UTA
Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology
M/W/F 1:00-1:50
Anthropology 3341
Instructor: Josephine Caldwell Ryan
214-202-0384 (cell)
Office Hours: 2:00-2:45 M/W, by appointment; walk-ins OK
Spring 2013
009 UH
Office: 426 University Hall
Email: jcryan@uta.edu
Course Description:
This course involves learning and application of basic elements of research methods in
cultural anthropology. Topics to be considered include the proposal process and research
design, a survey of methods commonly used in cultural anthropology, and ethical and practical
issues associated with fieldwork. We will do projects to apply what we are learning about
participant observation, interviewing and other data gathering techniques and gain experience
with analysis, report writing, and oral presentation. We will explore the impact of computers on
the collection and analysis of fieldwork data.
Course Prerequisite: ANTH 1306 or 2322 or permission of instructor
This course satisfies oral communication and computer competency requirements.
Required Books and Materials:
1. Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches
(H. Russell Bernard) Paperback, 5th edition. AltaMira Press 2011.
ISBN: 978-0-1242-1 paperback. The book is also available on Kindle. If you use Kindle, you
must bring your Kindle to class.
I may also give handouts and/or assign readings on Blackboard and ask you to view web sites.
Course Objectives:
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5.
Students
Students
Students
Students
Students
will
will
will
will
will
develop basic competency in ethnographic fieldwork methods.
have an enhanced ability to collect, manage and analyze field data.
develop abilities oral discussion and oral presentation
use computers to gather, organize and analyze data.
be able to identify ethical and practical issues in the fieldwork process.
Attendance and Participation:
Class attendance is expected. An excessive number of unexcused absences (more than 4) will
affect your participation grade. Your classmates will critique your work, suggest solutions and
encourage you when you encounter problems. A roll will be circulated each day we meet as a
class.
Course Requirements:
Small Projects/Assignments
Research Portfolio/Project
Oral Presentations
50%
15%
10%
Midterm exam
Attendance/Participation
15%
10%
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Small Projects/Assignments:
The course textbooks contain many examples of anthropological methods and others will be
provided by the instructor. At the end of the semester, each student will have completed the
following assignments and projects:
1. Brainstorming paper (3-4 pages) on research interests, possible sites and methods,
potentials and problems (related to semester project). [Not graded]
2. Research proposal
3. Annotated bibliography (related to research project)
4. Kinship chart for self or another person.
5. The elevator project (ethnographic observation).
6. Designing an survey/questionnaire/interview (related to semester project)
7. Field notes/Coding (related to semester project)
8. Simple computer project (SPSS descriptives, for example)
9. Cultural domain analysis project.
10. One other graded assignment using a technique of your choice [such as photography,
oral history, focus group, etc]
11. Book review of an ethnography of your choice (4 pages/1000 words)
For most of the short assignments, I will provide a handout with the details of the assignment.
There are due dates associated with each one, but these are primarily for the purpose of
managing the traffic in submissions. If you are not going to make the due date, let me know.
All written work is to be double spaced with a font no larger than 12 and one inch margins.
Research Portfolio/Semester Project:
Each student will produce an ethnographic research project based on ideas proposed at the
beginning of the class. Early in the class you will identify a research problem/interest and
appropriate, accessible site(s) to practice fieldwork skills. During the semester we will practice
various techniques. Your semester project will consist of a final write-up, including a
refined research proposal, data gathered from completing the small projects
component of the course, and data gathered from other techniques you have
selected (such as museum research, photography, video, life history, focus group
etc). It will also have your analysis and conclusions. Your completed project will be due
on the day of the final exam.
You can include graded assignments in your final project, which should be organized as if you
were presenting it to a funder as a product or “deliverable.” I have used the term “portfolio”
because it is not intended to be a thesis or dissertation; rather, it is to showcase your progress
on the research question you selected. While you can use the small projects as part of your
portfolio, it should also show evidence of additional research and data collection.
Oral Presentations:
Each student will do a short oral presentation on his or her research before the class. Because
papers at professional meetings are usually held to strict time limitations, the presentation will
be 10-15 minutes long. Students are responsible for organizing, preparing and practicing their
presentation, which may cover only a portion of the material in your semester project. The idea
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is to convey what is important, interesting, and significant in a clear and effective manner. Your
presentation will be evaluated by the instructor and your peers, with the goal of providing both
positive feedback and constructive criticism. Students will sign up for slots to present their
projects in class.
Midterm Exam:
There will be a midterm exam that covers concepts and issues raised in the reading, videos,
and lecture. If you have a legitimate reason for missing an exam (illness, death in the family) I
need to be notified before the exam via phone or email.
Final Exam:
There is no final exam for this class. You will turn in your final project during the final exam
period.
Communication:
There is a Blackboard for this site, which will be used to post grades, make announcements and
provide additional content.
Guest Speakers:
I usually bring in 2-3 speakers to discuss their experience in designing and carrying out
research projects.
