COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 1
COMM 660
Seminar: Ethnographic Methods
Spring 2014
Instructor: Dr. Kurt Lindemann
Time/Day/Room: 2-3:15, MW, E-423
Office: Communication 221
Office Phone: (619) 594-4945
Office Hours: MW, 11-12 and by appointment
School of Communication Main Office: Communication 237, (619) 594-0716
School of Communication website: http://communication.sdsu.edu/
E-mail: klindema@mail.sdsu.edu
Required Materials:
 Tracy, S.J. (2013). Qualitative research methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis,
communicating impact. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
 Various readings in PDF on our BlackBoard site
Course Description
Ethnography is a trans-disciplinary methodology with roots in anthropology and sociology. Now
ubiquitous in the communication discipline, it is brims with possibilities for the communication
researcher interested in using writing and interpretation to understand human communication.
Unlike other methods commonly used in communication research, writing is the primary way we
collect, analyze, and represent our data. Roughly translated from its Greek linguistic origins as
“writing of culture,” ethnography allows researchers to embrace the aesthetic, artistic, humanistic
aspects of the communication discipline while employing the social scientific tools of inquiry
that are also part of communication research.
In this course, you will become familiar with a broad range of conceptual perspectives
concerning ethnographic methods, from fairly straightforward interpretivism to autoethnography
and other more radical alternative representations of qualitative data. You will utilize one or
more of these approaches in completing a qualitative study of your own.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
1. Identify the benefits and challenges of utilizing ethnographic methods
2. Evaluate the utility of ethnographic methods in the communication discipline
3. Distinguish major conceptualizations and approaches to ethnographic research
4. Enact ethnographic methods in an original communication research project
5. Apply data and coding analysis techniques in an original ethnographic study
Assignments
In this class, you will be expected to complete the following assignments (see the rubrics for the
particulars of each assignment):
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 2
Assignment Description
1. A midterm draft of your final research paper
2. Peer editing feedback sheet written in response to a
classmate’s research paper draft, which you will read
and for which you will provide feedback
Point Value
50 points total
20 points total
3. Paper building block assignments, which should
help lead you toward your final paper
a. Three page exploration (of issue, problem, or
phenomenon)
b. Interview questions and rationale for questions
c. IRB submission
d. Two page coded field note or interview excerpt
with asides and commentaries
e. Analytic memos of 3 categories, 1 page each
4. Discussion leading, including discussion questions
an article or chapter no older than 2010
a. Discussion questions
b. Discussion leading
5. Final research paper (submitted to turnitin.com)
6. Conference-style presentation of final paper or
performance of ethnographic data, no longer than 10
minutes
7. Take home essay exam
8. Class participation in activities and discussion
Total Points
120 points total (see
breakdown below)
25 points
25 points
20 points
25 points
25 points
20 points total (see
breakdown below)
10 points
10 points
100 points total
50 points total
100 points total
40 points total
500 points
Course Expectations: Obviously, attendance is important in any graduate seminar. Often, the
thoughts and ideas you share with your classmates leads to paper topics, paper angles, and
insight into ongoing research projects. I hope to be able to award full points to everyone for
insightful discussion and participation.
Students agreeing to the terms for the class as set out in this syllabus—not dropping the class
constitutes an agreement to the terms, including the grading policy—are expected to do the
following:
1. Be on time to class
2. Be respectful and let others talk without interruption, including me
3. Read the assigned chapters/materials and engage in class discussions
4. Turn off cell phones unless used for class (see below)
5. Treat others’ viewpoints and experiences with respect
6. Make connections between the material and your own lives and experiences
7. Turn in assignments on time
8. Communicate with the instructor in advance about potential attendance conflicts
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 3
The School of Communication, as a representative of SDSU and higher education, expects
students to engage in behavior that enhances the classroom learning environment. The Instructor
is responsible not only to the individual student, but to the collective group of students who
constitute a class. This means that behavior disruptive to the classroom instruction is not
tolerated. For the sake of the other students, the instructor may be required to intervene under
various circumstances. Among the actions that are considered disruptive to the learning
environment are:
 The use of cellphones and/or computers/laptops/tablets, whether for conversation,
correspondence, emailing, texting, tweeting, or other activities (e.g., social
media/Facebook), and when not directly related to the course and its instructional
objectives, materials, or contents;
 Side conversations or discussion in a manner distracting to the instructor or fellow
students;
 Ongoing or unrestricted interruption of instructor or fellow students, or otherwise
attempting to monopolize classroom time or discussion;
 Reading, sleeping, snoring, moving about, yelling, harassing, bullying, or otherwise
engaging in activities disrespectful of the instructor or students, or unrelated to the
course, materials, or contents;
 Entering late, leaving early, or leaving often during lecture, especially when in a
disruptive manner;
 Activity that in any way could be considered grossly inappropriate, threatening or
dangerous.
