Ethnography Research Methods: Informed Consent, Focus Groups, Trash Studies, and Writing Barriers

Informed Consent Forms: When are they not Advisable?

. Is there a time when it is not advisable or possible to use signed "informed consent" forms? How might you go about being confident that your participants are voluntarily and knowledgeably allowing you to interview them? Entry 7 -- From Topic 7 (June 17th):
7. If you were to do focus-group research, do you think you would moderate the focus group yourself? What characteristics do you have that would be beneficial for moderating a focus group? Which characteristics do you posses that might not be helpful in the role of moderator?Entry 8 -- From Topic 8 (June 18th):
8. Keeping in mind Jeff Ferrell's study of trash, think about the kinds of things that you routinely throw out and where you discard them. What conclusions might an `ethnographer of trash' come to about your way of life based on what she or he would find in your trash? What would be considered the manifest and latent content?Entry 9 -- From Topic 9 (June 23rd):
9. Think about a group you belong to and write a list of words or ideas that a researcher could use as "sensitizing concepts" in a study of the group. Was this task easy or difficult? Please explain why this may have been the case.Entry 10 -- From Topic 10 (June 24th):
10. Almost every writer struggles to write sometimes. What are the barriers you face when getting ready to write an academic paper? What are some ways that you can overcome those barriers?Submission statusSubmission No attempt status