Question 1

Brad is researching the incidence of eating disorders in boys' Olympic development sports programs. As an ethnographic researcher, which of the following is likely part of Brad's work.

Accepted Answer

As an ethnographic researcher, Brad would likely use a qualitative research method that involves observing and documenting behaviors and attitudes within a specific cultural context. Option A involves hypothesis testing, which is more suited for quantitative research methods. Option B is also a quantitative approach, as it involves collecting numerical data from surveys. Option D involves interviewing coaches, which could be a part of ethnographic research, but it focuses solely on the perspectives of coaches and not the lived experiences of athletes. Option C, on the other hand, involves following targeted athletes over a period of time and documenting their experiences within the Olympic Development sports program, which is a key part of ethnographic research.

Question 2

As an ethnographic researcher studying new teachers' voice, Wes goes to a school and observes the activities and other aspects of the school. He goes to faculty meetings and spends most days shadowing his two participants for the academic year but has no responsibilities in the setting other than observation. Wes is engaging in

Accepted Answer

Wes is engaged in passive observation because he has no responsibilities in the setting other than observation.

Question 3

Which of the following is a primary purpose of the ethnographic researcher?

Accepted Answer

The primary purpose of ethnographic research is to describe and interpret culture through fieldwork, participant observation, and other qualitative data collection methods. The other options do not accurately reflect the primary purpose of ethnographic research.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of ethnographic research?

Accepted Answer

Ethnographic research typically involves an inductive approach to data collection, where the researcher observes and analyzes the data in order to develop theories and concepts. A deductive approach, on the other hand, involves starting with a hypothesis and testing it through data collection.

Question 5

Jaytee wants to conduct an ethnography to bring attention to inequality among ESL students in school and advocate for changes. Which of type of ethnographic research generally found in education?

Accepted Answer

Critical ethnography is a type of ethnographic research that is focused on challenging power inequalities and advocating for social change. It often examines issues of inequality and oppression, making it a good fit for Jaytee's goal of addressing inequality amongst ESL students in schools. Ethnographic case studies are more focused on describing cultural practices and may not be as effective at advocating for change. Realist ethnography aims to provide objective descriptions of culture, and ethnographic novels are a type of fiction rather than research methodology.

Question 6

Recent research in early childhood literacy motivation has indicated that a subset of learners report being very motivated for reading but their teachers and parents do not report them to be motivated. Ingram, an ethnographic researcher, wants to further study this discrepancy. Which of the following is the most likely research strategy for Ingram?

Accepted Answer

To study the discrepancy between students' self-reported motivation and their teachers and parents' perceptions of their motivation, Ingram will need to directly observe the students during literacy activities in the classroom setting to understand the behavior and actions that could be underlying this discrepancy. Correlating comprehension scores or examining differences in reading achievement will not provide insight into the motivation gap. Determining the range of responses generally found on motivation scales may be useful background information but will not help to study the specific discrepancy in this case.

Question 7

Of the following types of ethnographies, which represents a report of the ethnographer's field work experiences?

Accepted Answer

Confessional ethnography is a type of ethnography where the ethnographer explicitly reflects on their own experiences and biases during fieldwork. It is essentially a report of the ethnographer's personal experiences in the field.

Question 8

In a recent study, Gaia spent a full cycle in a home school community. She worked with home school families and their children to better understand the home schooling community and culture. Gaia has written a report of her fieldwork experiences. What type of ethnography does Gaia's report present?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a recent study, Gaia spent a...

Question 9

Those interested in school violence are concerned with alienated middle school children. Eada, an ethnographic researcher, wants to explore the experiences of these children in more depth. Which of the following is the most likely research strategy for Eada?

Accepted Answer

Observing, questioning, and studying a subset of alienated children in one middle school over the course of a semester would allow Eada to gain a deep understanding of the experiences of these children and the factors that contribute to their sense of alienation. This strategy would provide rich qualitative data that could inform interventions aimed at reducing school violence. Assessing children with Likert scales would provide limited information, and providing a questionnaire to a single child followed by counseling would not be generalizable to other children. Observing a subset of children for a single day would also not provide enough information to gain a thorough understanding of their experiences.

Question 10

Millie is an ethnographic researcher studying the development of language in young children from bilingual homes. She studies these children in childcare settings in which the child's second language is the language used. She observes the children as a 'visitor' in their classes for the first three months of their emersion in their new school setting. While there she takes down extensive notes in a notebook as she observes. She also often records small brief notes to herself on little green sheets that she keeps separate from her notebook. Given this scenario, Millie is most likely demonstrating which of the following types of ethnography?

Accepted Answer

Millie's research involves observing children in a specific setting (childcare) over a certain period of time (three months) and taking extensive notes. This best fits the description of an ethnographic case study, as she is focusing on a particular group (young bilingual children) and their experiences in a specific context (language development in childcare). Life history, confessional ethnography, and autoethnography all involve different methods and foci than what is described in the scenario.

Question 11

Vasha is a member of a relatively large number of African Americans in Appalachia. Her ancestors escaped the slave states and set roots in southern West Virginia. She is studying the role that informal education in the home plays in this cultural group. Her work will be a reflective self-examination as she is a member of the culture that she is studying. Which of the following types of ethnographies is Vasha likely conducting?

