Ethnographic Designs

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Chapter 15

• Ethnographic Designs
• EDUC 640 Dr. William M. Bauer

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Key Ideas

• History of ethnographic research
• Types of ethnographic studies
• Key characteristics of ethnographic design
• Steps in conducting an ethnographic study

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A Brief History of Ethnographic Research

• Ethnography has been shaped by cultural
  anthropology with an emphasis on writing about
  culture
• 1928 Mead study of childbearing, adolescence,
  and influence of culture on personality in Samoa
• 1920s - 1950s Single case emphasis at
  University of Chicago

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A Brief History of Ethnographic Research

• 1980s Educational Ethnographies
• 1997 publication of Writing Culture that
  highlighted two major issues
• crisis of representation how ethnographers
  interpret the groups they are studying
• crisis of legitimacystandards do not come from
  normal science. Studies must be evaluated by
  standards within the participants historical,
  cultural, influences and interactive forces of
  race, gender and class

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Types of Ethnographic Studies Realist
Ethnographies

• Narrates study from in person reporting what is
  observed
• Research reports objective data free from
  personal bias
• Researcher produces the participants views
  through closely edited quotes and has final word
  on interpretation

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Types of Ethnographic Studies Case Studies

• Case may be a single individual or several
  individuals
• A case may be a process
• A case may be selected because its unusual
• Researcher develops understanding of the case by
  collecting multiple forms of data
• Researcher locates the case or cases within
  their larger context

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Types of Qualitative Case Studies
Intrinsic Case Study
Unusual Case
Study an intrinsic, unusual case.
Instrumental Case Study
Study a case that provides insight into an issue
or theme
Issue
Case
Multiple Instrumental Case Study (also called a
Collective Case Study
Case
Study several cases that provide insight into
an issue (or theme)
Issue
Case
Case
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Characteristics of Critical Ethnography

• Critical researchers are usually politically
  minded people
• Critical ethnographers speak to an audience on
  behalf of their participants as a means of
  empowering participants by giving them more
  authority
• Critical ethnographers seek to change society

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Characteristics of Critical Ethnography

• Critical ethnographers identify and celebrate
  their biases in research. They recognize that
  all research is value laden
• Critical ethnographers challenge the status quo
  and ask why it is so

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Characteristics of Critical Ethnography

• Critical researchers seek to connect the meaning
  of a situation to broader structures of social
  power and control
• Critical researchers seek to create a literal
  dialogue with the participants they are studying

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Key Characteristics of an Ethnographic Design

• An exploration of cultural themes drawn from
  cultural anthropology
• A study of a culture-sharing group
• An examination of shared patterns of behavior,
  belief and language
• A collection of data through fieldwork experiences

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Key Characteristics of an Ethnographic Design

• A description and analysis of themes about the
  culture-sharing group
• A presentation of description, themes, and
  interpretation within the context or setting of
  the group
• A reflexivity by the researcher about his or her
  impact on the research site and cultural group

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Steps in Conducting Ethnographic Research

• Identify intent and type of design and relate
  intent to your research problem
• Discuss approval and access considerations
• Use appropriate data collection procedures
• Analyze and interpret data within a design
• Write report consistent with your design

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Criteria for Evaluating an Ethnographic Design
Research Evaluation

• Clearly identify culture-sharing group
• Identify the cultural patterns
• Describe the group or case in detail
• Identify the context of the group or case

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Criteria for Evaluating an Ethnographic Design
Research Evaluation

• Reflect on the researchers role
• Develop a broad interpretation of the patterns
• Have the interpretation flow from the description
  and themes
• Provide a sense of how the culture works

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Applying What you Have Learned Ethnographic
Designs

• Review the article and look for the following
• The research problem and use of quantitative
  research
• Use of the literature
• The purpose statement and research hypothesis
• Types and procedures of data collection
• Types and procedures of data analysis and
  interpretation
• The overall report structure