Guidelines For Finalizing Your Ethnographic Project

 

Musts for the Project:

á      Cite your sources – when you state a factor make an assertion or state something that seems like a fact, such as ÒIn India 99% of marriages are arrangedÓ or Òmost immigrants come from MexicoÓ– where did that information come from? Cite your source.

á      Bibliography At the end of the paper list the sources you relied on. You may use any format you wish, including the one described below.

 

 Source Materials:

 Scholarly Books And Journal Articles should make up most of your references (unless completing your own ethnographic research), although popular magazines and the press may also be useful on occasion. Ask the librarians for assistance.

 

 Interview Material can prove valuable (particularly in providing a window into cultural beliefs and values), but make sure to clearly establish your guideÕs or intervieweeÕs ÒcredentialsÓ, academic or otherwise – what is their basis for ÒknowingÓ what the information they are providing. (For instance, if you are researching gags. You will get one perspective form a gang member and another from a cop on the gang squad.)

 

Be cautious when relying on Internet sources. Many internet sources simply represent an opinion and that may what you are looking for. So, decide what you are seeking The Chabot library is a good place to start. Check our webpage for information.

 

Remember cite your sources – In your paper either quote, paraphrase or referring to information you have gotten from other sources. This includes ÒfactsÓ, opinions, assertions, etc.

 

 "So, if you are quoting this sentence in your paper, cite this and any and all direct quotations using this format" (Roy, 2004:12). If you are not using a direct quote, but are instead summarizing material from a source you should still provide a source citation in parenthesis at the end of the section in question, although you do not need to list page numbers (Roy 2004).

 

 Films, internet sources, and interviewees should also cited within your text according to the above format; if you cannot find the authorÕs name, use the title of the source in place of the authorÕs surname.

 

 References:

 Attach a separate page to the end of your assignment titled References Cited (list only those references actually cited in your work). List all sources in alphabetical order, e.g.:

(see below for the format for a book – you donÕt write this)

 Lang, S. 1998. Men as Women, Women as Men. Austin: University of Texas Press.

(see below for the format for an article from a journal – you donÕt write this)

 Mannheim, B. 1998. The Diologics of Southern Quechua Narrative. American Anthropologist 2: 326-346.

 

 

 Internet Sources:

Cite all internet sources, including the web page author, web page title, url, and date of retrieval:

Hitchcock, Biesele and Lee. The San of Southern Africa: A Status Report, 2003. Retrieved April 1, 2005 from American Anthropologist website: http://www.aaanet.org/committees/cfhr/san.htm

 

Interviewees: Interviewee names (pseudonyms – not real names) and the date and place of the interview(s) should be listed:

Anonymous, John OÕChing [pseud.]. Interview by author. Hayward, CA, 3 March 2004.

 

Look at the Annual Editions Ò The Price of ProgressÓ for an example – but you may use any format you wish.