Qualitative Data and Analysis

An introduction to participant observation and in-depth interviewing techniques along with a very brief overview of qualitative (grounded theory) and quantitative (content analysis) text analysis methods. Participant observation is often called ethnography, although technically an ethnography is the output of participant observation.

As an exercise, I want you to do some participant observation on campus in the weeks before this class. In class we will discuss your process and findings. See the Participant Observation Exercise page for some suggestions.

Additional questions to be able to discuss in class:

• what are the differences between emic and etic research?

• what does Wenger's vignette approach accomplish?

• What is Spradley's aim in virtually all of his interview methods?

• discuss points of commonality between grounded theory and Spradlerian interviewing

• what are the strengths and weaknesses of participant observation?

• Discuss: "coding is a tool used to study how people code the world"

Additional topics I will discuss:

• the ethnographic sandwich

• liberating, educating and exposing our informants

Primary Readings

• Goodwin, Charles (1994). "Professional Vision." American Anthropologist 96(3):606-633 [pdf]

  • Borgatti. Notes on Professional Vision

• Borgatti. Notes on Spradley

  • Borgatti. Handout on grounded theory [html]

• Wenger, E. Vignette 1. from Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge university press. [htm]

• Borgatti. Handout on Communities of practice. [html] (added 15 Sept -- shows what the vignette led to)

• Borgatti. Handout on Participant Observation. [html]

• Borgatti. Handout on Coding. [html]

Secondary Readings

• Spradley, James. The Ethnographic Interview. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.