over time. Feminism-A political and social movement that advocates for women’s equity and equality. The focus of the movement has shifted over time. Feminist Ethnography-Feminist ethnography is both a research methodology and a theoretical framework that focuses on understanding gender dynamics within various social and cultural contexts. Field notes the notes created by the researcher to remember and record the behaviors, activities, events, and other features of an observation Field sites --the location or environment an ethnographer is studying Formal Interviews –Interviews where an interviewee is asked a list of prepared, generally open-ended questions to gather details and anecdotes that provide depth to respective projects. Hawthorne effect—When people often change their behavior when they know they are being watched as part of a study Hierarchies of significance Ideal Culture – The way a group hopes others perceive their community or society. Immersion- the research method in which ethnographers completely surrounds themselves in a culture they are studying to gain in depth knowledge about it Informal Interviews – Casual exchanges with informants to gather background information for your project and often in preparation for a formal interview. Informed Consent Forms – Forms designed to give the interviewee an opportunity to declare in what context they are comfortable with their oral history being used. Informed consent—research participants must have an understanding of the research project before giving their consent Institutional Review Board—the group of people who review research to ensure that it the benefits outweigh the risks to human subjects Interpretation Interview Guide/Schedule/Frame – A list of questions prepared beforehand to organize an interview. Iterative-inductive Jottings notes that are taken in the field that then get developed into fieldnotes Key Themes Keywords Kinaesthesia-The perception of bodily movement; closely linked to proprioception. Library catalog Life history maps-These maps display some aspect of a research participant’s personal development over time. Life history maps are commonly used to represent changes in work history, interpersonal relationships, or political affiliation. Literature Review Literature search Mapping - In qualitative market research, mapping involves asking interviewees or group participants to sort or 'map' objects (or representations of objects) according to how they are seen or thought of. Objective stance - Researchers must make sure to keep an open and objective mind and not bring any preconceived outcomes or notions to the study. Objectivity - the quality or character of being objective: lack of favoritism toward one side or another. Observer bias—When researchers unconsciously skew their observations to fit their research goals or expectations Open-Ended Questions – Questions that avoid yes/no responses by seeking stories or the “why and “how”. Operators Organizational maps-Organizational maps display the structures of organizations, and often indicate key power relationships that the organizational structure affords. These maps also serve to document who is present during fieldwork, and what their relationships to one another are. Overarching theme Participant Observation: When researchers join people and participate in a group’s routine activities for the purpose of observing them within that context Peer Review Perception-Interpretation of sensory input signaling the presence of meaningful objects or events. For example, the perception of a coffee mug is based on interpretation of the sensation of light reflecting off it and hitting the eye. Perception is generally instantaneous, rather than consciously considered. Polyvocality-Polyvocality text is one in which more than one person’s voice is presented. The ethnographer may use the informants’ actual words rather than paraphrasing them, and in some cases, ethnographers co-authored the writing with an informant. Primary evidence-Primary evidence provides direct and firsthand evidence about an event or person. For example, your field notes are primary evidence because they provide your reader with an example of what you mean and what you have seen. Process maps-These maps serve as diagrams to help the reader understand a technical process. They can represent work process involving physical tools and materials, or can indicate steps in something work, such as a decision-making process. Proprioception-The perception of the position of the body, interpreted through the sensation of muscular tension. Qualitative Interviews – Organized by open-ended questions that seek in-depth explanations of traditions, experiences and perceptions. They provide space for follow-up questions and illuminate the “why” and “how” of a participant’s experience. Real Culture – The way a group, community or society actually functions. Reflexivity-The practice of critically examining one's biases, background, and positionality in research and how that might impact one’s analysis. Reflexivity demands that ethnographers acknowledge that they are part of the world they study and thus can never truly be objective. Reflexivity requires social science researchers to begin to think more carefully about the effects of their life experiences, status, and roles on their research and analyses (also see chapters on Autoethnography, Feminist Ethnography, and Digital Ethnography). Research Focus-Research focus refers to the specific topic, issue, or area that a researcher chooses to investigate. Research strategy - A step-by-step plan of action that gives direction to a researcher's thoughts and efforts and enables them to conduct research systematically and on schedule to produce quality results and detailed reporting. Research subjects - A research subject is a person who decides to participate in a research study. Scholarly Literature Scope Search Engine Second Shift- The daily household needs, such as caring for and providing for children, spouses, elderly parents, and other family members, are often referred to as the second shift. It happens after the workday and includes unpaid labor such as cooking and cleaning. Secondary sources-Secondary sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze, evaluate, or summarize, e.g., biographies, articles about a work, criticism, and analysis of the work. They are not considered “evidence,” as they do not contain the proof or evidence of your assertions—your fieldnotes contain such information. Semi-Structured Interviews – An interview that flexibly follows a list of open-ended questions, while providing space for follow-up questions that illuminate the “why” and “how” of a particular participant’s unique experience. Sensation-Feelings arising from interactions between the environment and the physical body. Examples include the sense of heat, brightness, pain, or movement. Sensations are raw physical input, rather than interpretations of what the input represents (compare perception). Sensory ethnography-A mode of ethnographic observation that takes sensory data into account, including (but not limited to) the sensations of touch, hearing, and smell, as well as the roles that these senses play in cultural and social interactions. Social Reproduction Theory-A theoretical perspective that helps us understand how societies and the family sustain and reproduce themselves over time. It extends Marx's analysis of capitalism and asks the question, “who produces the worker.” Spatial maps-Maps that indicate the physical features of a landscape or environment. These maps most closely resemble traditional maps, such as roadmaps or surveyor’s maps. Stages of analysis Thematic analysis Transcribing – A typed-up version of the interview that either you, or someone else creates by listening to the recording. Triangulation-Using a variety of methods to gather data in one field site to study to same thing. Unstructured Interviews – Interviews that allow the discussion to freely venture from subject to subject, often without a written list of questions to guide the conversation Validity—The data the researcher is collecting is a true representation of the information he or she is measuring Value neutrality—not allowing your biases to have an effect on the outcomes of your research Value-centered—allowing personal values to dictate which direction is taken Vestibular Sense-The perception of bodily balance, interpreted through sensations arising in the inner ear. Western/Non-Western- refers to cultures with belief systems and societal structures that originate from or are influenced by Europe (including, broadly, the United States)/refers to cultures with belief systems and societal structures that did not originate through European influence (NOTE: these are general terms and no society is completely Western or non-Western in a globalized world)
table of contents
Glossary
- Ethnographic methods - Techniques used for data collection in research projects that can be qualitative or quantitative. Ethnographic methods include interviews, participant-observation, focus groups, mapping, or surveys.
- Key Participants - The object or persons under investigation.
- Participant-observer - A participant-observer is a researcher who utilizes ethnography as a way to document data. They become both an active participant and a passive observer.
- Social or cultural awareness - Researching a culture prior to beginning the study, if possible.
- Time commitment - Ethnography requires the research study to happen over a longer period of time. Hence, making ethnography a less desirable method when conducting single incident research topics.
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