Ethnography

Ethnography is a qualitative approach used to study a group, community, or culture. The goal of ethnography is to describe and interpret the values, behaviors, beliefs, and language that are shared within a specific collective culture. Researchers [Page 443]using this technique may focus on language, relationships, ceremonies, and many other aspects of how a culture functions and persists. Ethnography is both a process and an outcome of research in the sense that the term ethnography can refer to a very specific methodological approach as well as the outcome of using this method. During ethnography, a researcher becomes immersed in the field of study and frequently uses participant observation and interviewing to collect information about a group that has a shared culture. Although the process of ...