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Directions:

Using your research topic, design a short research proposal for an ethnographic study that answers questions only answerable through qualitative research.  Include a discussion of steps 1-6 from Chapter 10, including but not limited to , how you would enter the field, present yourself, how you will build rapport and trust, your level of involvement, the types of questions you will ask etc.  Be sure to justify each decision position.  There are many ways of doing things, so be purposeful in your decisions.

Format:

Your paper must be at least 1000 words (approx. 4 pages at 12 point, Times New Roman, double spaced)

APA format with a correctly formatted title page

Correctly formatted page numbers

Double spaced

No extra spaces between paragraphs

Include a works cited page and use internal citation with page numbers

All assignments are due Sunday at 11:59 PM.

The main purpose of Ethnography is to provide a detailed description and clear understanding on the way of life from the standpoint of the natives/members/insiders. (Neuman). “In basic terms ethnography is the practice of anthropological research based on direct observation of and reportage on a people’s way of life. For the ethnographer there are two stages, the first of which is fieldwork, which is the process of observing and recording data. The second stage is the production of a written description and analysis of the subject under study”. (Ethnography). The ethnographer looks at every situation with different perspectives simultaneously.

The topic for my research study is “How being raised by a single parent affects children’s development”

The steps we will take to conduct a qualitative research are;

1) Preparing for a Field Study:

a. Self Awareness: In case of a field research human and personal factors play a very crucial role. Self Awareness is an essential requirement for a field study and the researcher needs to have the ability to notice minute details in the field and also have empathy for other people. When preparing for the field study one should be aware of personal concerns, commitments, and inner conflicts.

b. Background Investigation: In the initial stages of the research study we should understand the important concepts, potential pitfalls, data collection techniques and strategies by reviewing scholarly literature.

c. Practise Observing and Writing: The success of any field research depends on the observatory skills of the researcher. It is very important for a researcher to comprehend situations and write down those observations.

In our research study, the topic is emotional and painful and direct interaction with the participant may lead to emotional outbursts. Thus the researcher should be cautious and also it is very important to comprehend different behaviour which the researcher may observe.

2) Starting the Research Project

a. Getting Started: The researcher should adjust his mindset and attitude as per the field to be researched upon. The researcher should not start the study with any pre-conceived notions

b. Selecting a field site: Selecting a field site is an important aspect of the qualitative research and depends on a number of factors. The most important aspect is the suitability of the topic of study. For example if a study is to be conducted where the area of study is football, then the best place would be the playing field, training camps, locker room etc. Thus the field site should be chosen which is in sync with the topic.

c. Gaining Access: A number of factors can facilitate or restrict access to the researcher. Thus the researcher should be careful to understand the barriers if any and plan accordingly.

d. Entering the Field: The researcher should enter the field with a flexible plan of action. Each site may be different from the other and thus the past experiences and skills of the researcher play an important role in helping him the field site with ease.

In our research study the field site may not be any particular location, thus the researcher should understand the ways to find out field sites. The researcher should make sure that he obtains prior permission from the participant for conducting the survey.

3) Being in the Field: In the initial stages of research the researcher may have to face embarrassment, experience discomfort. The researcher may find it difficult to interact with the participant. This stage is where he learns the ropes of the study. After the initial discomfort the researcher should try and normalize the research. In this stage the different members need to adjust to the study. Once things are normalized the researcher should build rapport with the different members of the study and develop a sense of trust with the members. The researcher should continuously find new areas which he can involve in his research study.

In our research study being in the field is a very important aspect. In our topic of study the participants may not be very comfortable in revealing the personal details. Thus it may take some time for the researcher to normalize and build a rapport with the participants. The researcher should be directly involved with the participants. There may be two levels of involvements in our study. When we are conducting interviews then we have to be directly involved. There may be a case when the researcher only observes the children from a distance without the knowing of the participants that they are being observed. In this case the participant may not be direct but the researcher should be involved directly.

4) Strategies for Success in the field: With increasing presence in the field the researchers tend to build on relations with the participants. Building relations is an important aspect for the success of the study. Once the researcher has built a relation he may go to the extent of performing small favours for the members in order to gain acceptance. This will help the participant in increasing the chances of success for the study. An important requirement for the success of the study is to Appear Interested in the study even when the researcher may not be. The mode of operation for a successful study is for the researcher to act as a novice. “Being the “expert” or “know-it-all” is not how you learn about a field site or win friends. As the outsider, your primary mission in the field is to observe, listen, and learn about other people.” (Neuman). The best way for increasing the chances of success is by avoiding conflicts. The researcher should act in a neutral manner and avoid taking sides. There is huge amount of information that flows in a field. The researcher should focus on that information that is vital for the study and avoid excess information.

In our study topic building relationship with the participant is an important tool for the success of the study as in order for collection of data it is important that the participant has the faith in the researcher and reveals the information needed by the researcher as the topic is sensitive and the participant may not feel comfortable in revealing information. In the process of building a relationship the researcher may extend some favours to the subject. The researcher should ensure that he does not make the participant feel that the researcher is not interested in the study. If the participant feels that the researcher is not interested in the study the probability of completing the study successfully reduces.

5) Observing and Collecting Data: “The good field researcher is a resourceful, talented individual with ingenuity and an ability to think quickly on his or her feet while in the field.” (Neuman). The researcher is the tool for data collection and thus the researcher should be very sensitive to what happens in the field and also towards the recording of data. In our research study we need to focus on few important aspects of data. We should be concerned more with the behaviour displayed by children who are being raised by single parents. Thus observing the behaviour is an important aspect for our research study. The entire efforts of the researcher would go in vain if he does not jot down the notes for his observation. Thus it is extremely important for the researcher to observe and note down the observations.

6) Interviewing in Field Research: Field researchers use unstructured, nondirective, in-depth interviews. These differ from formal survey research interviews in many ways. “People we interview are active participants in the discussion process, and their insights, feelings, and cooperation reveals their perspective and subjective meanings. Field interviews can occur in a series over time. You first build rapport and avoid probing inner feelings until intimacy is established. After several meetings, you may be able to probe more deeply into sensitive issues and seek clarification of less sensitive issues. In later interviews, you can return to topics and check past answers by restating them in a nonjudgmental tone and asking for verification.”

In our study topic also Interviews are very important tools for collecting data for the study as it is very difficult to depict the behaviour of the children who are being raised by single parents and thus the only way of collecting data would be to conduct interviews with the children and if required also with the parents.

The above are the tools which a researcher can use to conduct an ethnographic study on “The effects of Single Parenting on the wellbeing of Children”.

Ethnography. (n.d.). Retrieved October 07, 2013, from The Imperial Archive: http://www.qub.ac.uk/imperial/key-concepts/Ethnography.htm

Neuman, L. W. Understanding Research. Pearson.