 Certain other activities may be acceptable, but only with permission or by direction of the
Instructor, who retains the authority to specify relevant restrictions. Such activities
include:
 Filming, taping, or otherwise recording the class;
 Accessing the Internet during class;
The Instructor reserves the right to establish additional reasonable expectations deemed
necessary to maintain optimal learning conduct in the classroom. Each faculty member is the
primary arbiter of classroom comportment. The faculty member has the authority to enforce this
policy in a manner deemed suitable to the particular class in question. For example
 A student texting in class may be requested to turn the phone in to the instructor for the
remainder of the class, or
 A student using a laptop or IPAD to access Facebook may be asked to close and shut
down the technology for the remainder of the period.
Should repeat offenses occur, with fair warning, each faculty member will determine fair and
appropriate consequences for these behaviors. Should an emergency occur or require monitoring,
or if students observe violations of this policy, they are encouraged to inform the instructor as
soon as possible.
Sensitive Subject Matter
We will be experiencing work that deals with issues of a potentially sensitive nature. Some of
our readings will frankly address health, and sexuality among other topics. While you are not
required to self-disclose in assignments or discussion anything with which you are
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 4
uncomfortable, I do expect you read and discuss the articles and chapters assigned. If you
anticipate problems completing the readings or participating in class discussions, please talk to
me well in advance. A good grade in this class is not dependent on what you disclose in your
writings and performance, though self-reflexivity is a necessary and important characteristic of
qualitative research. So, please be aware of what topics about which you are comfortable writing.
Make-up, Late Work Policy: Absolutely no paper, exam or other assignment will be accepted
after its due date if you do not talk with me beforehand. I may make exceptions based on
circumstances, so if you anticipate having problems, please see me. It is easier for us to deal with
them before they happen than after they happen. You know when the exams, assignments, and
homework are due, as they are listed on the Tentative Class Schedule, so you can adjust your
own schedule accordingly. If you should miss a handout or lose a handout or the syllabus,
contact a classmate or go to our BlackBoard course site. You are responsible for all materials on
the day they are handed out.
Miscellaneous Conflicts Policy: I understand that many students have full or part-time jobs,
children, family, etc. I am usually sensitive to this and try to do all I can to help you work
schedule conflicts out. But there may come a time when nothing else can be done. In that case,
I’ll ask you to make some decisions about your priorities and responsibilities. Please feel free to
talk to me about such problems in emergencies or in situations with unavoidable conflicts.
Disabilities or Special Needs: If you need special equipment or classroom accommodations for
exams, please let me know and we will work with Student Disability Services together to provide
an effective learning environment. If you come to me in the middle of the semester citing a
learning disability as a cause of poor class performance and are not registered with SDS, there is
nothing I can do.
Plagiarism and Cheating Policy
THE ACADEMIC DISHONESTY POLICY OFTHE SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION
Plagiarism is theft of intellectual property. It is one of the highest forms of academic offense
because in academe, it is a scholar’s words, ideas, and creative products that are the primary
measures of identity and achievement. Whether by ignorance, accident, or intent, theft is still
theft, and misrepresentation is still misrepresentation. Therefore, the offense is still serious, and
is treated as such.
