When moving onto the next stage of planning I needed to figure out how I was going to record field notes, have a framework of how I am then going to analyse the research and also continue to expand on the ethical considerations I began to blog about in last week’s post.
Writing Field Notes
Before I get started in doing my ethnographic research, I really wanted to research the best ways to write fieldnotes and how to conduct fieldwork to ultimately develop my analysis. As described by Raul Pacheco-Vega “writing field notes is both an exercise in practicing how and what we write, but also who we write into our fieldwork, and who we exclude, and what elements we include in our analysis”. This essentially comes down to the purpose of last week’s blog post, in that the field notes should be centred around why this research is relevant. As Walford (2009) synthesises, there are basic tasks in making fieldnotes, recording as much of what is perceived to be relevant and thinking of what will be used in analysis and writing process layer. This means immersing yourself in the ‘field’ to grasp what they experience as meaningful and important.
I was also particularly interested in how to use fieldnotes in online spaces. As Rosenburg (2010) suggests, this requires particular focus on ‘active listening’ due to the nature of online platforms as heterogenous and diverse. You might be thinking what I was thinking when I read this, how can you actively listen in online spaces? As Winter and Lavis (2020) suggest this is because as a researcher you need to attend to the ‘polyphonia of voices that make up online spaces’ as they move beyond themselves to other spaces. This includes emphasis on multidimension contexts and recognising the
Overall when looking at ways of making fieldnotes, there is no true ‘correct’ or defined way of making them, it really depends on the field and what is relevant to the cause. It was good, however, to research examples of how other people have written them out. In this case it will be important to take detailed notes of the focus on attention to detail and recording these consistently.
Autoethnographic Theoretical Framework
By creating a theoretical framework, I will be able to understand how my work is grounded in established ideas and look at how other ethnographic studies have structured their study and analysis.
Podcasts
In the study I found ‘Exploring the motivation of independent audio podcasters’ Markman focused on several different areas in research. This included podcasting as participatory culture, digital techniques and podcast research of listening environments. At the end of the report they found why start podcasting, why podcasters keep going, and the pros and cons of podcasting. Markman also noted the limitations and future directions of this issue. This was really useful as an example of a report of research and the things that could be potentially included.
Digital
The amount of ethnographic research now involving digital online spaces is telling of the need to record personal experience online. The nature of this research is necessary due to increasing human-computer interactive experience and provides a framework to understand changes to human experience that occur with digital connectivity. This looked at the conversations consisting of texts, Facebook, Instagram notifications etc.
My Theoretical Paradigm
Honestly, I have been a little bit stuck with the direction of my own theoretical framework. By focusing on the podcast I need to look at the way podcasts appeal to the audience through culture and politics. Moreover I wanted to look at how this how this particular podcast has the ability to elevate rural voices. I think I will have to do a bit more thinking and research with regards to this before my pitch presentation.
Ethical Considerations
There are a number of additional considerations that must be taken into account before I can begin my research particularly representation, voice, power and credibility (Mertens 2014).
As Mertens refers in her research to a number of ethical considerations the following I believed to be the most relevant to my media niche of podcasts.
1. The right to write honestly – being reflective on relationships with members of the wider community of stakeholders
Particularly when doing auto-ethnographic research, it is important to recognise that the observations I make are personal to me and that I cannot make assumptions on another people’s experience. Although I can be honest in my approach, I also need to balance the “shared rights to the results of the research and the implications of potential unintended harm coming from the research” by making sure I reflect within myself.
2. Confidentiality
In addition to the above, I need to be careful when observing and writing down observations that I make, particularly when it comes to observations about what other members of the community have said, not disclosing any names or otherwise in the final report of my research.
3. Use of data beyond initial purpose
I think by sticking to my original purpose and making sure I continuously reflect on why I am doing this; I will not breach the use of the data beyond my initial purpose. If however, as mentioned in the reading, it is useful, I need to make an evaluation as to the ethics of doing so.
4. Acknowledge limitation of work
Particularly as this is auto ethnographic, it is necessary to understand much of this is gained from my participation in the field, my observations, and my analysis. This does not make it bad research it is just necessary to look at this as a limitation to be recognised.
Now I can begin writing up a pitch to then begin my fieldwork research!
– Eadie
References
Dunn T R & Myers M W 2020 ‘Contemproary Autoethnography Is Digital Autoethnography’ Journal of Autoethnography, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 43-59.
Delabrter N 2017, ‘Field notes and participant observation in ethnographic studies: a skill summary’, accessed 27 August 2020
Emerson, R.M., Fretz R.I & Shaw L.L. 1995, Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Markamn K M 2010, ‘Doing radio, making friends, and having fun: Exploring the motivations of independent audio podcasters’, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 547-565.
Mertens, D (2014) Ethical Use of Qualitative Data and Findings, The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Data Analysis (Edited by Use Flick), Sage: Los Angeles, 510 – 523.
Rosenberg A. 2010, ‘Virtual world research ethics and the private/public distinction’ International Journal of Internet Research Ethics, vol 3, pp.23-37.
Vega, R P 2019 ‘Writing Field Notes and Using Them to Prompt Scholarly Writing’ International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 18, pp. 1-2.
Walford G 2009 ‘The Practice of Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes’ Ethnography and Education, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 117-130.
Eadie Melloy 