Collecting. Selecting. Reflecting. Projecting (pp. 56-58)

1. Collecting. Selecting. Reflecting. Projecting (pp. 56-58) This is a fieldworkers mantra: this is the mindset we must establish -- and the habits we must develop – in order to become good fieldworkers and to produce an interesting, three-dimensional project.

2. Establishing a Voice… • Be present: use “I.” • Sunstein and Cheseri-Strater note: “…a distanced, objective stance would be dishonest” (59) • Do you agree or disagree? Why do you think they chose the word “dishonest”? • What are some benefits to using I? • Some potential “pitfalls”?

3. What is the difference between ranting and raving? • Why should we try to avoid these extreme ends of “the voice spectrum”? • Yet, why are they sometimes useful in the “response” section of our fieldnotes?

4. Balancing our Voice • What we are seeking to do is to “write ourselves into the project,” (60) yet maintain enough space so that we can present a new perspective on both the field site and the culture. • Why do we want to do this? So that our voice can be a part of/contribute to the conversations about these spaces and the people who choose to inhabit them.

5. What if my voice gets stuck? • To paraphrase an “interesting” line (and scene) from South Park: The Movie… “What would Rick Zollo (“Iowa 80”) do?” • 1. Write yourself into your field notes as a character (60). • Write your interviews as dialogues – this allows for a conversation rather than an interrogation (61).

6. What if my Voice gets stuck? (cont.) • If you find yourself relying too much upon other, outside sources (e.g., other ethnographies, journal articles, documentaries, etc.) think about amplifying your voice: you do not want others “taking over” your project (62) • Try experimenting with another genre (e.g., fiction, poetry, singing, painting, etc.) - -whatever can help you crystallize and conceptualize your voice and the voice of the culture you are observing (62). • You may get stuck. This happens, just remember…

7. Collect, Collect, Collect… • Collect everything, be organized, select the pieces of data from your portfolio that inspires questions, contributes insights, or deserves further investigation. • Be thoughtful: constantly reflect, reflect, reflect. • Why? Your perspectives will likely change many times over the course of the project as you spend more time in your fieldsite and interact with your chosen culture (and informants).

8. Don’t believe me? Think of how many times you have stumbled across a piece of writing, art work, photograph, etc. from an earlier point in your life… 

9. Field notes: Your best friend • Consider using the “double-entry” model (record/respond) presented in FieldWorking. • Alternatively, you may use another model that makes sense to you (e.g., the “Mill Hall Bingo” model) • You may write them out or type them, but they should be organized, chronological, detailed, and in one place.

10. Consider the authors’ comments and observations on reading the field sites and members of the cultures with an ethnographer’s gaze, esp. the quote from John Berger: • “We only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice.” • What does this have to do with our project?

11. Walking the earth… • Jules: I'll just walk the earth. • Vincent: What'cha mean walk the earth? • Jules: You know, walk the earth, meet people... get into adventures. Like Caine from "Kung Fu." (Pulp Fiction) OK, so maybe you are not going to walk the earth, but you are going to go forth and collect, select, reflect, and project. Choose to look, and look hard… (P.S. Pay attention to page 103 as you write up your notes!)