English 102
Spring 2007
Your Research Notebook – Unit Two, Ethnography
Meaningful research often has these characteristics, as we’ve talked about in class:
 It arises out of something you’re interested in investigating;
 It takes place over an extended period of time, allowing for detailed inquiry and reflection;
 It matters to you enough that you want others to know about the information you find.
Research like the kinds we’re doing in this course is challenging because it is intense on so many levels. It demands a lot of you as a
researcher: your time, your thoughtful reflection, your attention to detail, your willingness to ask questions and look for patterns.
To meet the first criteria listed above, you will be able to choose a research subject and a related “community” or sub-culture that
you’re especially interested in studying (this is what we did for the Research Proposal/Mini-unit One). Usually, it works best if you
select an area to research and a related community/subculture that you are interested in but one that you don’t already feel like an
expert on.
To meet the second criteria, you’ll begin your study soon. By doing research along the way, your second and third writing projects
for this class will be much less overwhelming. The more writing, reflecting, and thinking you do as you go along, the richer your
projects 2 and 3 will be. For your Research Portfolio, each set of field notes is based on at least an hour observing this community
and recording descriptive field notes. (Some weeks have one hour; others have two.) You’ll have guided entries and field notes
every week in the middle portion of the semester. The premises of this project are rooted in ethnographic research, the heart of
which is a necessity to make the “strange familiar and the familiar strange”—both for you, as a researcher, and for your audience.
To meet the third criteria, you will have a lot of online and in-class group time to talk about and share what you’re learning; then,
during unit four and/or the final portfolio unit, we’ll have time for re-presenting your material in class.
One important note/reminder: this research notebook is crucial to the success of both units two and three. Further, to
fulfill it, you must work independently and stay on top of things. If you stay caught up, this will all be work that helps
you write thoughtful, complex, interesting unit projects. If you get behind, you will really struggle.
Research Notebook Schedule, unit two
Week Three: Setting up your research notebook and
field notes
Week Four: Double-entry observation field notes (and
every week)
Site Map, Preparing for the Interview
Week Five: Interview
Week Six: Artifacts and Key Terms
What’s Due in your Research Notebook
--Field Notes I completed (one-page description of
your site/community) From here on out, field notes are
required each Thursday
--Field Notes II (See “Double-Entry Fieldnotes”)
-- Complete a Site Map
--set up at least one interview
--Field Notes III
--Interview Transcript
--Field Notes IV
-- Collect 3-5 significant artifacts from your site, and
write a reflection on two of them—see “Artifacts,”
below
--Field Notes V
--Compile a glossary of “key terms” for this community
Double-Entry Fieldnotes:
Much of the hard work of ethnography happens in the observations and fieldnotes. At times, you’ll feel as though it’s tedious to
take fieldnotes; however, taking detailed notes gives you a set of data from which to look for patterns and ideas—and it’s when you
can see patterns across observations that you can . It’s quite likely that you will ultimately use fairly little from your notes, but the
fieldnotes are vital in helping you shape your final product and explore your community of study.
For your second set of fieldnotes, I’d like you to try the format I’ve described below. After that, you may wish to switch
to a format more comfortable for you (like typing the reflective part of the notes on your computer at home, for example). Divide
several pieces of paper in half lengthwise. On the left, record only observations, and record those thoughts in the least biased ways
possible. On the right side, reflect on those observations. This is where you can: ask questions, consider ways of interpreting an
event, and wonder about what you’re seeing.
Each week’s Observational/Descriptive fieldnotes should include the following:
 The date, time, and location of your fieldwork;
 Numbered pages so that you can keep track of your notes;
 A record of specific details and facts (Who was there? What happened? What did you notice?)
 Approximate transcriptions of conversations and language;

Sensory details and images (What do you see? What’s the setting? How might you describe the scene to someone not
there?)
Each week’s Reflective/Analytical fieldnotes should include the following:
 Aspects that you want to pay special attention to during upcoming observations;
 Researchable questions that arise as possibilities for your next writing project;
 Questions you have about the community that you’ll need to ask an insider in an interview;
 Questions for further research;
 Notes to yourself.
Artifacts:
This week, in addition to continuing your fieldnotes, you’ll want to begin collecting artifacts of your community. If possible, obtain
these artifacts for your Portfolio (for example, brochures, notes, fliers, a significant article of clothing); or, if it’s not possible for you
to physically keep the artifact, at least try to borrow it for the purposes of working through this description. For at least two
artifacts, write a page each considering the following:
First, describe the artifact in detail. What color(s) is it? Shape? Size? What might you compare it to? What does it feel like? Draw
a rough approximation of it.
Then, begin to reflect on this artifact and its place in the community you’re studying. What does this artifact represent about the
community? Why do you think it’s significant? How might your interpretation differ from a community member’s interpretation
of it? (If possible, discuss an artifact with a community member.)
Research Portfolio Grading Rubric
5% Research Portfolio – a Full Credit Research Portfolio Contains the Following, brought to class on time each time:
 All sets of Field Notes (5)—and each set of field notes is detailed, including both description and analysis, and brought
on due date;
 Consent letters, signed
 Site Map(s)—detailed and appropriate
 Interviewing Materials—brainstorming, questions, transcript of interview, reflection
 Artifacts—either actual artifacts or drawings/descriptions of them (3-5), and a Reflection on/Analysis of Artifacts
 Library Research—initial visit work
 Source Annotations (added in unit three)
Additionally, full-credit Research Portfolios have the following characteristics:
 The materials are organized purposefully so that others can “navigate” the portfolio;
 The field notes are both descriptive and analytical;
 The written documents are thoughtful, thorough, and complete.
0% Research Portfolio—a No-Credit Research Portfolio will:
 Have two or more of the above pieces missing
 Be complete, but have two or more “pieces” that do not meet the criteria outlined above
As with Unit Work, a No-Credit Research Portfolio can be resubmitted by the next class meeting for the opportunity for full credit.