Overview:
In any case in which a Professor or Instructor identifies evidence for charging a student with
violation of academic conduct standards or plagiarism, the presumption will be with that
instructor’s determination. However, the faculty/instructor(s) will confer with the director to
substantiate the evidence. Once confirmed, the evidence will be reviewed with the student. If,
following the review with the student, the faculty member and director determine that academic
dishonesty has occurred, the evidence will be submitted to the Office of Student Rights and
Responsibilities. The report “identifies the student who was found responsible, the general nature
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 5
of the offense, the action taken, and a recommendation as to whether or not additional action
should be considered by the campus judicial affairs office .” (CSSR Website[1]1).
Intellectual Property:
The syllabus, lectures and lecture outlines are personal copyrighted intellectual property of the
instructor, which means that any organized recording for anything other than personal use,
duplication, distribution, or profit is a violation of copyright and fair use laws.
Proper source attribution:
Proper attribution occurs by specifying the source of content or ideas. This is done by (a)
providing quotation marks around text, when directly quoted, and (b) clearly designating the
source of the text or information relied upon in an assignment.
Specific exemplary infractions and consequences:
a. Reproducing a whole paper, paragraph, or large portions of unattributed materials (whether
represented by: (i) multiple sentences, images, or portions of images; or (ii) by percentage of
assignment length) without proper attribution, will result in assignment of an “F” in the course, and
a report to Student Rights and Responsibilities.
b. Reproducing a sentence or sentence fragment with no quotation marks but source citation, or
subsets of visual images without source attribution, will minimally result in an “F” on the
assignment.
Self-plagiarism:
Students often practice some form of “double-dipping,” in which they write on a given topic
across more than one course assignment. In general, there is nothing wrong with double-dipping
topics or sources, but there is a problem with double-dipping exact and redundant text. It is
common for scholars to write on the same topic across many publication outlets; this is part of
developing expertise and the reputation of being a scholar on a topic. Scholars, however, are not
permitted to repeat exact text across papers or publications except when noted and attributed, as
this wastes precious intellectual space with repetition and does a disservice to the particular
source of original presentation by ‘diluting’ the value of the original presentation. Any time that
a writer simply “cuts-and-pastes” exact text from former papers into a new paper without proper
attribution, it is a form of self-plagiarism. Consequently, a given paper should never be turned in
to multiple classes. Entire paragraphs, or even sentences, should not be repeated word-for-word
across course assignments. Each new writing assignment is precisely that, a new writing
assignment, requiring new composition on the student’s part.
Secondary citations:
Secondary citation is not strictly a form of plagiarism, but in blatant forms, it can present similar
ethical challenges. A secondary citation is citing source A, which in turn cites source B, but it is
source B’s ideas or content that provide the basis for the claims the student intends to make in
the assignment. For example, assume that there is an article by Jones (2006) in the student’s
hands, in which there is a discussion or quotation of an article by Smith (1998). Assume further
that what Smith seems to be saying is very important to the student’s analysis. In such a
situation, the student should always try to locate the original Smith source. In general, if an idea
1 [1]
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/academics1.html
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 6
is important enough to discuss in an assignment, it is important enough to locate and cite the
original source for that idea. There are several reasons for these policies: (a) Authors sometimes
commit citation errors, which might be replicated without knowing it; (b) Authors sometimes
make interpretation errors, which might be ignorantly reinforced (c) Therefore, reliability of
scholarly activity is made more difficult to assure and enforce; (d) By relying on only a few
sources of review, the learning process is short-circuited, and the student’s own research
competencies are diminished, which are integral to any liberal education; (e) By masking the
actual sources of ideas, readers must second guess which sources come from which citations,
making the readers’ own research more difficult; (f) By masking the origin of the information,
the actual source of ideas is misrepresented. Some suggestions that assist with this principle:
 When the ideas Jones discusses are clearly attributed to, or unique to, Smith, then find the
Smith source and citation.
 When the ideas Jones is discussing are historically associated more with Smith than with
Jones, then find the Smith source and citation.
 In contrast, Jones is sometimes merely using Smith to back up what Jones is saying and
believes, and is independently qualified to claim, whether or not Smith would have also
said it; in such a case, citing Jones is sufficient.
 Never simply copy a series of citations at the end of a statement by Jones, and reproduce
the reference list without actually going to look up what those references report—the
only guarantee that claims are valid is for a student to read the original sources of those
claims.
