Ethnographic Inquiry Research Proposal (Page 2 of 4) in pdf

perceived. What are the problems or limitations of these typical

perspectives?

3. From there, develop an explanation of how you see your research in and

about this community as connected wider issues themes or ideas in

society. What do you believe you can learn about as a result of

studying this community and your interaction in this

community? Are going to challenge or confirm any of the assumptions

you discussed in section two? Find out ways that it is more complex than it

seems?

As this point, you can’t just say, “Um...I’m going to learn about, um, this

community...” You don’t have to be right here and your research is not

going to set out to prove whatever statement you make, but you do need

to articulate what is of interest in this community in terms of what you can

learn about yourself or about the world.

This provides an initial focus statement for your research

even though much of what you end up focusing on will be

discovered through an analysis of the data you actually gather

at your site.

a. An effective formula to start a focus statement (and this focus may

change over time, but it’s a starting point) is to acknowledge

general understandings or assumptions about your community and

then turn to ask some potential research questions. For example:

Most people don’t think of their everyday city bus route as a

community at all. Instead, they just see a bunch of individuals

getting on public transportation to get where they are going. On my

bus route, though, I think there is something more complex going

on in terms of how regular passengers learn to interact as a kind of

community of strangers. I’m interested in exploring just how

community might be defined on city busses, how it is formed, and

what the behaviors of the passengers tell us about city life and

Midwest USA patterns of behavior overall.

4. In a fourth section, propose your ethnographic, primary-data research

plan. Specifically, where and when do you plan to go? Do you

have the access you will need? Do you anticipate any

difficulties “entering” the site? Will you observe or interview

or do both of those things? How and why do you plan to

participate or not participate in social interaction on the site?

How might this research be reciprocal? In other words, how

can you serve this community through your research?

5. In a fifth section, consider what types of existing research (secondary

sources -- academic books & journal articles) you might use to gain insight

into what is going on in your community and to explore the connection

between that community and wider society. What disciplines might you

explore (anthropology, urban studies, history, sociology, political science,

Ethnographic Inquiry Research Proposal Page 2