Social Research Methods: Chapter 10

A series of flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the lecture notes on ethnography and participant observation in social research methods.

Ethnography

A study of people and their culture in naturally occurring settings, focusing on observing behavior and conducting in-depth discussions.

Participant Observation

An observational method integrated into ethnography where the researcher participates in the daily life of the subjects while observing their behaviors.

Overt Ethnography

Type of ethnography where subjects are aware they are being observed by the researcher.

Covert Ethnography

Type of ethnography where subjects are unaware they are being observed, raising ethical concerns.

Key Informants

Participants who provide particularly knowledgeable insights but can skew the data if their views are not representative.

Complete Observer

Role of the ethnographer where the researcher does not engage the participants at all, limiting understanding of actions.

Field Notes

Detailed notes about events, conversations, and behaviors, which are crucial for data collection in ethnography.

Visual Ethnography

Ethnography that incorporates visual materials, such as photos and videos, as data sources or prompts for discussion.

Institutional Ethnography

Study of daily practices within institutions to reveal power inequalities and how institutional discourses affect everyday experiences.

Purposive Sampling

A non-random sampling method where the researcher seeks information-rich cases relevant to the study.