Question 1

It is essential that ethnographers map communities because mapping: 
A) allows the anthropologist to identify key informants.
B) documents the randomness of the built environment.
C) provides a deep immersion in the rhythms of daily life.
D) illuminates how use of space influences social interactions.

Accepted Answer

Mapping allows ethnographers to understand how the use of space affects social interactions within a community. This can provide insights into patterns of behavior, power dynamics, and cultural norms that govern social behavior. Mapping can also be used to identify important physical locations within the community, such as gathering spaces, religious sites, or other places that are central to community life. This information can help ethnographers build strong relationships with key informants and gain a deeper understanding of the community's social, economic, and political systems.

Question 2

One way that anthropologists make an effort to protect informants' anonymity is by:
A) anonymizing names in publications, but continuing to use subjects' real names in research notes.
B) using the real names of communities, but not those of the people living there.
C) altering details when writing about sensitive topics within a community.
D) referring to individuals in both research notes and publications using secret codes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One way that anthropologists make an effort...

Question 3

Imagine thousands of people, all screaming, yelling, and drinking, while a smaller group in the center area fight over the remains of a dead pig. If it were part of the research described in Horace Miner's interpretations of Nacirema culture, this might be seen as significant in anthropological terms because it:
A) illustrates mass ritual effectively.
B) demonstrates the tastes of a large population toward pork consumption.
C) helps to understand how ethnographic accounts are interpretations.
D) affords a window into the nature of spectacle.

Accepted Answer

Miner's work on the Nacirema is a satirical piece that highlights how anthropological accounts are interpretations and can sometimes exoticize or misrepresent cultures.

Question 4

What is one of the typical steps taken during the planning stages of a fieldwork project?
A) identify key informants
B) establish rapport
C) chart kinship networks
D) conduct a literature review

Accepted Answer

Conducting a literature review is a typical and crucial step taken during the planning stages of a fieldwork project as it helps in identifying and framing research questions, understanding the context, and avoiding duplication of previous work. While identifying key informants, establishing rapport, and charting kinship networks are also important steps in fieldwork, they typically come later in the fieldwork process after the initial planning stages.

Question 5

Once arriving at a new site for ethnographic research, your curiosity leads you to spend large amounts of time walking through the small village complex where you live. What useful ethnographic information do you discover in doing this?
A) who the most friendly people in the area are
B) a spatial awareness of where people live
C) who in the village likes to sit around drinking at night
D) how the history of the village developed over time

Accepted Answer

Walking through the village complex would give the ethnographer an understanding of the spatial distribution of residents and how this may relate to social hierarchies, power dynamics, and other factors that shape social life in the village. This information would be useful for conducting participant observation and mapping social networks.

Answer: D 
 Depending on the researcher's methods, walking through the village complex could also provide insights into the local history, architecture, and community development. By observing the built environment and speaking with locals about the village's past, the researcher may be able to gather information about the historical factors that have shaped the community. This could help to contextualize the researcher's findings and provide a deeper understanding of the social dynamics observed during their fieldwork.

Question 6

One of the changes in ethnographic work that has occurred in the twenty-first century has to do with the degree to which native voices are considered. How has this changed?
A) Native voices are used a bit less today.
B) The inclusion of native voices has increased.
C) The inclusion of and emphasis on native voices has remained about the same.
D) Today, native voices are used exclusively.

Accepted Answer

In the twenty-first century, there has been an increased emphasis on incorporating and respecting native voices in ethnographic work. This has been seen as a way to address the historical marginalization and erasure of indigenous perspectives in ethnographic research. While native voices may not be the exclusive focus or source of information, they are given greater consideration and weight in the overall research process.

Question 7

What do anthropologists call community members who guide, advise, and teach the ethnographer during fieldwork?
A) local collaborators
B) tribal elders
C) key informants
D) primary subjects

Accepted Answer

Anthropologists call community members who guide, advise, and teach the ethnographer during fieldwork as "key informants". This is because they provide valuable insights and knowledge about the community, its customs, and its culture, which are essential for the ethnographer's research. Local collaborators may refer to community members who actively work with the ethnographer on a specific project, while tribal elders may be a subset of key informants who hold particular cultural knowledge and authority. Primary subjects is not a term commonly used in anthropology to refer to community members who assist the ethnographer.

