Observation protocol and notes

Get together with your group to plan ethnographic observation(s). Everyone will be asked to do an observation (at least) for your projects. Most of you had decided to do them as part of your research project. Although you will plan them today, you can turn in your notes any time before week 8. 

With your group, write a “how to conduct the ethnography/phic observations” protocol. Your protocol should address the following questions:

1. What sites and/or communities might be interesting for you to observe considering your research goals? (Be mindful of time constraints, access to sites, how much trust has been built already, etc.)
2. How much time would you need to collect relevant observation notes and notice meaningful situations? 
3. Where would you like to go? Why? 
4. How would you approach the observations? As observers? As participant observers? Will you get permission from the people involved? Will you try to go unnoticed? 
5. What kinds of notes will you collect and what will these look like? Please refer to “The beginner’s guide to get some ideas”. 
6. How will you collect and share those notes? 
7. What ethical considerations are you anticipating? How will you minimize them? 
8. Bloomaert states “And the rule is: you start by observing everything and gradually start focusing on specific targets.” What will all start observing and how will you move into identifying a more concrete observable target situation/phenomenon? 
9. What other stipulations do you deem important for your group work to be successful in conducting these observations? 

Please share the group protocol (01/19) and the observation notes (before week 8).