Methodology Presentation.ppt

8/11/2019 Methodology Presentation.ppt

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A Quick and Dirty

Introduction to theSpradley-McCurdy

Ethnographic Interviewing

Method

Cole V. Akeson

GEOG5712: Research DesignProfessor Kenneth E. Foote

02 March 2009


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Agenda

What is this mouthful called the

Spradley-McCurdy ethnographic

interviewing method?

How and when is it useful?

How does it work? A 12 step program

Caveats: When is it notuseful/applicable?

Comparisons to other methods


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What is this S-M E I M?

Ethnography as a non-linear process (continual shuffling between selecting a problem, formulating

hypotheses, collecting data, analysis, writing up)

Informants knowledge is emphasized

A search for meaning through symbols, i.e. words and verbal

cues, to tacit cultural knowledge Moreover, focusing on ethnosemantic symbols the symbol, meaning, and relationship between symbol and

referent

Quoting sociological review: Drunks are notorious liars andmanipulators. Spradley unfortunately takes the lies as facts andbases his conclusions on them (Spradley 1979, 49).

Finally, an interviewing methodology meant to systematizemethodology for novice and expert alike


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Key ethnosemantic

relationships

Domains: Connections of culturalsymbols/folk terms into interrelateddomain

Domain analysis (taxonomies): Internalstructures of domains demonstratingdifferentiation among components

Componential analysis (paradigms): Search

for differentiating attributes among symbols Theme analysis: Relating domains in larger

cultural processes


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How and when is the method

useful? Designed for use by:

Novices and experienced academics

Students, social scientists and non-academicprofessionals

Allowing ethnography to bridgeinterdisciplinary divides

Grounded theory approaches

Can also be adapted to theoretically bound,

structured settings Used and adapted by social scientists,

police, journalists, salespeople, etc.


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Caveats and criticisms: When is

it not useful/applicable?

Best for open-ended approaches

Less useful in shorter-term ethnographic

investigations

Criticized by more humanisticethnographers, social theory devotees

Earlier renditions critiqued as not

considering positionality, etc.Some terms en vogue during publishing of The

Ethnographic Interview and The Cultural

Experienceare less often used today


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A 12 step program(no, not that one)

1. Locating an informant

2. Interviewing an informant

3. Making an ethnographic record

4. Asking descriptive questions

5. Analyzing ethnographic interviews6. Making a domain analysis

7. Asking structural questions

8. Making a taxonomic analysis

9. Asking contrast questions10.Making a componential analysis

11.Discovering cultural themes

12.Writing an ethnography


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A 12 step program(still not that one)

1. Locating an informant

2. Interviewing an informant

3. Making an ethnographic record

4. Asking descriptive questions

5. Analyzing ethnographic interviews6. Making a domain analysis

7. Asking structural questions

8. Making a taxonomic analysis

9. Asking contrast questions10.Making a componential analysis

11.Discovering cultural themes

12.Writing an ethnography


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Making ethnographic records

Utilize both field notes and

transcriptions from recordings

Condensed notes, expanded notes (i.e.

transcription together with field

notes), journaling

Analysis and interpretation (i.e.

coding)

By hand, by computer


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Descriptive Questions

Building rapport ApprehensionExploration

CooperationParticipation (Spradley 1979, 79)

Avoid leading questions

Types of questions: Grand tour: broad sweeping explanations of space, time,

events, people, activities, objects

Typical, recent time, show a process

Mini-tour: refining explanation of smaller processes

Example Experiences

Native-language

Direct, hypothetical, typical sentence


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Domain analysis

Folk terms elicit important cultural symbols

These symbols are semantically

interconnected in larger processes,

domains i.e. spatial, cause-effect, rationale, location of

action, functional, sequential relationships

Next step: Determining not only presence,

but meaning of relationship


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Structural questions and

taxonomies Elicit informantsstructural relationships within

domains, avoid researchersperceived meaning

Used concurrently, repetitively, contextually, withdescriptive questions (again, non-linear process)

Types: Verification questions Cover term questions: Elicit meaning of term and its sub-

components

Inferential included term questions

Card sorting questions

Create taxonomic relationships among terms:Relate terms hierarchically and functionally alongone-dimensional relationship


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Example: Taxonomy


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Contrast questions and

componential analysis

Elicit further details of relationships:

comparative/contrasting uses

Types:

Contrast verification, directed contrast (list),dyadic (non-leading) contrast questions, triadic

Demonstrating multiple semantic

differences (as opposed to taxonomies one)

between folk terms, producing

componential analyses or paradigms


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Example: Paradigm


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Themes and writing

Elicited from informants, but will be most

influenced by the ethnographer

Typically multiple themes will be found in

any research setting/microculture Creating cultural inventories to draw forth

themes

Looking for connections, but also gaps

Applying componential analysis on a larger

scale, across data collected


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Methodology Presentation.ppt