| Ethnography |
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The cornerstone of the ethnographic approach involves the researcher engaging in "participant-observation" in contexts native to the people being studied. This means that the ethnographer both observes and interviews respondents in their familiar settings and in the more natural flow of their everyday activities—where they live, work, eat, groom, shop, receive care, socialize, play, etc.
There is much more to ethnography than a static "sit-down" interview in a respondent's home. Ethnography is only distinctive from other forms of qualitative research to the extent that it makes effective use of the contextual stimuli uniquely afforded by the research setting. Similarly, "observational" research in which the researcher only watches and records people's behavior, but refrains from exploring their qualitative explanations of their behavior, does not by itself qualify as "ethnography." Our skilled ethnographers know how and when to shift between intervals of interviewing and observation to achieve a more precise and comprehensive understanding of human thought and behavior. We also recognize that the ethnographic research design requires careful crafting to ensure that data are captured as respondents are actively engaging in those specific activities and situations that relate most meaningfully to the project's objectives. |