Question 8

What term describes ethnographers' awareness that they should engage in critical self-examination regarding the role they play in the research process?
A) polyvocality
B) reflexivity
C) confidentiality
D) relativity

Accepted Answer

Reflexivity refers to the practice of ethnographers being aware of and acknowledging their own biases, assumptions, and perspectives that they bring to the research process. It involves critical self-examination and being reflexive throughout the research process.

Question 9

Ethnography written today is often read online by the very subjects who were researched, making anthropology more ________.
A) unethical
B) polyvocal
C) authoritative
D) public

Accepted Answer

With the growth of digital media, ethnographic research is often conducted online, and the subjects of this research can find and read the resulting publications. This has the effect of making anthropology more publicly accessible and transparent.

Question 10

When we utilize many anthropological studies to examine activities, trends, and patterns of power across cultures, it is called ethnology. What do we rely on to make ethnology successful?
A) transformation
B) social network analysis
C) mapping
D) comparison

Accepted Answer

Ethnology relies on comparison, as it involves studying and comparing cultural practices and patterns across different societies. While transformation, social network analysis, and mapping may be useful tools in conducting ethnographic research, they are not essential for the success of ethnology.

Question 11

Two different anthropologists write about the same people. The first makes detailed field notes and conducts surveys. The second does not conduct surveys, but talks to many people in the field and takes good notes. When they publish their results, the first anthropologist's book has every single detail of the research, and the second anthropologist's book has many of the raw interviews as part of the text. We might consider the second book to be polyvocal because:
A) it includes many voices from the people interviewed.
B) the voices of the informants are used to describe the ethnographer's personal perspective.
C) there is no actual survey data in the book.
D) it uses selective accounts of the informants to tell the whole story.

Accepted Answer

The second book is polyvocal because it includes a variety of voices from the people interviewed. This means that the book is presenting multiple perspectives and viewpoints, rather than just the perspective of the anthropologist conducting the research.

Question 12

Fieldwork is often considered a rite of passage for students because it:
A) forges a bond of collegiality with other researchers.
B) forces a special kind of mutual transformation.
C) is a key developmental stage for all social scientists.
D) develops a sense of deep empathy for others.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Fieldwork is often considered a rite of...

Question 13

An anthropologist conducts ethnographic research on the lives of illegal immigrant families. How might the anthropologist justify publishing intimate and potentially incriminating details about the subjects?
A) All of the poor must be given an equal voice, and publishing ethnographic research is the most useful way to accomplish this.
B) The researcher obtained informed consent and ensured the anonymity of the subjects.
C) The anthropologist must publish the results to help stop illegal immigration.
D) The anthropologist will violate the "do no harm" mandate unless the research is published.

Accepted Answer

The anthropologist can justify publishing intimate and potentially incriminating details about illegal immigrant families if they obtained informed consent from the subjects and ensured their anonymity to protect their privacy and safety. This ethical principle is crucial in protecting the dignity and well-being of the researched population. Informed consent ensures that the subjects voluntarily agree to share their experiences and perspectives, while anonymity protects them from potential harm or retaliation that may result from disclosing their identities or actions. By following these ethical guidelines, the researcher can ethically and responsibly publish their findings without compromising the rights and welfare of their subjects.

Question 14

Sometimes anthropologists use a novel ethnographic approach, which might include a fictionalized account. The inclusion of ________ would distinguish such a work from a novel.
A) census data
B) maps
C) field notes
D) photographs

Accepted Answer

The inclusion of field notes, which are detailed records of observations made during ethnographic research, would distinguish a fictionalized account written by an anthropologist from a novel. While a novel might have some elements of ethnographic description and detail, it would not have the same level of systematic record-keeping and analysis that a proper ethnographic study would have. Census data, maps, and photographs might all be used by an anthropologist in their work, but they would not be the defining feature that distinguishes a fictionalized account from a novel.

Question 15

What is one of the personal obstacles that ethnographers will likely need to overcome while conducting long-term fieldwork?
A) gaining access to observe everyday life and practices
B) establishing close rapport with community members
C) gaining a perspective on complex systems of power and meaning
D) stepping back from ethnocentric attitudes about cultural superiority

Accepted Answer

Ethnographers may struggle with overcoming their own ethnocentric attitudes, which can hinder their ability to understand and appreciate the culture they are studying. It is important for ethnographers to approach their research with an open mind and attempt to see the world from the perspective of the people they are studying.

