Research for Ethnography Projects

HW for Friday: 5-7 Photo Essay with Thesis, topic sentence, and conclusion captions

For Wednesday: have Read ONE BIG SELF and be ready to discuss.

A few reminders as we move forward with your projects:

Keep in mind, 1) that scholarly articles are just one part of the research activities you will be doing for your ethnographic writing projects, and 2) in our reading so far, you have likely already encountered ideas, arguments, and examples you can use in your analysis of a Symbolic Action. **I want to remind you that IF you can make a connection between something Rebekah Nathan, for instance, writes about (an example she uses, an argument she makes,) and your own subject-matter, then you can and are encouraged to use Nathan as a source for your project. The great advantage of this is that when you use a source this way, you are already using it Originally and for your own purposes!

1. Looking at your project proposals, take five minutes and think back about the essays we've read over the last two weeks. Brainstorm connections you might make between what you plan to study and what you've already read. How do these articles provide a background or a foundation for your project?

2. Now, take 5 more minutes to brainstorm what further research questions that you have. What are you looking for that you think other scholars might have addressed?

3.Searching: You want to find out if there are other ethnographic studies that consider your topic. If so, these will be valuable to find. Using a variety of search terms, search through the contents of Ethnography Journal. Also try Project Muse, JSTOR, Google Scholar, and any other databases in the HUMANITIES. You might also try Academic Search Premier.

4. Ultimately, you want to consider as many sources as possible, and then have the opportunity to choose the BEST sources.

5. Requirements: I am requiring that you use at least 2 sources we've considered in class, and at least 2 SCHOLARLY sources that you find on your own. (You may consider more than this. Also, b/c I'm requiring that you use relatively FEW SOURCES, these sources should be WELL CHOSEN) Keep in mind, you can use these sources for a variety of purposes, including as BACKGROUND info, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS (if the article offers stats pertinent to your project), EVIDENCE of your claims about your subject. You can even attempt to apply the argument of one source to your own topic: For instance, you might seek to APPLY how Rebekah Nathan focuses the idea of FUN in college life to your own study of how college students greet each other at WESTFIELD STATE.

6. DUE DATES: On APRIL 29, you will turn in a 3-4 page write-up that summarizes all of your scholarly sources (from in class and from outside of class) and also explains how you plan to use these sources in your Ethnographic writing paper.

7. MORE DUE DATES:
5/2 - 5/4 Initial Draft Due: (CONFERENCES) this draft will incorporate your Field Research with your research into sources.
 5/6: Revised draft due.
5/9: Final draft due.
*We'll come back to the computer lab on W 4/27*

blog: http://faufreshman.blogspot.com/2007/09/college-social-life-1101.html

http://www.pineforge.com/oswcondensed/study/articles/07/Stuber.pdf

Diffusion of Responsibility in a Nonemergency Situation: Response to a Greeting from a Stranger.