Solicitation for ghost writing:
Any student who solicits any third party to write any portion of an assignment for this class
(whether for pay or not) violates the standards of academic honesty in this course. The penalty
for solicitation (regardless of whether it can be demonstrated the individual solicited wrote any
sections of the assignment) is F in the course.
The use of TurnItIn.com:
All written work in this course (unless otherwise specified) will be submitted electronically in
Word (preferably 2007, .docx) on the due dates assigned, and will require verification of
submission to Turnitin.com. Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be
subject to submission for textual similarity review to TurnItIn.com for the detection of
plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the TurnItIn.com
reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. You may
submit your papers in such a way that no identifying information about you is included. Another
option is that you may request, in writing, that your papers not be submitted to TurnItIn.com.
However, if you choose this option you will be required to provide documentation to substantiate
that the papers are your original work and do not include any plagiarized material” (source:
language suggested by the CSU General Counsel and approved by the Center for Student’s
Rights and Responsibilities at SDSU).
Specific exemplary infractions and consequences
Course failure: Reproducing a whole paper, paragraph, or large portions of unattributed
materials without proper attribution, whether represented by: (a) multiple sentences, images, or
portions of images; or (b) by percentage of assignment length, will result in assignment of an “F”
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 7
in the course in which the infraction occurred, and a report to the Center for Student Rights and
Responsibilities (CSRR2).
Assignment failure: Reproducing a sentence or sentence fragment with no quotation marks, but
with source citation, or subsets of visual images without source attribution, will minimally result
in an “F” on the assignment, and may result in greater penalty, including a report to the CSRR,
depending factors noted below. In this instance, an “F” may mean anything between a zero (0)
and 50%, depending on the extent of infraction.
Exacerbating conditions--Amount: Evidence of infraction, even if fragmentary, is increased
with a greater: (a) number of infractions; (b) distribution of infractions across an assignment; or
(c) proportion of the assignment consisting of infractions.
Exacerbating conditions--Intent: Evidence of foreknowledge and intent to deceive magnifies
the seriousness of the offense and the grounds for official response. Plagiarism, whether ‘by
accident’ or ‘by ignorance,’ still qualifies as plagiarism—it is all students’ responsibility to make
sure their assignments are not committing the offense.
Exceptions: Any exceptions to these policies will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and
only under exceptional circumstances.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO EXCUSES ALLOWED BASED ON IGNORANCE OF
WHAT CONSTITUTES PLAGIARISM OR OF THIS POLICY.
How would you characterize your teaching style?
I prefer structured discussion to lectures, but I understand that sometimes it may be necessary for
the instructor to “break it down.” For the most part, I will expect class discussion to be sustained
by you, your classmates, and the discussion leader for that day.
What do you expect from written assignments?
You’ll receive a grading rubric for each assignment, but here is a general list of what I expect
from your writing assignments, including BlackBoard discussion responses:
1. Use thesis sentences. These appear early in the paper, essay, or entry. They provide the
reader with a general idea of what you will address in the rest of the piece.
2. Organize distinctly different ideas into paragraphs. Paragraphs should be at least three
sentences long and should address one general idea.
3. Use topic sentences. Topic sentences are sentences at or near the beginning of each
paragraph and preview the content of the paragraph.
4. Provide examples. Use examples to support and illustrate your topic sentences and other
argumentative statements.
5. Always try to paraphrase rather than quote sources directly (except in the case of
interviews and field notes). This shows the reader that you understand and have
internalized the original author’s ideas. Remember, though, to cite, even if you
paraphrase.
6. When using direct quotations, always lead into or follow up quotes with your own words.
Consider these three sentences:
a. “Organizational communication is an important area of study” (Smith, 2007, p.
5). →NO.
b. Smith (2007) states, “Organizational communication is an important area of
study” (p. 5). →YES.
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 8
c. “Organizational communication is an important area of study,” argues Smith
(2007, p. 5). →YES.
7. Use direct quotations sparingly. See #5: Always try to paraphrase; don’t let other people
speak for you.