Accepted Answer

Vasha is conducting an authoethnography, which is a type of ethnography that involves a researcher reflecting on their own personal experiences within a particular cultural group or community. As Vasha is a member of the African American community in Appalachia, her research will be a reflective self-examination of her personal experiences with informal education in the home. Realist ethnography is a more objective approach that seeks to describe the culture being studied as accurately as possible, while feminist ethnography focuses on the experiences of women within a particular culture. Confessional ethnography is similar to authoethnography, but tends to focus more on the researchers' personal experiences in relation to their research participants.

Question 12

Anu has focused his ethnography on teenagers in the foster care system. The aim of his work is to advocate for a larger number of placements for these children as many families feel the challenges of raising foster teenage children are too great, and therefore select to foster younger children. Anu's ethnography would be best classified as a(n)

Accepted Answer

Anu's ethnography is best classified as a critical ethnography because his aim is to advocate for social change and challenge the current system that neglects the needs of foster teenagers. Critical ethnography focuses on questioning power dynamics and advocating for marginalized groups.

Question 13

Which of the following types of ethnography is defined as an ethnography written in objective style with common categories for cultural description?

Accepted Answer

Realist ethnography is characterized by an objective style of writing and the use of common categories for cultural description, such as kinship systems, economic organization, and political structures. Life history, on the other hand, focuses on the individual experiences of a particular person, while critical ethnography examines power relations and social inequalities. The ethnographic novel is a fictionalized account of ethnographic research.

Question 14

Qing is an ethnographic researcher interested in understanding the culture of youth track and field athletics. He needs to focus on behaviors that will help him to do so. Which of the following is something Qing will attend to?

Accepted Answer

Qing will attend to cultural understanding, as he is specifically interested in understanding the culture of youth track and field athletics. Ethnographic understanding, deductive reasoning, and narrative reasoning may also be important in his research, but they are not specifically mentioned as priorities in this particular scenario.

Question 15

Of the following, which is often considered a significant challenge of ethnographic research?

Accepted Answer

Ethnographic research is known for taking significant amounts of time. Researchers must spend extended periods observing and interacting with participants in their natural environment in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the culture or social group under study. This time commitment can make the research process challenging, particularly for those on tight timelines or working with limited resources. While reliability and internal validity are also concerns in ethnographic research, they are not typically viewed as the most significant challenges. The number of instruments needed to conduct ethnographic research may vary depending on the specific nature of the study, but this is not typically considered a major challenge.

Question 16

An ethnographic account is generally written as a(n)

Accepted Answer

An ethnographic account is typically written in narrative form, as it involves describing the observations, experiences, and interactions that the researcher had while conducting fieldwork within a particular cultural context. While ethnographers may also write technical reports or academic articles based on their research, these typically draw on and condense their ethnographic observations rather than presenting a full, detailed account of their fieldwork. Autobiographies and biographies are different genres altogether, as they focus on the author's or subject's life story rather than a specific cultural group.

Question 17

When researchers rely on more than one means of data collection to describe, analyze, and interpret a research setting, they are said to be using which of the following procedures?

Accepted Answer

Triangulation involves using multiple methods or sources of data to increase the validity and reliability of findings. This approach is useful for providing a more comprehensive understanding of a research setting, as well as for identifying and addressing potential biases or limitations in data collection. Context validity refers to ensuring that research findings are relevant and meaningful within the specific context of the study, while generalization involves applying findings from a particular study to a larger population or setting. Integration refers to the process of combining and synthesizing data from different sources or methods, which is often used in qualitative research.

Question 18

Which of the following is a characteristic of ethnographic research?

Accepted Answer

Ethnographic research is primarily characterized by the use of fieldwork experiences to collect data. Other characteristics may include the use of participant observation, a focus on understanding the cultural context of the research population, and an emphasis on in-depth, qualitative analysis rather than quantitative measures. Ethnographic research can be completed by individuals or teams, and requires significant training and skill to effectively navigate the complexities of cultural understanding and interpretation. It is also important to acknowledge that ethnographic research is not completely objective, as researchers bring their own biases and perspectives to the research process.

Question 19

Mia has completed an ethnographic study of the role of achievement testing in a Taiwanese gifted school. Of the following, which type of ethnography does her study most likely represent?

Accepted Answer

Mia's study is most likely an ethnographic case study since she focused on a specific context (Taiwanese gifted school) and examined the role of achievement testing within it. This type of ethnography involves in-depth exploration of a particular case or situation, rather than a broader cultural group or phenomenon.

Question 20

Paulo is an ethnographic researcher interested in studying career transitions. He has identified the purpose of his study, framed the study within a larger theoretical orientation, described the rationale for the study, and posed initial ethnographic research questions. Next, Paulo will

Accepted Answer

Paulo needs to determine the site and sample selection before beginning data collection. This will involve identifying where he will conduct his study and which individuals will participate in the research. Only after he has made these decisions can he begin collecting data. Writing the ethnographic account and initial ethnographic account will come later in the research process.

Quiz 13: Ethnographic Research