AM_ANT 285
Research Process
ANT 285 Ethnography
Fall 2009
Dr. Gina Hunter
Subject: #1 Analysis of a
University Text
Topic: My Research Project
Author: Andrew Mondul
Date: August 30, 2009 11:53 PM
As a sociology major in my final year, I choose to analyze the department of sociology and
anthropology mission statement. Located on the Illinois State University web page and nestled
into the departments ‘about the department’ page, is the mission statement accompanied by a
letter of welcome from the chair. It can be found at: http://www.soa.ilstu.edu/about/
The web page is structured in a three-part manner. The first being the header, complete with
links to other areas of the Illinois State University website. The organization of the page is
professional and visually appealing. Although the focus of this assignment is on the text and not
the visual aesthetics of the document, I believe it is important to note these details because the
presentation of the document is in a manner that implies certain assumptions to be made. For
example the professionally organized web page with the school seal on it assumes that the
reader is seriously interested in the information being displayed on the page. The presentation
draws the assumption that it is not a hastily throw together web page designed to attract people
other than those interested in the department on a professional basis. The presentation assumes
that those viewing the document are interested in the department whether it be searching for a
school to apply to, or a potential employer seeking out what the graduates of the departments
have been taught (principle wise).
The mission statement itself is set up into three bullet points. Each bullet point is a statement
regarding the relationship between the department and it’s students. The first bullet point
assumes that the student has a desire to “learn, understand, discover, and apply knowledge
about sociology & anthropology”. In doing so, it excludes the assumption that some students
attend the University to get a degree, get out, and get a job. The second bullet point continues
with the assumption that there is a desire and a need to “create and maintain” a “comfortable
and challenging teaching-learning community”. The text assumes that the reader sees a
‘teaching-learning community’ as a good thing.
Subject: #2 My research
question
Topic: My Research Project
Author: Andrew Mondul
Date: September 9, 2009 11:24 PM
Andrew M. Mondul
ANT 285
Dr. Gina Hunter
9 September 2009
#2 my research question
As the one who proposed the group research project’s subject, I initially wished to explore the
factors that go into the formation of a university student’s political opinions, primarily, the
student’s political affiliation and/or identity (the political party one labels themselves as
supporting). However, after a discussion with my partner, a new avenue of thought opened up.
An ethnographic study of how students form their political opinions would have little to no value
to the institution (University). My partner was part of the student government at ISU. His unique
inside into the student politics of the university setting set my view of this project into a different
direction.
Several key questions should be addressed when researching the political arm of the student
body. Some of these are basic, surface level analysis. These questions include; who is in the
student government? How old are they? What are their religious beliefs? What political party do
they label themselves as supporting? What is their race? What is their ethnicity? What is their
sex? What gender do they identify themselves as? These surface level questions will allow the
researchers to construct an image of the peoples involved in student government at the
university.
To dig deeper into the student government’s social world, more open-ended questions need to
be asked. These will allow the respondents to elaborate further into the questions of not only
how, but also why they became involved in student government.
To gather this information, the researchers will be able to access information on nearly all
student government representatives and/or workers through the university website. As they are
representatives of the university there is sufficient information on nearly all of the
representatives. Their contact information will be available and an e-mail briefly describing our
project will be sent out as an initial form of contact.
The research team should then construct a basic survey, which can be distributed to the
representatives and/or workers in student government. It will be a voluntary survey. Also, the
team will be encouraged to conduct interviews with the representatives to gain a greater
understanding of those involved.
I believe the team will find a very narrow age range, as the vast majority of college students are
conventional students, fresh out of high school. I have no reservations as to the concentration of
races and ethnicities involved. It is my personal belief that one’s race and ethnicity are of little
importance to the way one sees his/her self. On the other hand, culture does. In regards to the
sexes of those involved in student government, I expect there to be more females than males.
Not only do I believe this will be the case due to the male to female ratio at the university is
three males to every four females, but also because of the feminist movement and the increased
empowerment of women in the workplace.
I have yet to run these ideas by the group. I hope that they will see the value in this research.
