Ethnography/Fieldwork
From the National Parks Service:
"Because anthropology as a discipline is holistic (meaning it looks at the past, present and future of a community across time and space), ethnography as a first hand, detailed account of a given community or society attempts to get a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances of the people being studied. Ethnographers, then, look at and record a people’s way of life as seen by both the people and the anthropologist; they take an emic (folk or inside) and etic (analytic or outside) approach to describing communities and cultures.
Classic ethnographic research involves a detailed description of the whole of a culture outside of the country of origin of the researcher. Traditionally those engaging in ethnographic research spend years in the place of study, also known as the “field.” As a result of the time spent living among communities, ethnographers have been able to produce thick written cultural descriptions known as ethnographies that communicate the information found in the field."
Resources:
Duke University Thompson Writing Program's Handout on Writing Ethnographies
The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill's Handout on Anthropology
Participant Observation
From the University of Toronto:
"Participant observation (PO) is a research methodology where the researcher is immersed in the day-to-day activities of the participants. The objective is usually to record conduct under the widest range of possible settings. In this way, PO differs from naturalistic observation, because the latter does not involve interaction between the researcher and participants. PO was historically associated with a form of research in which the researcher resides for extended periods of time in a small community. Currently, PO is used in a wide variety of settings, and over varied periods of time, from single interactions to many years."
Resources:
Mack, N., Woodsong, C., MacQueen, K.M., Guest, G., & Namey, E. (2005).Qualitative research methods: A data collector's field guide. Family Health International. (Module 2 via Duke University Library)
Harvey, L. (2023). Social Research Glossary. Quality Research International.
Tacchi, J., Fildes., J., Martin, K., Mulenhalli, K., Baulch, E., & Skuse, A. (2007). Ethnographic Action Research Training Handbook. ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation. (Chapter 2.2: Participant Observation and field notes)
From Sonoma State University:
"A literature review provides an overview of previous research on a topic that critically evaluates, classifies, and compares what has already been published on a particular topic. It allows the author to synthesize and place into context the research and scholarly literature relevant to the topic. It helps map the different approaches to a given question and reveals patterns. It forms the foundation for the author’s subsequent research and justifies the significance of the new investigation."
Resources
"How to Write a Literature Review- Anthropology" from San Jose State University Libraries
"Writing a Literature Review" from Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
"Guide for Writing in Anthropology" from Southwestern University
Interviewing
From Family Health International:
"The in-depth interview is a technique designed to elicit a vivid picture of the participant’s perspective on the research topic. During in-depth interviews, the person being interviewed is considered the expert and the interviewer is considered the student. The researcher’s interviewing techniques are motivated by the desire to learn everything the participant can share about the research topic. Researchers engage with participants by posing questions in a neutral manner, listening attentively to participants’ responses, and asking follow-up questions and probes based on those responses. They do not lead participants according to any preconceived notions, nor do they encourage participants to provide particular answers by expressing approval or disapproval of what they say."
Resources:
Mack, N., Woodsong, C., MacQueen, K.M., Guest, G., & Namey, E. (2005).Qualitative research methods: A data collector's field guide. Family Health International. (Module 3: In-Depth Interviews)
Tacchi, J., Fildes., J., Martin, K., Mulenhalli, K., Baulch, E., & Skuse, A. (2007). Ethnographic Action Research Training Handbook. ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation. (Chapter 2.3: Interviews, In-depth & Group)