Ethnographic Research: How To. Presented by : Bob Munson BUKAL Life Care & Counseling Center

Step #1. Choose a Group Generally, it is best to choose a group that one has access to or good potential for access. (If you have that option) A bad choice of group may make the task impossible… or at least miserable. Shopkeepers are good. Professional singers bad. Business executives bad.

Step #2. Decide on a Problem What do you want to know about the group? You can change direction, but you should start with a direction. “You cannot change a plan until you first make a plan” Remember the Pinsao jeepney.

Problem Choice Choose and interesting question that you don’t know the answer to, believe you can get a good answer to, and find usefulness in the answer. Supernatural. Sacrifice Felt need

Step #3. Choose a plan of Action Interviews? Literary Research? Walk-thrus/Observation? Number of informants? Triangulation? Type of Interviews?

Types of Interviews Informal Unstructured Semi-structured Structured <For ethnographic research, most interviews should be unstructured or semi-structured.> Small Group, one-on-one, focus groups?

Step #4. Find a “Good Informant” Knowledgeable Embedded in the culture (emic) Articulate A “gatekeeper” Willing to share regarding culture Willing to help researcher have access to others.

Good Informant Remember, a good informant is still only one perspective. Get more perspectives. At least 3-5 good sources of information is valuable. A great deal of similarity between a “good informant” and “man of peace” Often need to choose a group based on availablity of a good informant. Sometimes, the gatekeeper is a separate person from a good informant.

Step #5. Interact with community and informants Use all senses. Be open-minded, non-judgmental. Do not proselytize!! Do not preach!! You are there to learn. Be careful in how one takes notes. Notetaking affects the research. Utilize dialogue. Come as a LEARNER!! See, hear, touch, smell, taste.

THINK before you speak! Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Important? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? <Learners listen more than speak.>

Values of Ethnographic Research and Dialogue Breaks down misunderstandings Opens doors for “them” to learn from “us” Opens doors for “us” to learn from “them” <Discussion: Is this last point good? Is this last point dangerous?> Dangerous? Dan Seals. Peter and Cornelius

Remember We are children being instructed by mature individuals in their community. (incarnational model) We are guests and they are hosts. We are NOT in search of “The Truth”, we are in search of truth from their perspectives. We are not parasites. We freely give and freely (and gratefully) receive (Luke 10) Parasites. Story at BNHS and Celia doing community profiles.

Step #6. Compile and Analyze Data. Folk Language: Find what they mean by certain words or phrases. Timeline. How is the day spent. Physical Map. Important places in their culture. Socio-economic information. Felt needs, felt fears. Artifacts and beliefs Taxonomies Explain folk-language. “salvage” “plastic” Engineering. Stress, strain, jerk, pressure, mechanical advantage, harnessing, Fears. We don’t tell them what to fear. 97% of Americans don’t fear hell. Taxonomies: Categorizing… such as supernatural beings.

Step #7 Follow-up It may be necessary to revisit informants or gather additional information/ clarification. The previous interviews may open new areas of research.

Step #8. Write Ethnography Introduction: Target group, problem Literary Research (optional): Describe research or opinions of experts in this area (including controversies or areas unresearched). Methodology (may include some verbatim reporting) Analysis Summary (may include future possibilities for reseach, or potential applications)

Remember Write in 1st person or 3rd person, but always focus on the reader (who is a complete outsider to this culture). Respect confidentiality and show respect for informants and culture. (Imagine that a member of this culture got hold of your paper.) Reader is educated and potentially interested… but assume they are unfamiliar with group.