Ethnography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Ethnography - Research Paper Example At a personal level I needed the help of trusted informants who were knowledgeable or well located to earnest information. This was of course not going to be achieved easily but over a certain period of time. It’s hard to give a specific time frame within which the whole work is to be done but depended on how fast one can grasp such information. On a normal scale, a year or two would be good. It’s also depends on how complex some societies are owing to cultural influence from the natives under study. While carrying out a fieldwork activity it’s important to document one experience at the end of the study. This is because one is likely to experience cultural shock; it has the ability to enhance ones understanding though. Strange cultural practices such as eating habits, trends and other behavioral patterns witnessed is no longer perceived the same way. My experience has helped me to quickly identify such occurrences thus making precise judgment. In order to achiev e it it requires keen observation as well as the ability to conjure up accurate statistics within the shortest time possible. This has served as an added advantage to me basically because it has encouraged me to learn native cultures as well as language in the shortest time possible. At present ethnographic assembling and research approaches have gone beyond cultural anthropology. They now include studies on composition where students can be asked to conduct short-term observations on groups and write an ethnography using their observations. Students are thus expected to participate, analyze, observe, reflect, rethink, write and describe cultures, their members, and several other own involvements with them. Doing ethnographic data collection involves primary research that includes long-term study of the observed culture as well as immersion. Among the most basic methods of those sort of research include:- †¢ Secondary Data Analysis †¢ Fieldwork with Observation/Participant Observation †¢ Informal and Semi-Structured Interviews’ Secondary data analysis include Secondary sources, or existing data about a culture already analyzed by a researcher, it’s important for generating ideas and questions to explore further in your research. These can include scholarly publications, statistical data, records, etc. Fieldwork is the essential portion of ethnography that comprises primary research. The ethnographer spends an extended period in and among the observed group, learning their routines and customs. Ideally, the role of the researcher is that of both an observer and a participant/observer (McGraw). While in my field I usually listen and watch how members among different cultures interact. This alone can’t however guarantee much; in order to realize the expectation participation is of the essence and could as well help in facilitating cultural exchange among different societies. Experience thus serves as the best teacher in this re gard and can only be earned over time through close interaction. It has in my own opinion helped me in identifying critical aspects on cultural issue while trying to identify why and how they came into being. While trying to put this into account one has to select an area of scope to carry out his study. The starting ought to be clearly introduce the general