11.20 What you learned from your short analysis project + transcription

We started class by going over the feedback to your short analysis project.  I asked you to do some writing about:
what the feedback asked you to do;
what you would need to do to "do" what the feedback asked for (and if you knew how to do it);
and how you would apply what you learned from writing the short analysis to your research project.

In an overall discussion of how the projects were going, I observed that most writers had a good research question, that most of you identified some codes/categories, and that in general you concluded with observations relevant to your research questions.  The biggest areas for improvement were in terms of identifyng and defining codes/categories (features of your data) that were relevant to your research question, and to describe correlations  between those categories/codes as a way to illustrate or "prove" an answer your research question.  Your analysis is your "proof" that your answer is right.  Your data is your evidence.  I'm hoping the examples in class made this more clear.  If you still have questions - once you collect your data=> schedule a conference!

Creating transcripts.
We talked through the mechanical process of creating a transcript (listening to your audio recording, typing what you hear into a document and marking where you are in the audio record on your written record so you can go back and forth between the two.  We also discussed how as you transcribe, you will make decisions about  what features you will record  (for example, what was said, who said what,  laughing, long pauses => what ever else you choose) and what you will not. I suggested making some notes on your interview protocol to help yourself out with recognizing terms that won't be immediately obvious within the flow of conversation (names for places, people, slang, unusual words, etc).

We then looked at the sample posted to the right and talked about the process of creating a transcript (a written record of what was said in your interview) and how you might use different versions of "what was said" for different purposes as you do your project.

For next class:
Get started on you interviews and transcriptions.
Read: writing ethnographic fieldnotes, p. 1-13

Blog 21:post reflections on what you learned from your short analysis project  (what you need to do, how to do it, and how what you learned will apply to your research project).

In class we will talk a little more about transcription.  Spend some time looking through the 4 different versions of the same conversation listed on the Creating transcripts handout.  We will also talk about ethnography.  Although you will not do an ethnography, you may use some ethnograhic methods in your research project.

Have a great Thanksgiving and see you next week.