Question 16

What is the significant difference between quantitative and qualitative data?
A) Qualitative data is more difficult to obtain.
B) Qualitative data cannot be counted.
C) Quantitative data is subject to the bias of the ethnographer.
D) Quantitative data is only obtained via direct conversation.

Accepted Answer

The significant difference between quantitative and qualitative data is that quantitative data can be counted and expressed in numerical terms, while qualitative data cannot be counted and is more descriptive in nature. Examples of quantitative data include statistics, measurements, and surveys, while examples of qualitative data include observations, interviews, and open-ended survey responses.

Question 17

One recent development in ethnography includes a kind of "full disclosure," in which anthropologists can discuss the length of fieldwork and their relationships with their research subjects. This is seen as valuable because it:
A) maintains a level of impersonal reflection.
B) helps ensure ethnographic loyalty from informants.
C) is how an ethnographer builds the personal framework.
D) clarifies the nature of ethnographic authority.

Accepted Answer

Full disclosure clarifies the nature of ethnographic authority by acknowledging the power dynamics inherent in the ethnographic relationship and promoting transparency about the researcher's background and biases. This can help to mitigate any claims of misrepresentation or exploitation of research subjects.

Question 18

The anthropological practice of sharing ethnographic information on particular communities with nonanthropological institutions such as the military has been situated within the discipline of anthropology as a:
A) form of covert operations.
B) form of foreign aid.
C) form of economic development.
D) directive called "do no harm."

Accepted Answer

The anthropological practice of sharing ethnographic information with nonanthropological institutions such as the military is situated within the directive called "do no harm" which emphasizes that anthropologists should not use their research to harm the communities being studied. Anthropologists should consider the potential consequences of sharing information and ensure that it does not result in harm to the community.

Question 19

Ethnographers must work to establish trust and friendship with their research subjects, and often build rapport. This gives them a(n) ________.
A) reflexive perspective
B) clear sense of who holds power
C) understanding of local values
D) opportunity to become an insider

Accepted Answer

Building trust and friendship with research subjects can lead to the ethnographer becoming an insider, gaining access to deeper insights about local values and perspectives.

Question 20

What was Nancy Scheper-Hughes's role in Alto do Cruzeiro when she first arrived there?
A) social science research assistant
B) part of Doctors without Borders
C) physician's assistant
D) Peace Corps volunteer

Accepted Answer

Nancy Scheper-Hughes's role in Alto do Cruzeiro when she first arrived there was as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Quiz 3: Fieldwork and Ethnography

It is essential that ethnographers map communities because mapping:

One way that anthropologists make an effort to protect informants' anonymity is by:

What is one of the typical steps taken during the planning stages of a fieldwork project?

Once arriving at a new site for ethnographic research, your curiosity leads you to spend large amounts of time walking through the small village complex where you live. What useful ethnographic information do you discover in doing this?

One of the changes in ethnographic work that has occurred in the twenty-first century has to do with the degree to which native voices are considered. How has this changed?

What do anthropologists call community members who guide, advise, and teach the ethnographer during fieldwork?

What term describes ethnographers' awareness that they should engage in critical self-examination regarding the role they play in the research process?

Ethnography written today is often read online by the very subjects who were researched, making anthropology more ________.

When we utilize many anthropological studies to examine activities, trends, and patterns of power across cultures, it is called ethnology. What do we rely on to make ethnology successful?

Fieldwork is often considered a rite of passage for students because it:

An anthropologist conducts ethnographic research on the lives of illegal immigrant families. How might the anthropologist justify publishing intimate and potentially incriminating details about the subjects?

Sometimes anthropologists use a novel ethnographic approach, which might include a fictionalized account. The inclusion of ________ would distinguish such a work from a novel.

What is one of the personal obstacles that ethnographers will likely need to overcome while conducting long-term fieldwork?

What is the significant difference between quantitative and qualitative data?

One recent development in ethnography includes a kind of "full disclosure," in which anthropologists can discuss the length of fieldwork and their relationships with their research subjects. This is seen as valuable because it:

The anthropological practice of sharing ethnographic information on particular communities with nonanthropological institutions such as the military has been situated within the discipline of anthropology as a:

Ethnographers must work to establish trust and friendship with their research subjects, and often build rapport. This gives them a(n) ________.

What was Nancy Scheper-Hughes's role in Alto do Cruzeiro when she first arrived there?