ANT419: ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELD METHODS

NCSU Summer Ethnographic Field School in Guatemala

May 19-July 8, 2008

 

INSTRUCTOR: TIM WALLACE, PhD                                                 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: CARLA PEZZIA, MPH

Associate Professor                                                                          University of North Texas, School of Public Health

Box 8107, Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology

NC State University

Raleigh, NC 27695-8107

919-515-9025; tim_wallace@mindspring.com

COURSE OBJECTIVES:    The goal of this course is to provide students with practical training and experience in  sociocultural anthropology fieldwork (including participant observation methods, interviewing, research design, sampling, coding, data analysis and ethics).  The course combines classroom study with an actual ethnographic research practicum. By the end of the course the student should be able to construct a research design, apply appropriate fieldwork techniques to carry out research, understand how theories in anthropology are applied to a particular field site, write reports, use computers in fieldwork, and understand ethical issues involved in fieldwork. 

Predeparture readings:

1.                   Daniel Wilkinson, Silence on the Mountain: Studies of Terror, Betrayal, and Forgetting in Guatemala. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 2002. ISBN: 0618221395. (Moving, very well written book, almost like a novel, that discusses the history and consequences of Guatemala’s 30 year civil war which has left an indelible imprint on the current generation of Guatemalans. 

2.                   Edward F.  Fischer & Carol Hendrickson, Tecpán Guatemala: A Modern Maya Town in Global and Local Context.  Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2003. (A good update on current issues as it intersects with a local, Indian community, not far from Lake Atitlán, and is a town we will visit.)

ON-SITE REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS (Bring with you): 

OP       OPTIONAL TEXT:

 COURSE OUTLINE (Note that there will be fieldtrips on most Sundays, but specifics will be determined on site):

May 19-21    Arrival, Orientation, and delivery to homestays (Visit to Iximche Ruins near Tecpan) 

May 22-27      Introduction to Fieldwork Context.

1.         Culture Shock and Adjustment to Guatemalan culture and Society

2.         Introduction to the importance of systematic observation in ethnography

3.         Differentiating between applied and basic anthropological research

4.         Course expectations

5.         Designing a field project

6.         Developing theory

7.         Dependent and independent variables

8.         Validity, reliability and accuracy

Readings: Bernard, 1-4; DeWalt, ch. 1-2

May 28- June 2          Techniques in writing fieldnotes

1.         Separating fieldnote versus journal note

2.         Keeping a daily log of research activities.

3.         Using laptop computers in ethnographic research

4.         Using SIL Fieldworks to write up fieldnotes

5.         Coding of fieldnotes in the SIL program

6.         Going from jottings to extended fieldnotes

7.         Reflexivity in fieldnote writing

Readings:  Bernard, ch. 4-6; DeWalt and DeWalt, 1-4

 June 7-9                      Fieldtrip to Antigua, Old Colonial Capital, now World Heritage Site

 June 4-5, 11-14           Fieldwork versus just being in the field

1.         Rapport building devices

2.         Re-examining culture in the light of settling in the community

3.         Community mapping

4.         Recovering and evaluating local documents for research

5.         Interviewing techniques

6.         Informants and ethical issues

7.         The scientific method in fieldwork

8.         Constructing a research design

Readings:          DeWalt,5-6, Schensul 1-3

June 18-22      Art vs. Science in field work

  1. Re-conceptualizing the research project

  2. Determining the independent and dependent variables for your project

  3. Re-examining validity, reliability and sampling in your project

  4. Structured Interviewing, coding interviews

  5. Connecting anthropological theory to the research 

  6. Life histories, free-listing/pile sorts

Readings: DeWalt 5-8, Wolcott handout, Schensul 4-6

June 25-29 Implementing the research project.  Students by this week must have developed and have begun to implement their own research project.  Students are required to interview and observe hosts and/or guests every day as part of their research project.

  1. Rapid appraisal techniques and team work issues

  2. The utility and problems with life histories

  3. Individualized assistance with research techniques

  4. Instructor observations of interview techniques for each student

  5. Developing an outline of the research paper as a model for data gathering

  6. Writing as a disciplined activity

  7. Keeping in sight the holistic perspective in the anthropological enterprise

  8. Reviewing problems in coding

  9. The use of the focus groups in research

Readings: Bernard 15B19, Schensul 7-8

 July 2-July 8 Final data collection, data analysis and report writing

  1. Qualitative analysis techniques

  2. Writing the final report

  3. Protecting the informant's and the community's identity

  4. Responsibilities to the local community, clients, colleagues and the discipline

  5. Evaluating the validity of the data for significant conclusions

  6. executive summaries and making research useful

  7. fieldwork as personal work

Readings: handouts from the on-site library  

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1.         participation (20%): classroom meetings; and individual and small group discussions.

2.                  writing assignments and research exercises (25%)

3.                  field notes, activities log and field journal (20%)

4.                  final paper (35%)

GRADING: A,B,C,D,F (A = 100-90; B= 89-80; C=79-70; D=69-60; F=below 60)

 Attendance: You must attend all classes and program events, except if you are sick or have previously secured an approved absence from the Program Directors.  An example of an excused absence other than illness might be the need to participate in an interview for your research that occurs during a class hour.  Nevertheless, as a rule, you should schedule such activities outside of class activities, classes and events. Failure to attend class could result in a significantly lower grade or in the extreme result in early termination from the program.

Academic Integrity Statement: Assignments in this class are intended to assess your individual knowledge and understanding of the subject material addressed in this class. Therefore, cheating or plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. The work you present must be your own. All individuals involved in an act of academic dishonesty will fail the assignment and/or the course. If you have any questions about what constitutes academic integrity, please refer to the Honor Code in the Code of Student Conduct at the following URL: http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/student_services/student_discipline/POL11.35.1.php

Incompletes: In this course, an incomplete grade will be used in accordance with the official university grading policy, which can be found at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/pols_regs/REG205.00.13.php

 Open Learning Environment: The intention and structure of university level courses are to provide open, thoughtful forums for a wide variety of topics. While discussing these topics, students shall not discriminate on the basis of “race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability or veteran status” as outlined in the University’s Unlawful Harassment Policy Statement (http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/campus_environ/non discrimination/REG04.25.4.php).  If you have a concern in this regard, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 515-3148, or see or email the instructor.

Disability Statement: Physical or Learning Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at 1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509, 515-7653, and present the instructor with a letter indicating what types of accommodations will be required. See NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities: http://www.ncsu.edu/provost/offices/affirm_action/dss. For more information see: http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.1.php.