What I’m looking for:

The Field Research Project requires you to be an amateur anthropologist by studying a community of some kind and reporting on your findings. That community can be any social group– people who frequent a physical place or recurring event, people who fellowship together, people who share common interests in a virtual place, or in some way commune with one another. You will choose a community that interests you– either one you are part of or one you are not part of– and you will enter that field to study it. This could mean sitting in a neighborhood coffee shop, attending a place of worship, reading the discussion boards of an online fandom, or conversing with the old guys who drink beer in front of the corner bodega. Think outside of the box here–but make sure the community is one you can get close to and which you can find sources for that discuss the community itself or the various attributes of it.

In the final essay/report, you will make clear why you are interested in that community, explain its history, note unique characteristics, observe its patterns, analyze what brings these folks together, and present it as an anthropologist in your writing. Be upfront about your personal bias and be willing to look beyond it and be aware of positives and negatives.

The Proposal should express: 1) what community you will be exploring; 2) biases or personal connections you might have; 3) what you already know about this community; 4) what you still need to know; 5) what sources you might use. There is no need to have a thesis in here, though it can be helpful to focus yourself.

The Field Research Project itself should be detailed and thoughtful, a report that does more than drop facts–you are expected to analyze all the details you have noted. Images are encouraged–do try to cite them correctly if you use them!

TIPS:

? Use subheadings to organize your ideas into sections

? Use scholarly sources to demonstrate the relevance and real-world positioning of your chosen community, as well as any big picture context that might be relevent.

? You CAN use “I”! But use it wisely. Saying “I think” is tentative and unsure. If you are unsure of something, but feel it strongly, say “I believe” and tell your reader WHY.

? Outline this in advance or while you draft the initial version–this is not a typical essay, but it still needs to be organized and cohesive.

Before submitting, ask yourself:

? Do the title and opening sentences get readers’ interest? If not, how might they do so?

? What information does this text provide, and for what purpose?

? Does the introduction explain why this information is being presented? Does it place the topic in a larger context?

? Are all key terms defined that need to be?

? Does the organization help make sense of the information? Does the text include description, comparison, or any other writing strategies? Does the topic or rhetorical situation call for any particular strategies that should be added?

? Have I made clear my personal bias and tried to look beyond it–even if I still hold firmly to what I believe?

? Have I defined the community I’m observing in the context of a broader scope? Have I included my own relationship to this community and my interest in it?

? Are all sources quoted, paraphrased, or summarized effectively (and with appropriate documentation)? Is information from sources introduced with signal phrases?

? Does the essay end in a satisfying way? What are readers left thinking?