8. Begin and end pieces with a bang. Beginning and ending papers effectively is usually the
hardest part of academic writing. Besides previewing and reviewing, give the reader
something to think about. Don’t begin or end your paper or paragraphs with direct
quotations (see #5 and #7 above).
9. Err on the side of over-explaining your reasoning rather than under-explaining it. While
you’re writing for an academic audience, don’t assume they know everything you do
about a topic.
You will be able to view sample student papers on the BlackBoard site to give you a better idea
of what I expect.
Evaluation and Assessment
Your final grade will be determined according to the following grading scale:
465-500=A
450-464=A435-449=B+
415-434=B
400-414=B385-399=C+
365-384=C
350-364=CSome grading rubrics are included with this syllabus, and more detailed assignment descriptions
and rubric will be posted on BlackBoard well in advance of the assignment due dates.
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 9
COMM 660 Tentative Schedule
The following is a tentative schedule for class. The pace of class and the readings may change
based upon the progress of the class as a whole. All readings not from the Tracy book are
articles. These articles may be posted as PDFs on our BlackBoard site. If they do not appear
there, you are responsible for finding them online. When a reading and/or assignment are listed
on a particular date, you should have the reading and/or assignment done by that date. “DL”
means we will have discussion leading on an article, which must be posted the week before on
BB.
Week
Topic
Week One
January 22
No class
Introduction to class and each other
What is ethnography?
Getting started
Introductions, Getting Started
Planning to do an ethnographic study
Conducting an ethnographic study
IRB, site access, and other concerns
Positionality and Reflexivity
Getting Started
Out of town presentation—no class
Paradigmatic and Theoretical
Foundations
Field Notes and Performing
Ethnographic Identities
Paradigmatic concerns
Theoretical foundations
Writing IRB Proposals
Taking field notes
Performing ethnographic identities
Planning and Performing
Interviews
Value of interviews
Writing interview questions
Conducting interviews
Week Two
January 29
Week Three
February 5
Week Four
February 12
Week Five
February 19
Week Six
February 26
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Coding processes
Interpretation and meaning-making
Week Seven
March 5
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Narratives
Metaphors
Readings and Assignments Due
Tracy, Ch. 1; Lindemann “Standing
Up”; Sign-up for discussion leading
Tracy, Chps 4 & 5; Lindemann
“Leaky Masculinities”; Alexander
“Performing Culture”; Fine “Ten
Myths”
Tracy Chps 3 & 6; Trethewey;
Student Sample “Vagina
Monologues”
Paper Building Block One
(Exploration) due
Tracy, Chps 7 & 8; Scarduzio &
Geist-Martin “Ideologies”
Paper Building Block Two
(Interview Questions) due
Tracy, Ch. 9; Trujillo & Krizek
“Emotionality”
Building Block Three (IRB
submissions) due this week—print
off submission screen
Tracy, Ch. 10; Smith & Sparkes
“Hope”; Corey, “Sexualities”
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 10
Theoretical applications
Week Eight
March 12
Qualitative Quality
Credibility, Significance, Rigor
Writing Methods sections
Week Nine
Midterm: Assessing Where We
Are
Discussion of midterm paper drafts
Progress, success, and strengths
Problems, issues, and concerns
March 19
Week Ten
March 26
Data Analysis
Extended discussion of coding
procedures
Week Eleven
Spring Break—keep doing
observations and interviews
Spring Break—No class
Writing and Representation
“Traditional” or Middle-to-RightContinuum ethnographies
April 2
Week Twelve
April 9
Week Thirteen Writing and Representation
Left-Continuum ethnographies
April 16
Autoethnography, layered accounts,
performative writing
Week
Class Wrap-Up
Fourteen
Discussion of final papers,
April 23
presentations, and exam
Week Fifteen
Paper Presentations
Final paper presentations
April 30
Week Sixteen
Paper Presentations
Final paper presentations
May 7
Week
Seventeen
May 14
Tracy, Ch. 11; Ellingson
“Performance of Dialysis”; Tracy,
Lutgen-Sandvik, & Alberts
Student sample “Open Mics”
Midterm Papers due
Exchange midterm papers either
in person or online (could happen
earlier)
Conquergood
Building Block Four (Coded Field
Note or Interview Excerpt) due
Spring Break—No class
Tracy, Chps 12 & 13; Lindemann &
Cherney
Peer Evaluations due
Clair; Fox; Lindemann, “Sexualities”
Building Block Five (Analytic
Memos) due
Paper presentations due
Paper presentations due
Final Papers due to turnitin.com
Final Papers
Take home essay exam due
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 11
Class Participation Grading Rubric
Name:
I will assess participation in class based on the following rubric:
1. Student consistently contributes to
class discussions.