My Class Contacts:
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Additional UTA Policies
Americans with Disabilities Act:
If you are a student who requires accommodations in compliance with the ADA, please consult
me at the beginning of the semester. As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide
“reasonable accommodation” to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis
of that disability. Your responsibility is to inform me of the disability at the beginning of the
semester and provide me with documentation. Student services at UTA include the Office for
Students with Disabilities (817-272-3364), located at 102 University Hall, with the Adaptive
Resource Center at 101 University Hall) which is responsible for verifying and implementing
accommodations to ensure equal opportunity in all programs and activities.
Student Support Services:
The University supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the
University and achieve academic success. They include learning assistance, developmental
education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally funded programs.
Students requiring assistance academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of
Student Success Programs at 817-272-6107 for more information and appropriate referrals.
Academic Honesty:
Academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in
any form at UTA. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance
with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion
from the University.
“Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the
submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another
person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a
student or the attempt to commit such acts.” (Regents Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter
VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22).
Bomb Threats:
If anyone is tempted to call in a bomb threat, be aware that UTA will attempt to trace the phone
call and prosecute all responsible parties. Every effort will be made to avoid cancellation or
presentations/tests caused by bomb threats. Your instructor will make you aware of alternate
class sites in the event your classroom is not available.
Drop Policy:
If you decide not to complete this course it is solely your responsibility to officially
drop. The final drop date for the spring 2013 semester is March 29. Failure to do so
will result in a grade of F.
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ANTH 3341
Tentative Schedule
Guest speakers will visit on an occasional basis.
Chapter Numbers refer to Bernard text, Research Methods in Anthropology.
Additional readings will be given as necessary.
Week 1
Jan. 14
Spring 2013
Get your book. Start
thinking about an
interesting, feasible
research question.
Syllabus and Orientation
Assignment: Begin brainstorming topics for your project
(Silverman) Writing Grant Proposals for Anthropological Research
http://www.wennergren.org/sites/default/files/Writing%20Grant%20Proposals%20for%
20Anthropological%20Research.pdf
[BB] Review of Paul Shankman’s The Trashing of Margaret Mead by
A.B. Diefenderfer (2011) Journal of International and Global Studies
2(2): 108-112
http://www.lindenwood.edu/jigs/docs/volume2Issue2/bookReviews/108-112.pdf
Week 2
Jan. 21
Monday: No Class MLK Day
Brainstorming projects
Ch.1 Anthropology and Social Science
[BB] DeLoria, Custer Died For Your Sins
Assignment: Elevator Project
Week 3
Jan. 28
Fundamental Concepts in Social Research
Ch. 2 Foundations of Social Research Theory and Method in Anthropology
Ch. 3 Preparing for Research
Assignment: Annotated Bibliography (floating due date)
Brainstorming/Prospectus due Wed. Jan. 30
Week 4
Feb. 4
Ch. 4 Research Design
Ch. 12 Participant Observation
[BB] Powdermaker, A Woman Going Native
Elevator Project due Wed. Feb. 6
Week 5
Feb. 11
Week 6
Feb. 18
Week 7
Feb. 25
Week 8
Mar. 4
Ch. 5 Sampling Basics, Ch. 6 Sampling Theory (optional), Ch. 7 Non-probability
Sampling and Choosing Informants
Research Proposal due Friday Feb. 15
Ch. 8 Interviewing: Unstructured and Semi-structured
Ch. 9 Structured Interviews I: Questionnaires
Assignment: Kinship Chart
Ch. 11 Scales and scaling
Ch. 13 Field Notes
Kinship chart due Fri. Mar 1
Midterm Exam Mon. Mar. 4
Interview/Questionnaire due Wed. Mar. 6
[BB] Horowitz, The Life and Death of Project Camelot
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Week 9
Mar. 11
Week 10
Mar. 18
Spring Break
Have Fun, Work on Your Project!
Ch. 14 Direct and Indirect Observation
Ch. 15 Intro to Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Field Notes Assignment due this week Wed. Mar. 20
Week 11
Mar. 25
Ch. 16 Cultural Domain Analysis
Ch. 17 Qualitative Data Analysis I: Text Analysis
Friday: No class
Week 12
Apr. 1
Ch. 17 Cognitive Anthropology II
Ch. 18-19 Text Analysis
Week 13
Apr. 8
Ch. 20 Univariate Analysis
Computer lab/SPSS practice
Cultural Domain Analysis Project due Fri. April 12
Week 14
Apr. 15
TBA
Oral Presentations
Week 15
Apr. 22
Oral Presentations
Computer Assignment due any day this week.
Week 16
April 29
Oral Presentations
Graded Assignment Student Choice due Mon. April 29
March 28 is the last
day to drop with a
an automatic “W”
All annotated bibs
should be in by March 27.
April 17 last date to
turn in ethnography
reviews.
Final Exam: Monday May 6, 11-1:30 pm. This is the last day to turn in your completed project.
We will not have a final exam and we will meet only if there are remaining student
presentations.
If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?
--Albert Einstein
The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he's one who asks the right
questions. --Claude Lévi-Strauss, Le Cru et le cuit, 1964
Most institutions demand unqualified faith; but the institution of science makes
skepticism a virtue. --Robert K. Merton, Social Theory, 1957
In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good
argument; my position is mistaken," and then they actually change their minds and you
never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as
often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But
it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in
politics or religion. --Carl Sagan, 1987
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