ANTH 2040 - Ethnography: Engaged Social Research

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2015

Ethnography is engaged social research. Ethnographers explore social life as social beings engaged in social contexts. Ethnographic research has broad possibilities: it can be curiosity driven or applied to practical concerns. Ethnographic research can take you around the world, around the corner, or online. It can be focused in a single site, be multi-sited, local or global. Ethnographers document and analyse the social life we engage with visually, audibly, literally and virtually. Ethnographers employ an ensemble of analytically-informed research techniques including participant-observation, interviews, surveys, photography, social mapping, genealogy, and archival and documentary research. We collect and analyse local ephemera like brochures, invitations, posters, gig guides, and web pages. In this campus-based practicum you will be immersed in ethnographic research and its possibilities. Lectures frame the course. Workshops introduce ethnographic skills, analysis and theory. In assignments you will develop this knowledge in a process which culminates in deep engagement with an existing body of ethnography or in designing and planning your own ethnographic research project. This course is for people who are curious and seek new insight into contemporary conundrums. For those aiming for a career in social science, anthropology or qualitative research this course is a foundation for professional practice.

Open All

Course Details

Course Code	ANTH 2040
Course	Ethnography: Engaged Social Research
Coordinating Unit	Anthropology and Development Studies
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	At least 12 units of level 1 Arts courses
Incompatible	ANTH 2030
Assessment	Participation 10%, research portfolio 90%

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Dianne Rodger

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

1	Gain an understanding of the methods and issues associated with anthropological research, in particular principles of ethical research.
2	Apply anthropological knowledge and research methods to a variety of real world contexts.
3	Practice social research skills used in anthropology including participant-observation, interviews, social mapping and genealogy.
4	Recognise the relationship between the development of social science theory and research practice.
5	Develop the ability to locate and analyse relevant scholarly literature.
6	Develop communication and teamwork skills.
7	Gain knowledge of what an ethnographic orientation to research offers our understanding of social life and the human condition.

Learning & Teaching Modes

Lectures supported by problem-solving tutorials developing material covered in lectures

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

1 x 1-hour lecture (or equivalent) per week --12 hours per semester
1 x 2-hour seminar (or equivalent) per week --24 hours per semester
5 hours reading per week --60 hours per semester
3 hours research per week --36 hours per semester
2 hours assessment preparation per week --24 hours per semester

TOTAL WORKLOAD 156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

**Schedule**
Week 1	First encounters with ethnography
Week 2	Ethnographic research, ethics and informed consent
Week 3	Socio-spatial mapping
Week 4	Participant observation
Week 5	Interviews with genealogies
Week 6	Guided interviewing exercise
Week 7	Getting started on a research proposal about ...
Week 8	Thinking conceptually about ...
Week 9	Possibilities for an ethnographic approach to ...
Week 10	Designing a research project about ...
Week 11	Practical and ethical challenges to the study of ...
Week 12	Reflections on the ethnographic experience

The 最新糖心Vlog's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Weighting
Research portfolio	35%
Presentation in a workshop debate	15%
Research proposal	40%
Workshop attendance and participation	10%

Assessment Related Requirements

1. Research portfolio (35%)
Your research portfolio will present your development in relation to the practical research skills introduced in this course. Throughout the semester, we will introduce you to ethnographic research practices such as socio-spatial mapping, conducting an interview, taking a genealogy and participant observation. In workshops you will be able to practice these skills. For your first assignment – the research portfolio – you are asked to take these ethnographic exercises to completion.

2. Workshop Debate (15%)
Selected workshops will be concerned with debating contemporary issues in ethnography. All students will present material for one side of one of these debates. Students who are presenting are expected to not only draw upon any readings provided or recommended, but also explore the issue further through their own research. Students are asked to present their case using various media (such as handouts, DVDs, powerpoint, etc), and to engage their student audience through questions, quizzes and so on. Each debate (including all related activities) can take up to 40min. You are encouraged to present your topic as a team of usually three students.
The debates will be marked on the following criteria:
1. Clarity/cogency of the position presented and understanding of key concepts
2. Research beyond the required readings
3. Engaging the learning of fellow students
4. Presentation through a variety of media (use of handouts; overheads; powerpoint; DVDs; posters; whiteboard etc).
A presentation of a debate which covers the topic well, but only consists of students reading from written notes will only get a passing grade. The aim is to engage others in learning with content about the topic.

3. Research Proposal (40%)
Your final assignment is a Research Proposal of 3000 words. Lectures in the second half of the semester will provide you with examples on how to produce a good research proposal. You are free to choose a research topic that interests you. In order to ensure that your research project fits the requirements of the discipline of Anthropology and of this course, it is important that you discuss your ideas with your tutor.
As there are few set readings in the second part of the semester you are expected to read independently (and widely) on your chosen research topic and integrate these readings into your proposal.

Your submitted Research Proposal needs to include:

the title for your research project
an abstract of the proposal
a literature-based critical discussion of the broad topic of research
a discussion of a "problem"/gap in the literature as the specific focus for the proposed research
a compelling case/argument for a 3 year ethnographically based research project to address the „problem芒聙聼/gap
a research plan outlining the context/place for fieldwork, the range of methodologies to be used, how these will be used, why they have been considered etc
a discussion of the ethical issues raised by the proposal, including relevant ethics material
a detailed "gant chart" of research stages and methods

4. Workshop participation (10%)
All students are expected to attend all workshops of this course and come prepared. Workshops will have required readings that need to be completed and considered prior to the workshop. Many workshops in this course will have a practical component to be completed whilst in class.

If students miss more than 2 workshops without justification and documentation accepted by the course coordinator (e.g. a medical or counselling certificate) they will lose all possible marks for this component.

Assessment Detail

No information currently available.

Submission

All written assignments must be submitted electronically via Turnitin using the MyUni website. For assistance in submitting your assignment electronically, please click on the ‘Submitting a Turnitin Assignment as a Student’ tutorial at:

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/myuni/student/tutorials/content/Turnitin-Submitting-a-Turnitin-Assignment-as-a-Student.html

Unless your tutor has agreed to it, assignments that are simply emailed to a tutor are not considered as submitted.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The 最新糖心Vlog places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the 最新糖心Vlog to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

最新糖心Vlog