Assignment 4

Due date
November 26, 15:00

Content

For this assignment you will hang out in your proposed field site and take detailed field notes. If your field site is online or hybrid (spanning online and offline), you may want to wait till after Monday’s lecture to complete this assignment.

Conduct observational research (or alternately, use another field method to collect data about your field site) for a minimum of 90 minutes. Take detailed field notes and additionally, as appropriate, draw a map, fill in an observation protocol, take photographs, or capture screen shots or chat transcripts. Some observation can be done without interacting with research participants, but in some fields it cannot. If possible, split your time between non-participant and participant observation.

Finally, submit your field notes alongside a reflection on:

  1. what you learned through your study, and what new questions it raises for your study;
  2. how your role or presence may have affected your results.

Criteria

The assignment will be graded according to the following criteria:

  • Quality of observation: Have both observation and participant–observation been carried out, if possible? Otherwise, are convincing reasons provided performing only one mode of observation? Or for applying a different method altogether?
  • Quality of fieldnotes: Have sufficient fieldnotes been made? Are relevant supplementary materials included, such as a map, photographs, or screen shots?
  • Quality of reflection: Is there sufficient reflection on what was learned about the research topic through observing and the role of the researcher?
  • Structure and style: Is the reflection well written and structured, free of spelling or grammatical mistakes, and correctly referenced when needed? (Your fieldnotes are exempt from these requirements.)

Your reflection should be approximately 400 words in length. Please submit your field notes and reflection as a single document through Brightspace.