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Pages:
2 pages/β‰ˆ550 words
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Style:
MLA
Subject:
Social Sciences
Type:
Coursework
Language:
English (U.S.)
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Topic:

Ethnographic Research: A Public Shopping Mall

Coursework Instructions:

Ethnographic Research Assignment: This assignment will consist of you completing ethnographic research in a public place where people commonly interact with one another (e.g. a park, store, cafeteria, major intersection, or other public location). I prefer that you do not choose the student union. For this assignment, you are required to spend 20 minutes observing norms that govern social interactions. This includes interactions between people, but also the interactions people have with nonhumans (such as animals, objects, and technology). During the observations, you will need to take notes that you will hand in along with the assignment. You should notate a total of about 15 observations of norms and/or agency that you make during the 20 minute observation period to ensure that you will be able to select the 6 best examples for the written portion of the assignment. Your notes should correspond with the questions listed below that you will answer after completing the ethnographic observation:
Questions
1. Describe the public space where you conducted your observations, and explain why you chose this location as a site for observing normative interactions? (100-150 words)
2. Describe at least three norms or codes of conduct that people followed in this public space. Which norms varied based on individual characteristics, such as gender, race, or class? Theorize why you think people followed these unspoken rules. (150-200 words)
3. Describe at least three ways that people enacted agency during these interactions. This includes, but is not limited to, the breaking of the norms or codes of conduct mentioned earlier. Theorize why you think people enacted agency in those specific moments. (150-200 words)
4. Overall, what did you learn from this assiwgnment, and how would you do ethnographic observation differently next time? (50-100 words)
After completing the assignment, you are required to upload one document to UBLearns using the “Assignments” tab on the left menu bar of our class page. To upload, select the appropriate cluster that you belong to based on your last name, and attach the assignment document before submitting. The document you upload must include both: (1) the answers to the four assignment questions above; and (2) a written transcript of your field notes. The field notes should be written in a bulleted format, with each observation mentioned in a separate bullet. Your transcribed field notes should be comprehensible and understandable enough for me to grade. The assignment document must be uploaded to UBLearns in .doc or .docx format. Any other format that cannot be opened will not be accepted, and you will receive a zero for the assignment.
Grading Rubric
• 25%: comprehensible and understandable field notes that highlight approximately 15 observations.
• 25%: a reflection that answers the four questions listed above while also meeting the minimum word requirement.
• 25%: writing clearly with little to no spelling or grammatical errors.
• 25%: demonstrating a strong understanding of sociological concepts (such as social norms, agency, gender, race, and class).

Coursework Sample Content Preview:
Student's Name
Professor’s Name
Subject
Date
Ethnographic Research
For my research, I selected a public shopping mall. The selection was suitable because of a large number of people within the locality and the differing objectives of visiting the mall. Some of the people in this place are buyers, sellers, and suppliers. The premise is composed of various sections selling different commodities to different consumers. Some people are quite busy while others seem to take their time in bargaining and trying out things such as jewelry, while others are precise with what they need, thus spend minimal time in the stores. Most of the shoppers were in groups of two or more, and only a few occasions of an individual shopping alone.
One key observation in the mall is the conversations going on among the people, and this involves interruptions among themselves or by a third party. There is also an unintentional collision among the people, especially when one party is on the phone. Commonly, in this place when people who are familiar with each other meet, they exchange greetings. The greeting is the norm that varied across people of the same gender, nationality, and age. Women mostly prefer hugging one another while men mostly go for normal handshakes. People of different nationality have their way of greetings while younger people have adopted different forms of greetings. For instance, they exchange their greetings through hitting against each other’s fist or shoulders or both. In this case, this group differs in these unspoken rules because of cultural aspects in the society and modernization among the youth.
The agency that people employed in their conversation in these interactions is driven by their level of familiarity. People who know each other are bound by either nationality, religion or a common ethnicity. This enables them to converse independently as these factors make people feel that they are in control over the situation. Ano...
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