Course info

Dear TAN7 students,

Welcome to this Crash Course on qualitative methods and ethnographic techniques. This two-day intensive course will equip you with knowledge on empirical qualitative methods to carry out your T-ANT projects (current and future). The main focus is on interviews and participant observation from a practical perspective (to be able to apply them).

Teachers: Guodong Chen (MSc in Anthropology from Copenhagen University and current MSc student in T-ANT) and Assistant Professor Alessandra Cenci (teacher MSc. T-ANT CPH)

On Day 1 (16th Oct.), we will begin with a 4-hour lecture that focuses on selecting the most suitable methods for your current and future T-ANT projects. We will explore different methodologies, discuss when and how to apply each, and engage in practical exercises. These activities will help you align your research questions with the appropriate methods, with special attention to stakeholder recruitment and ethical interviewing.

Day 2 (17th Oct.) will shift to hands-on fieldwork and participant observation. We’ll start the day on campus and then head out to conduct participant observation on human-technology interactions in the Copenhagen Metro. During the fieldwork, you’ll practice taking field notes and gathering qualitative data relevant to your research questions. The day will conclude with an opportunity to present your observations, receive feedback, and reflect on your work with your peers.

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Course structure:

October 16th- 12:15-17:00 (2.1.043 Seminar, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, Acm15, København)

Mandatory readings, to be read before the lecture (Already uploaded in Moodle)

Adams and Cox (2008). Questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. In P. Cairns & A. Cox (Eds.). Research Methods for Human-Computer Interaction (Ch. 9, 175-195). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (specific for technical issues, 20 pages)

Magnusson E, Marecek J. (2015). “Making decisions about participants” (Ch.4). In: Doing Interview-Based Qualitative Research: A Learner’s Guide. Cambridge University Press, pp. 34-45. 

Magnusson E, Marecek J. (2015). “Designing the interview guide” (Ch. 5). In: Doing Interview-Based Qualitative Research: A Learner’s Guide. Cambridge University Press, pp. 46-57.

Magnusson E, Marecek J. (2015). “Doing the interview” (Ch. 6). In: Doing Interview-Based Qualitative Research: A Learner’s Guide. Cambridge University Press, pp. 58-72.

Ethical guidelines in interviews  : https://researchsupport.admin.ox.ac.uk/files/bpg10conductingresearchinterviewsv10pdf

AAA Statement, ethical principles in qualitative/anthropological research (involving humans): https://americananthro.org/about/policies/statement-on-ethics

• Block 1: Choosing the Right Method for Your T-ANT Study: Gain an understanding of how to select the most appropriate method for your T-ANT study.

• Block 2: Applying Qualitative Methods in Practice: Learn how to practically apply qualitative methods in a T-ANT study, understand the types of knowledge these methods can produce, and explore how the data collected can address your research problem and answer your research questions.

• Block 3: Interviews and Ethical Considerations: Understand the ethical issues involved in using qualitative methods such as interviews, and reflect on how these ethical considerations apply to your project.

October 17th (9:00 – 16:00)

Mandatory readings, to be read before the lecture (Already uploaded in Moodle)

Guest, G., Namey, E., & Mitchell, M. (2013). Participant observation. In Collecting Qualitative Data: A Field Manual for Applied Research (Vol. 0, pp. 75-112). SAGE Publications, Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781506374680

Walford, G. (2009). The practice of writing ethnographic fieldnotes. Ethnography and Education. [Online] 4 (2), 117–130. 

• Block 1: Group Assembly and Plan your trip (Campus, 9:00 - 10:00): Introduction to the day's activity, assemble groups, and plan your observation route based on the case you've chosen in groups.

• Block 2: Fieldwork (10:00 - 13:00): Conduct your fieldwork independently, following the plans developed in your group.

• Block 3: Presentation, feedback and reflection (14:30 - 16:00 - 2.1.043 Seminar, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, Acm15, København): Present your fieldwork findings, receive feedback, and reflect on the experience with your peers.