Quick Ethnography A Guide to Rapid

Quick Ethnography takes traditional anthropological fieldwork techniques and applies them to contemporary applied research problems. For most applied projects, time is of the essence, and QE shows how ethnographic work can be successfully accomplished in a matter of weeks. Handwerker guides the reader through the use of research teams, highly focussed research problems, and a variety of structured techniques. This book will be a valuable reference for fieldworkers in anthropology and sociology, and other applied social science fields.

Preface

ix

PART 1: Foundations

Introduction

3

(34)

Why Quick Ethnography (QE)?

3

(1)

QE Basics

4

(2)

False Assumption #1: Don't Confuse Culture with Cultures

6

(5)

False Assumption #2: Don't Confuse Ethnography with Qualitative Methods

11

(10)

False Assumption #3: Don't Confuse Cultures with Social Identities

21

(5)

This Book

26

(11)

PART 2: Before You Go

Identify the Question

37

(34)

Study Topics You Feel Passionate About

37

(2)

Organize Your Study around No More Than Five Focus Variables

39

(12)

How to Work with an Explicit Research Question

51

(1)

Needs-Assessment Research

51

(4)

Outcomes-Evaluation Research

55

(3)

Build from Your Focus Variables

58

(2)

Don't Lose Sight of the Forest

60

(3)

Contextualize with Regional and Global Histories and Ever-More-Encompassing Generalizations

63

(3)

Use Ethnography to Correct Your Mistakes

66

(5)

Management Begins Now!

71

(34)

Organize with Focus Variables

72

(5)

Select Different Methods for Different Goals

77

(13)

How to Find Informants

90

(9)

How to Coordinate Fieldwork Iterations

99

(6)

How to Build a Foundation

105

(20)

Use Informal Interviews to Introduce, Explore, and Confirm

105

(8)

Look for the Assumptions

113

(1)

Integrate Fieldnotes with Historical Events and Trends

114

(6)

Prepare for a Transition

120

(1)

Use Semistructured Interviews to Find the Limits of Variation

121

(4)

How to Build Your Data Base by Using Structured Interviews to Make Comparisons

125

(28)

Remember That Structured Interview Respondents, Like Key Informants, Are Your Teachers

126

(1)

Keep It Short 'n' Sweet

126

(3)

Ask Questions for Which Informal Interviews Have Already Given You Answers

129

(2)

Use Binary Responses to Identify the Properties of People and Things

131

(1)

Use Rating Scales to Assess Relative Importance

131

(1)

Use Pile Sorts to Assess Relative Similarity

131

(8)

Use Likert Scales for Multidimensional Variables

139

(6)

Collect Time-Series (Historical) Data

145

(8)

How to Build Your Data Base by Making Basic Comparisons Early

153

(30)

Employ Six Norming and Standardizing Operations

154

(6)

Use Pictures to Understand the Properties of Frequency Distributions

160

(3)

Look for Relationships between Variables

163

(2)

For Ethnography, Look for Relationships between Informants

165

(4)

Beware of Random Error

169

(7)

Test Hypotheses

176

(2)

Use the Regularity of Sampling Distributions to Find Probabilities

178

(1)

Inform Your Interpretation with Knowledge of Sampling Distributions

179

(4)

How to Fine-Tune by Evaluating the Construct Validity of Cultures

183

(36)

Is Your Construct Imaginary?

183

(2)

Use Factor Analysis to Identify the Intersection among Sets of Variables

185

(4)

For Ethnography, Use Factor Analysis to Identify the Intersection(s) among Sets of Informants

189

(30)

How to Fine-Tune by Explaining Intra- and Intercultural Variation and Cultural Change

219

(34)

Examine Sources of Intracultural and Intercultural Variation

221

(4)

Use OLS Regression for Intracultural Variation

225

(6)

Use Logistic Regression for Intercultural Variation

231

(6)

Be Prepared to See Cultures You Didn't Anticipate

237

(7)

QE Procedures Automatically Build Method Triangulation

244

(9)

PART 3: While You're There

Friends Provide the Best Assistance; They Also Make the Best Assistants

253

(8)

Find Research Assistants Everywhere

254

(1)

Match Team Dimensions and Characteristics to Research Goals

254

(1)

Like Your Research Assistants, or Learn To

255

(1)

The Operational Word Is Team

256

(1)

Pay Team Members Well

257

(4)

Pulling It All Together

261

(20)

Be Realistic about Reaching Your Fieldwork Goals

261

(1)

This Is Where QE Procedures Pay Off

262

(5)

Remember the Basics

267

(2)

Pay Attention to Historical Origins, Migration, and Ethnicity

269

(5)

But I Have to Complete This Project in Three Days!

274

(5)

Focus on What's Important

279

(2)

References

281

(12)

Index

293

(6)

About the Author

299

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Quick Ethnography A Guide to Rapid Multi-Method Research

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials