Anthropology 102 ethnography presentation

1. Ethnography Presentation
A Look Into the Social Life of
Capstone
By Robby Rohan

2. Reasons for Choosing My Ethnography
• Wanting to better understand the
environment in which I lived
• Wanting to better understand the average
student who I lived with
• Wanting to understand what made a Capstone
Resident from the Residents of other dorms.

3. Findings
• I found that Capstone was in-part different due to
stricter enforcement of the rules
• The students were much more calm and reserved than
students from other dorms
• Student activities varied based on what night of the
week it was
• Students’ activities varied because students in the
dorm had to fit a certain academic criteria and spend
more time on their schoolwork.

4. Interviews
• Interviews were conducted in casual fashion
• Proceeded in that fashion so that students did
not feel as though I was being invasive
• The friendlier you are the more honest the
answers you receive are
• I live there so you did not want it to be
awkward.

5. Observations
• Stayed in during random nights of the week
• Allowed me to just watch and record the
events on my hall
• Also allowed me to do school work because I
was not going out socially as much

6. Variation By Night
• Weeknights: Sunday-Wednesday
• Students were much more reserved, quiet
• May have had friends visit from other places,
or hung out with other friends on the floor
– 3 real big sub groups on the floor: 1 all guys, 1 all
girls, 1 guys and girls
 Usually music playing, either guitar or
keyboard
 Usually doing homework

7. Tuesday Nights and Weekends
• Tuesday night is the exception to the
weeknight norm
• Tuesday is considered in the same light as a
weekend (Thursday-Saturday)
• Tuesdays see about 12.5% of students leave to
attend social events
• Thursdays 60%
• Friday and Saturday 90%

8. Thoughts on Capstone
• Most students had mixed feelings about
Capstone
• They dont really enjoy living in Capstone
• Most felt that they did not get along with the
majority of the kids in the dorm
• Felt that RMs were too strict and did not
develop good relationships with them
• Most lacked interest in Capstone events and
expressed excitement to live outside the dorm
next year

9. Conclusions
• Students did not enjoy living in the dorm
• Students were more reserved than other
dorms due to students focusing more on
school work.
• Students were spektical of the students they
were living with and about Capstone
sponsored events
• Students’ activities varied based on night of
the week.

10. • I enjoyed doing this project because I better
understand in the environment which I lived
• Have a better understanding of the people I
live around
• Better understand how others feel about
Capstone, and that their opinions matched my
own
• Great experience doing an ethnography!