Jack R. Fraenkel,
San Francisco State University
Norman E. Wallen,
San Francisco State University
| Contextualization | Placing information/data into a larger perspective, especially in ethnography.
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| Crystallization | Occasions, especially in ethnography, when different kinds of data 'fall in place' to make a coherent picture.
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| Culture | The sum of a social group's observable patterns of behavior and/or their customs, beliefs and knowledge.
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| Descriptive field notes | Notes that describe what the researcher has observed.
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| Emic perspective | The view of reality of a cultural 'insider'; especially in ethnography.
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| Ethnographic research | The collection of data on many variables over an extended period of time in a naturalistic setting, usually using observation and interviews.
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| Ethnography | The collection of data on many variables over an extended period of time in a naturalistic setting, usually using observation and interviews.
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| Etic perspective | The 'outsider' or 'objective' view of a culture's reality, especially in ethnography.
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| Field diary | A personal statement of a researcher's opinions about people and events he or she comes in contact with during research.
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| Field jottings | Quick notes taken by an ethnographer.
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| Field log | A running account of how an ethnographer plans to, and actually does, spend his or her time in the field.
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| Field notes | The notes researchers take about what they observe and think about in the field.
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| Holistic perspective | The attempt to incorporate all aspects of a culture into an ethnographic interpretation.
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| Member checking | Participants in a qualitative study are asked to check the accuracy of the research report.
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| Participant observation | Observation in which the observer actually becomes a participant in the situation to be observed.
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| Reflective field notes | A record of the observer's thoughts and reflections during and after observation.
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| Thick description | In ethnography, the provision of great detail on the basic data/information.
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| Triangulation | Cross-checking of data using multiple data sources or multiple data-collection procedures.
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