Professors Nichols, Pedersen, Watts, Zomalt

GESS 102

Professors Nichols, Pedersen, Watts, Zomalt

Spring 1997

PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT #3

This portfolio assignment is comprised of the two components of ethnographic research detailed in this week’s readings -- ethnographic observation and writing ethnographic fieldnotes.

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Part A. Ethnographic observation and note-jotting.

First, you are to study social interactions in any one of three settings: one of your classes, the Dome, or the library. Some things you might look for include (but are not limited to):

-- seating and/or grouping patterns (describe any arrangements that emerge; do they divide by

age? ethnicity? gender? social status or class?);

-- verbal communication patterns (what are groups talking about? who does the talking -- everyone in the group, or do some group members dominate?);

-- non-verbal communication (how do the group members position themselves? how they sit

or stand?);

-- changes in any of the above as a newcomer enters the group or as someone leaves.

Please use the suggestions detailed in pages 26-34 of the reading (Emerson, Fetz, and Shaw) to guide your observations and note-jotting. Note: disregarding these guidelines will substantially lower your grade on this assignment.

Please submit your original notes from these observations. In addition, please answer the following questions about your note-taking style:

1. In the reading, Emerson, Fretz and Shaw discuss two styles regarding the timing of note-jotting. What are they, which did you use, and why did you prefer this method over the other?

2. Emerson et al. discuss “thorny relational and moral issues” concerning the knowledge and consent of the individuals and groups being studied. What are the issues, how did you resolve it in your ethnographic observational exercise, and why?

3. Emerson et al. also describe overt versus covert note-taking; what are the pros and cons of each, which style did you adopt, and why?

Part B. Writing an ethnographic account from your field notes.

Write a description based on your note-jottings. This should be at least a page long, andmay be modeled after the examples in the reading.

In addition, please answer the following question:

4. Emerson et al. note “four implications from [their] understanding of ethnography as the inscription of participatory experience” -- describe the four implications, and discuss how they apply to your experience with ethnographic research.

This assignment must be typed, and is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, February 12.