2. Student contributions substantively
relate to the assigned readings.
3. Student contributions illustrate a
genuine and sincere attempt to
understand materials.
4. Student contributions illustrate an
attempt to make connections among
readings and other areas of
communication research.
5. Student contributions reflect a
respect and understanding of other
perspectives.
40-36 points = Outstanding
35-30 points = Excellent
29-25 points = Good
Total Points (out of 40)
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 12
Peer Feedback Grading Rubric
Name:
I will assess your peer feedback on a classmate’s draft based on the following rubric:
1. Feedback is substantive and shows a
sincere effort to help improve
student’s paper.
2. Feedback includes specific, concrete
suggestions for improvement.
3. Feedback includes specific, positive
comments.
4. Feedback demonstrates a working
understanding of ethnographic
methods.
20-18 points = Outstanding
17-16 points = Excellent
15-17 points = Good
Total Points (out of 20)
See Peer Feedback Sheet for items to address on classmates’ paper.
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 13
Peer Feedback Sheet
Paper Author ______________________ Peer Feedback Editor ________________________
You will complete this sheet for each paper you read, adding your own extended comments both
here and on the actual paper draft if you wish. Your responses should be typed with a copy
turned back to me and to the author. Please provide concrete examples for each point. You may
also mark directly on your peers’ papers (by hand or in Track Changes)—but you do not need to
turn this in to me.
1. Describe at least three things this author did effectively. What made them effective?
2. Describe at least two areas in which the author could elaborate, expand, or clarify a
concept, argument, purpose, etc.
3. Provide any other guidance, comments, or suggestions you think might help the author
move this paper along toward the final draft.
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 14
Midterm Paper Draft Grading Rubric
Name:
Your midterm paper will likely consist of a literature review, methods section, and some
rudimentary analysis. If you are writing an autoethnography or something near Ellingson’s leftside continuum, your sections may be a little different. There is no page limit for this, but for this
draft you should have at least 10 pages.
A. Synthesize scholarly and popular (if warranted) literature relevant to topic
B. Effectively illustrate relevant components of ethnographic research (for this draft, that
may simply mean using appropriate language and concepts in a method section)
C. Prepare to conduct, evidenced in a methods section, effective ethnographic research
in the study of a communication phenomenon, highlighting interpretative themes
D. Write coherently, creatively, and thoughtfully in an appropriate scholarly voice
I understand that your midterm draft may not be as complete in one or more of the following
criteria, and I will take that into account when grading your paper. Your grade for the midterm
paper will be based on the following rubric:
Paper Criteria
1. The introduction highlights the significance of
the topic, its relevance to communication, and
previews the rest of the paper.
2. The literature review surveys the major
aspects of the topic and builds an argument for
its research questions.
3. The research questions are clear, concise, and
logically flow from the literature review.
4. The methods section details the way the author
gathered, analyzed, and represented the data,
citing relevant sources to support his or her
approach.
5. The paper consistently and accurately employs
APA citation style, cites at least 10 sources,
and is at least 10 pages long.
Comments:
Total Points (out of 50)
Points
1 0
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1 0
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1 0
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1 0
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1 0
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 15
Discussion Leading Grading Rubric
Name:
I will assess discussion leading based on the following rubric:
1. Discussion leader illustrates a grasp
of the readings.
2. Discussion leader effectively engages
students in an exploration of the
readings and concepts.
3. Discussion questions are thoughtful,
relevant, and illustrate insight into
the readers
4. Discussion questions encourage
students to probe material in a way
that moves past a surface reading of
the articles or chapters.
