Choose a time and location for where/when you are going to conduct your observations of an ethnographic scene (mall, public transportation, coffee shop, etc.). Go to the specified location and proceed with your observations. Find a place to sit quietly for 25 minutes and simply watch what is going on. Do not talk to or interview people during this time. Take notes (handwritten recommended). Include details about the scene itself (time of day, lighting, furniture, plants, sounds, temperature, smell, vibe/energy, etc), with focus on the details about the people around you (their characteristics, their behavior). At this time, you should start to think about concepts that you’ve learned in class that fit with your observations. This step is critical. Write a 4-6 page paper about your observations (your notes do not count toward this page estimate). Your paper should: Include a ‘thick description’ of the location with clear detail of your observations Analyze your observations, identifying and defining four anthropological concepts that fit your observations. Definitions should be supported with cited sources. Analyze how these anthropological concepts fit your observations. Reflect on this activity. What was it like to observe other people through the lens of an anthropologist? Include your field notes at the end of your paper Conclude with a discussion of and reflection on your experience of the situation. For example you might write how you felt when you started to detect a pattern in characteristics and/or behavior. What is an anthropological concept? Anthropological concepts are anthropological terms and ideas. Examples of some that we’ve studied include: ethnocentrism, ethnicity, reciprocity, kinship, language and communication. You should not use this exact list of four concepts and expect them to fit your observation scene. You may, of course, use others – depending on what concepts are relevant to your observation. We also have two examples to share with you from APUS anthropologists- one from Jennifer Cramer’s fieldwork in The Gambia and one from James Turner’s fieldwork in Mexico. One common misstep is to apply the four subfields of anthropology or to apply the four parts of the definition of culture. Pandemic/COVID-19 Precautions and Considerations: You are not required to go to a public place if it is going to put you or others at risk. Please observe the necessary precautions and if you want to observe a “public scene” follow the necessary guidelines/protocols to keep yourself and others safe. If you do not want to observe a public scene you may opt to do your paper on observations made in your home from an anthropological perspective or something similar from your immediate environment so long as you can generate rich data that will allow you to do an analysis with the concepts. An excellent example would be observing a dinner scene at home, which can tell you a lot about the division of labor, hierarchy, resource exchange, gender roles, and more. Note: This course has “Resubmission” status enabled to help you if you realize you submitted an incorrect or blank file, or if you need to submit multiple documents as part of your Assignment. Resubmission of an Assignment after it is graded, to attempt a better grade, is not permitted. Disclaimer Originality of attachments will be verified by Turnitin. Both you and your instructor will receive the results. Writing Expectations All written submissions should be submitted using APA formatting. In part, this includes: Typewritten in double-spaced format with a readable style and font and submitted inside the electronic classroom. Arial 11 or 12-point font or Times New Roman styles. Page margins Top, Bottom, Left Side and Right Side = 1 inch, with reasonable accommodation being made for special situations and online submission variances. Submit a .doc, .rtf, or .pdf For additional resources see our Library, and the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
