ANTH 2040 - Ethnography: Engaged Social Research
North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2015
-
General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code ANTH 2040 Course Ethnography: Engaged Social Research Coordinating Unit Anthropology and Development Studies Term Semester 1 Level Undergraduate Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 3 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Prerequisites At least 12 units of level 1 Arts courses Incompatible ANTH 2030 Assessment Participation 10%, research portfolio 90% Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Dr Dianne Rodger
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.
-
Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
1 Gain an understanding of the methods and issues associated with anthropological research, in particular principles of ethical research. 2 Apply anthropological knowledge and research methods to a variety of real world contexts. 3 Practice social research skills used in anthropology including participant-observation, interviews, social mapping and genealogy. 4 Recognise the relationship between the development of social science theory and research practice. 5 Develop the ability to locate and analyse relevant scholarly literature. 6 Develop communication and teamwork skills. 7 Gain knowledge of what an ethnographic orientation to research offers our understanding of social life and the human condition. University Graduate Attributes
No information currently available.
-
Learning Resources
Required Resources
All course material, including the course outline and links to all required workshop and supplementary readings are available on the MyUni website. If students wish to purchase a hard copy of the tutorial readings, the course reader will be available via the Image and Copy Centre.Online Learning
MyUni will be used for course-related material including lecture recordings, announcements and discussion boards. -
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
Lectures supported by problem-solving tutorials developing material covered in lecturesWorkload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
1 x 1-hour lecture (or equivalent) per week --12 hours per semester
1 x 2-hour seminar (or equivalent) per week --24 hours per semester
5 hours reading per week --60 hours per semester
3 hours research per week --36 hours per semester
2 hours assessment preparation per week --24 hours per semester
TOTAL WORKLOAD 156 hours per semesterLearning Activities Summary
Schedule Week 1 First encounters with ethnography Week 2 Ethnographic research, ethics and informed consent Week 3 Socio-spatial mapping Week 4 Participant observation Week 5 Interviews with genealogies Week 6 Guided interviewing exercise Week 7 Getting started on a research proposal about ... Week 8 Thinking conceptually about ... Week 9 Possibilities for an ethnographic approach to ... Week 10 Designing a research project about ... Week 11 Practical and ethical challenges to the study of ... Week 12 Reflections on the ethnographic experience -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Assessment Task Weighting Research portfolio 35% Presentation in a workshop debate 15% Research proposal 40% Workshop attendance and participation 10% Assessment Related Requirements
1. Research portfolio (35%)
Your research portfolio will present your development in relation to the practical research skills introduced in this course. Throughout the semester, we will introduce you to ethnographic research practices such as socio-spatial mapping, conducting an interview, taking a genealogy and participant observation. In workshops you will be able to practice these skills. For your first assignment – the research portfolio – you are asked to take these ethnographic exercises to completion.
2. Workshop Debate (15%)
Selected workshops will be concerned with debating contemporary issues in ethnography. All students will present material for one side of one of these debates. Students who are presenting are expected to not only draw upon any readings provided or recommended, but also explore the issue further through their own research. Students are asked to present their case using various media (such as handouts, DVDs, powerpoint, etc), and to engage their student audience through questions, quizzes and so on. Each debate (including all related activities) can take up to 40min. You are encouraged to present your topic as a team of usually three students.
The debates will be marked on the following criteria:
1. Clarity/cogency of the position presented and understanding of key concepts
2. Research beyond the required readings
3. Engaging the learning of fellow students
4. Presentation through a variety of media (use of handouts; overheads; powerpoint; DVDs; posters; whiteboard etc).
A presentation of a debate which covers the topic well, but only consists of students reading from written notes will only get a passing grade. The aim is to engage others in learning with content about the topic.
3. Research Proposal (40%)
Your final assignment is a Research Proposal of 3000 words. Lectures in the second half of the semester will provide you with examples on how to produce a good research proposal. You are free to choose a research topic that interests you. In order to ensure that your research project fits the requirements of the discipline of Anthropology and of this course, it is important that you discuss your ideas with your tutor.
As there are few set readings in the second part of the semester you are expected to read independently (and widely) on your chosen research topic and integrate these readings into your proposal.
Your submitted Research Proposal needs to include:
- the title for your research project
- an abstract of the proposal
- a literature-based critical discussion of the broad topic of research
- a discussion of a "problem"/gap in the literature as the specific focus for the proposed research
- a compelling case/argument for a 3 year ethnographically based research project to address the „problemâ/gap
- a research plan outlining the context/place for fieldwork, the range of methodologies to be used, how these will be used, why they have been considered etc
- a discussion of the ethical issues raised by the proposal, including relevant ethics material
- a detailed "gant chart" of research stages and methods
All students are expected to attend all workshops of this course and come prepared. Workshops will have required readings that need to be completed and considered prior to the workshop. Many workshops in this course will have a practical component to be completed whilst in class.
If students miss more than 2 workshops without justification and documentation accepted by the course coordinator (e.g. a medical or counselling certificate) they will lose all possible marks for this component.Assessment Detail
No information currently available.
Submission
All written assignments must be submitted electronically via Turnitin using the MyUni website. For assistance in submitting your assignment electronically, please click on the ‘Submitting a Turnitin Assignment as a Student’ tutorial at:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/myuni/student/tutorials/content/Turnitin-Submitting-a-Turnitin-Assignment-as-a-Student.html
Unless your tutor has agreed to it, assignments that are simply emailed to a tutor are not considered as submitted.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
-
Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
-
Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
- Academic Support with writing and study skills
- Careers Services
- International Student Support
- Library Services for Students
- LinkedIn Learning
- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
- YouX Student Care - Advocacy, confidential counselling, welfare support and advice
-
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Elder Conservatorium of Music Noise Management Plan
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
-
Fraud Awareness
Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.
The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.