20-18 points = Outstanding
17-16 points = Excellent
15-17 points = Good
Total Points (out of 20)
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 16
Paper Building Block One: Exploring the Issue, Problem or Phenomenon
Name:
1. Paper clearly details the significance
of the problem, drawing on relevant
sources to support the author’s
argument.
2. Paper explains the phenomenon, the
possible field, and potential sites.
3. Paper provides an argument as to
why ethnography is the best approach
this topic.
4. Paper explores the author’s
positionality in relation to the topic,
addressing any potential pitfalls,
biases, advantages or disadvantages.
5. Paper cites at least 5 sources (a mix
of scholarly and newspaper,
magazine, or popular literature),
follows APA citation style, and is at
least 3 pages long.
25-23 points = Outstanding
22-20 points = Excellent
20-18 points = Good
Total Points (out of 25)
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 17
Paper Building Block Two: Interview Questions
Name:
1. At least 10 interview questions are
included.
2. A 1-2 sentence rationale is provided
for each question.
3. The rationale for each question
explains the goal of each question
and the type of question (tour,
experience, ideal, etc.).
25-23 points = Outstanding
22-20 points = Excellent
20-18 points = Good
Total Points (out of 25)
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 18
Paper Building Block Four: Coded Field Note Excerpt and Memo
Name:
1. Field note is at least 2 pages long,
typed, double-spaced, and illustrates
thick description.
2. Potential coding categories are
clearly labeled and applied to field
note excerpt.
3. The author uses asides and
commentaries to indicate potential
interpretations, relationships among
categories, and other categories.
25-23 points = Outstanding
22-20 points = Excellent
20-18 points = Good
Total Points (out of 25)
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 19
Paper Building Block Five: Analytic Memos
Name:
1. Each analytic memo is at least 2
pages, double-spaced.
2. Each memo defines the code and its
properties, provides one example or
raw data, describes its consequences,
and explains how it relates to the
other codes.
25-23 points = Outstanding
22-20 points = Excellent
20-18 points = Good
Total Points (out of 25)
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 20
Final Paper Grading Rubric
The learning objectives for this paper are:
A. Synthesize scholarly and popular (if warranted) literature relevant to topic
B. Effectively illustrate relevant components of ethnographic research, including data
gathering and analysis procedures
C. Conduct effective ethnographic research in the study of a communication
phenomenon, highlighting interpretative themes
D. Write coherently, creatively, and thoughtfully in an appropriate scholarly voice
E. Draw conclusions and implications for communication and ethnographic research
methods
Your grade for the final paper will be based on the following rubric. If you are writing layered
account or an autoethnography, your sections may be in a slightly different order, and the section
length may differ as well.
Paper Criteria
1. The introduction (1-2 pages) highlights the
significance of the topic, its relevance to
communication, and previews the rest of the
paper.
2. The literature review (4-5 pages) surveys the
major aspects of the topic and builds an
argument for its research questions.
3. The research questions are clear, concise, and
logically flow from the literature review.
4. The methods section (2-3 pages) details the
way the author gathered, analyzed, and
represented the data, citing relevant sources to
support his or her approach.
5. The analysis (6-8 pages) section presents the
author’s interpretation of the data, including
coding categories and relationships between
categories where relevant.
6. The paper presents conclusions (2-3 pages)
that do more than simply restate the author’s
findings and implications for other areas of
communication study.
7. The paper consistently and accurately employs
APA or MLA citation-style, drawing on at
least 10 sources.
Total Points (out of 100)
Points
1 5
1 4
1 3
1 2
1 1
1 0
9
8
1 5
1 4
1 3
1 2
1 1
1 0
9
8
1 0
9
3
2
1
1 5
1 4
1 3
1 2
1 1
1 0
9
8
1 5
1 4
1 3
1 2
1 1
1 0
9
8
1 5
1 4
1 3
1 2
1 1
1 0
9
8
1 5
1 4
1 3
1 2
1 1
1 0
9
8
8
7
6
5
4
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 21
Conference-Style Presentation of Performance Grading Rubric
Name:
I will assess the presentation of your final paper based on the following rubric:
1. Presenter is clear, coherent, and
poised.
2. Presenter employs effective and
appropriate verbal and nonverbal
communication.