The research will not be merely a tool used to see how one’s political mind is affected at the
university. It will be on use to the university as a way to identify students who are potential
candidates for student government for years to come.
Subject: #3 My
Topic: My Research Project
Research Question
Author: Andrew
Mondul
Date: September 21, 2009 3:43 PM
Andrew M. Mondul
My Research Project
Ethnography
17 September 2009
The first successful group meeting was made yesterday. Once further personal contact
information was exchanged we began to delve into the direction we wish our study to move
forward from.
Although the original proposal was for there to be a study on how the university experience
formulates into the creation of political identities, it was decided that a more narrow focus of
study would be to study the student government. The Illinois State University provides the most
convenient access to a university’s student government.
Our group’s concept of a university’s student government is; an organization recognized by the
university as its student government, and is made up of university students who have been
elected to office. This concept includes traditional as well as non-traditional students. Also, parttime and full-time students are included our concept of student government. Not included in our
conceptualization of student government will be administrative workers who are involved in the
organization.
Several units of analysis our group will observe and study will provide us with detailed
information on the culture of student government at Illinois State University. These include the
language and rituals utilized by student government. The primary focus of our analysis will be
the individuals involved in student government.
Our units of observation to be utilized include two different surveys as well as one on one
interviews and e-mail interviews. To complete the survey(s) our group is pooling together
questions contributed by each team member, then deciding which questions are significant. Our
first group ‘assignment’ was to come up with ten, to twenty survey questions we each deem to
be important. A special assignment was given to Jeron. As a former member of the Illinois State
University student government, he has prior knowledge as to the hierarchal structure of the
organization.
Although this is an ethnographic research study, the model that I view our project emulating is a
trend study. Our group will be studying a group of individuals and their interactions over a period
of time. Our observations will be collected individually, but then later shared and analyzed by the
group.
Subject: Outline For
SGA Paper
Topic: My Research Project
Author: Andrew
Mondul
Date: November 2, 2009 3:38 PM
Andrew M. Mondul
SGA Outline
Ethnography
2 November 2009
I. Introduction
A. What drew the ethnographer’s to study SGA?
B. Why SGA is a worthy subject to study?
C. What the ethnographer’s expect to find.
1. JeRon Moore
2. Tracee Hobbs
3. Andrew Mondul
II. Body
A. Current SGA
1. Definition of a Student Government Association
2. Organization of SGA
a. Hierarchy
b. Roles and responsibilities
3. Relations to the student body
B. Student Body
1. Daily activities of the average student
a. What is the average student’s story?
2. What is the students knowledge of SGA
3. Relations to SGA
C. Past SGA
1. Their experience in SGA
a. What issues did they take part in?
b. What they liked/disliked
c. What they learned from SGA
d. What they feel of the current SGA
III. Conclusion
A. The ethnographers experience
1. JeRon Moore
2. Tracee Hobbs
3. Andrew Mondul
Subject: Question
Sheet for SGA Project
Topic: My Research Project
Author: Andrew
Mondul
Date: November 2, 2009 3:39 PM
Andrew M. Mondul
JeRon Moore
Tracee Hobbs
Ethnography
28 October 2009
1. Question:
What is SGA, their function, and role that they play within the student body? What specific
actions are taken by SGA that have an effect on the student body and University?
2. What we know/assume about SGA’s affect on the student body and University:
· We assume that there is a credible effect
· The SGA represents the students to a certain extent
· They are elected fairly
· They attend different meetings
· SGA works on behalf of students to bring the concerns of the student body to a forefront,
where action can be taken.
· There is a hierarchy within the organization
· They deal with legislation written for the University.
3. What we don’t know/ what we need to know:
· What effect do they have? How can we measure it?
· How does SGA go about addressing the needs of the student body?
· Why does SGA hold meetings? What do they accomplish in such meetings?
· What strategies does SGA utilize to inform themselves of the student body’s needs?
· How does the hierarchy function within the organization?
· Is there an agenda? If so, what is it?
· How do SGA members ‘plans’ come to be addressed, if at all?
· What types of legislation are written? How many are enacted? What effect do these legislations
have?
4. How are we going to answer these questions?