The document discusses various methods and approaches used in field research and ethnography. It describes techniques for participant observation, including descriptive, focused and selective observation. Researchers take on different field roles along a continuum from complete participant to complete observer. Selection strategies and gaining access to field sites are also addressed. Descriptive observation aims to understand the social context by describing settings, people and events. Focused observation selects particular elements to study based on initial analysis.

1. Field Research
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2. Still Life
Observe and describe the objects you can
see on the table.
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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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7. Ethnography as Method
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Field based
Personalised
Multifactorial (triangulation)
Long-term
Inductive
Dialogic
holistic
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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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10. Theoretical Orientations
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Symbolic interactionism
Feminism
Marxism
Critical theory
Cultural studies
postmodernism
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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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14. Selection strategies: sampling
events
people
Processes
Social
situation
Sites
Time
periods
Which aspect of reality do you want to investigate?
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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

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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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17. Collecting data: making observations
Descriptive
observation
Focused
observation
Selective observation
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18. Descriptive observation

Aims to describe the social situation
The setting
People
events
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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
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Focussed
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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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