1. Chapter 17 Ethnographic Research Gay, Mills, and Airasian
Educational Research
Chapter 17
Ethnographic Research
Gay, Mills, and Airasian

2. Topics Discussed in this Chapter
The definition and purpose of ethnographic research
The ethnographic research process
The types of ethnographic research
Key characteristics of ethnographic research designs
Ethnographic research data collection techniques

3. Definition and Purpose
Ethnographic research
Definition
A qualitative approach that studies the cultural patterns and perspectives of participants in their natural settings
Purpose
To describe, analyze, and interpret the culture of a group over time to understand the group’s shared beliefs, behaviors, and language
Objectives 1.1 & 1.2

4. Definition and Purpose
Ethnographic research
Culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, concepts, beliefs, and practices that can be attributed to the members of the group being studied
Three broad areas to help focus on tangible cultural behaviors
Cultural orientation – where the people are situated
Cultural know-how – how a group goes about daily activities
Cultural beliefs – why a group does what it does
Objective 1.3

5. The Ethnographic Process
Nine steps to conduct an ethnographic study
Identify the purpose of the research study
A clear idea with some connection to cultural issues
Frame the study as a larger theoretical, policy, or practical problem
The importance of most ethnographic problems is readily apparent
Pose initial ethnographic research questions
Use general guiding questions that foreshadow the issue
Describe the overall approach and rationale for the study
Objective 2.1

6. The Ethnographic Process
Nine steps (continued)
Describe the site and sample selection
The use of purposive sampling techniques
The use of key informants
Describe the researcher’s role
Entry to the site
Reciprocity
Ethics
Objective 2.1

7. The Ethnographic Process
Nine steps (continued)
Describe the data collection methods
Participant observation
Field notes
Interviews
Artifacts
Describe appropriate strategies for the analysis and interpretation of data
Use the methods discussed in the chapter on data collection and analysis
Write the ethnographic account
Objective 2.1

8. Types of Ethnographic Research
Two differentiating features
The product itself, that is, the ethnography
The researcher’s intent
Three common types
The realist ethnography
The author studies the culture of schools
Written in an objective style
Uses common categories for cultural description, analysis, and interpretation
Objectives 3.1 & 3.2

9. Types of Ethnographic Research
Three common types (continued)
The ethnographic case study
The focus is on describing a specific case
Descriptions of the activities undertaken by the group and the shared patterns of behavior that develop over time
The critical ethnography
The author is interested in advocating for the emancipation of groups marginalized in our society
Highly politicized
Advocates against inequities and domination of particular groups in society
Addresses issues of power, authority, emancipation, oppression, and inequity
Objectives 3.1 & 3.2

10. Characteristics of Ethnographic Research
15 distinctive characteristics
Conducted in a natural context
Involves intimate face-to-face interactions with participants
Reflects participants’ perspectives and behaviors
Uses inductive, interactive, and recursive collection of unstructured data
Data is collected primarily through fieldwork experiences
Objective 4.1

11. Characteristics of Ethnographic Research
15 distinctive characteristics (continued)
Uses multiple data sources including both quantitative and qualitative
Frames all human behavior and beliefs within a socio-political and historical context
Uses the concept of culture as a lens through which the results are interpreted
Places an emphasis on exploring the nature of particular social phenomena
Objective 4.1

12. Characteristics of Ethnographic Research
15 distinctive characteristics (continued)
Investigates a small number of cases in detail
Uses data analyses that involve the explicit interpretation of the meanings and functions of human actions that are presented through the description of themes and interpretations within the context or group setting
Offers interpretations of people’s actions and behaviors that are uncovered through the investigation of what they actually do and the reasons for doing it
Objective 4.1

13. Characteristics of Ethnographic Research
15 distinctive characteristics (continued)
Offers a representation or interpretation of people’s lives and behaviors that is neither the researcher’s or the participants’ but is built on the points of understanding and misunderstanding that occur between the researcher and participants
Are necessarily partial, bound by what can be handled within a certain time, under certain specific circumstances, and from a particular perspective
Objective 4.1

14. Ethnographic Techniques
Three major techniques
Triangulation
Participant observation
Field notes
Collecting data using many sources rather than a single one
Multiple sources
Interviews
Observations
Artifacts
Objective 5.1

15. Ethnographic Techniques
Triangulation (continued)
Multiple informants
Consistency across sources and informants creates a stronger understanding of what is truly going on
Participant observation
The researcher is immersed in the research setting in order to get close to those studied as a way of understanding what their experiences and activities mean to them
Objectives 5.1 & 5.2

16. Ethnographic Techniques
Participant observation (continued)
Two purposes
To observe the activities, people, and physical aspects of a situation
To engage in activities that provide useful information in a given situation
Three varying degrees of participation
Active participant observer – active engagement
Privileged active observer – engaged in a more active, privileged manner such as teaching a lesson
Passive observer – little, if any, engagement
Objectives 5.3 & 5.4

17. Ethnographic Techniques
Participant observation (continued)
Recommended social behaviors
Negotiating entrance into the setting requires the researcher to be able to clearly describe the purpose, plan, and constraints likely associated with the research
Reciprocity requires the researcher to move between formal and informal ways of interacting with participants
Objective 5.5

18. Ethnographic Techniques
Recommended social behaviors (continued)
The researcher must have a tolerance for ambiguity
The researcher must have personal determination coupled with a faith in oneself
Objective 5.5

19. Ethnographic Techniques
Field notes
A record of the researcher’s understanding of the lives, people, and events that are the focus of the research
The link between field notes and the research
What is observed is ultimately treated as data
When writing field notes researchers should give particular attention to the indigenous meanings and concerns of the people studied
Objective 5.6

20. Ethnographic Techniques
The link between field notes and the research (continued)
Field notes provide essential grounding for writing broader, more coherent accounts of others’ lives and concerns
Field notes detail the social and interactional processes that make up people’s everyday lives and activities
Objective 5.6

21. Ethnographic Techniques
Recommendations for observing and recording field notes
Make mental notes and record them as soon as possible after observing
Jot down key information
Capture key words and phrases without a lot of explanation
Use a mnemonic device to help reconstruct the observed events
Objective 5.7

22. Ethnographic Techniques
Recommendations (continued)
Don’t worry about grammar or other rules
Trace what you did during the day
Avoid the temptation to recreate dialogue
Describe as completely and accurately as you can all relevant aspects of the observation
Objective 5.7

23. Ethnographic Techniques
Recommendations (continued)
Record your personal reactions (i.e., reflective field notes)
Observe and record everything you possibly can
Observe and look for nothing in particular
Look for “bumps” or paradoxes
Objective 5.7