3. The presentation has an introduction
and conclusion that frames the
findings, analysis, data, or argument.
4. Presentation is within the allotted 10
minute time limit.
50-46 points = Outstanding
45-40 points = Excellent
39-35 points = Good
Total Points (out of 50)
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 22
COMM 660 Sample Final Exam Questions
I will ask some combination of these questions (not all of them) for questions totaling 100 points.
1. Every methodological approach carries with it certain epistemological assumptions.
Ethnography is no different. Tracy addresses this point directly. Drawing on these books,
and any other articles you think are appropriate, please respond to the following questions:
How might ethnographers respond to questions about validity and reliability in their
research? How do choices of scholarly representation play a part in an ethnographer’s claims
of validity and reliability? In what ways are questions of validity and reliability problematic
for ethnographic methods? The page limit for this question is 3 typed, double-spaced pages.
Worth 25 points.
2. Tracy addresses several different roles the researcher may play in her fieldwork, beginning
on p. 106. Drawing on her explanation of roles and any other relevant articles we have
covered in class, please respond to the following questions:
What role do you recommend ethnographers adopt in their research? Why? What are some
of the potential advantages and pitfalls of adopting that particular role in one’s ethnographic
research? The page limit for this question is 2 typed, double-spaced pages. Worth 25 points.
3. In his article “Rethinking Ethnography,” Dwight Conquergood charts four themes involved
in the critical rethinking of ethnography: The Return of the Body; Boundaries and
Borderlands; The Rise of Performance; and Rhetorical Reflexivity. Considering these
intersections and drawing on any other readings you think are relevant, please respond to the
following questions:
Why is it important for an ethnographer to embrace each of the intersections noted by
Conquergood? How does embracing each intersection contribute to one’s ethnographic
practice? How does the notion of postmodernism inform the utility of these intersections?
The page limit for this question is 3 typed, double-spaced pages. Worth 25 points.
4. Jessica, a graduate student in an ethnographic methods seminar, has decided to focus her
semester project on the communication of gendered identity in beauty pageant competitions.
She herself was once a regular on the beauty pageant circuit, competing in numerous
contests. She thinks her self-image was both positively and negatively affected by her
participation and suspects the same is true with other contestants. She also knows that recent
statements about gay marriage by Miss California in the Miss USA pageant has brought
national attention to the role pageant contestants may play on the socio-political stage. She
knows several current contestants who are 18 years and older, as well as some organizers
and judges of these pageants.
Considering this scenario and drawing on any relevant books or articles we have read in
class, please respond to the following questions:
COMM 660, Seminar: Ethnographic Methods, Syllabus and Schedule, 23
What research question(s) might Jessica propose in her study? Provide example(s). Which
specific tools should Jessica employ in her research (field notes, interviews, document
analysis, etc.)? What would each of these tools contribute to the study? In other words, how
would Jessica’s study benefit from using field notes, interviews, etc.? Finally, what other
advice or direction you would give to Jessica in terms of completing a thorough and
rigorous study? Worth 25 points.
5. Archie is a graduate student in an ethnographic methods seminar. He enjoys writing first
person narratives about his research, and the readings on autoethnography assigned by the
professor have resonated with him. After class in the hallway, he speaks with his classmate
Jessica about issues of validity and reliability. “I write autoethnographies and stories about
my research experience,” Archie exclaims, “so, luckily, I don’t have to worry about things
like validity, reliability, or generalizability. In fact,” Archie continues, “I don’t know how
some people can write in that social scientific voice. It’s so boring, it doesn’t engage readers
aesthetically, and ethnographers shouldn’t bother with concepts like validity, reliability, or
generalizability anyway.”
Considering this scenario and drawing on any relevant books or articles we have read in
class, please respond to the following questions:
What points about validity, reliability, and generalizability are important for Archie to
remember, and why? What are some drawbacks or pitfalls of writing autoethnographies and
narratives that Archie should keep in mind? In what ways can social scientific writing be
aesthetically engaging? Worth 25 points.
6. In Chapter 11, Tracy presents eight criteria for assess quality qualitative research. Choose
one published ethnography and assess it based on these criteria. Worth 50 points.