ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

Ethnography, as the study of social or cultural practice, offers a mode of inquiry that is particularly well suited to understanding genre, including the practices and values that lead to genres’ development and the social environments that impact genre learning. Though ethnography's roots lie in cultural anthropology, its methodological approach has been adapted in many fields. In the study of literacy and literate practices (including genre), ethnographically oriented research is characterized by the use of multiple data sources, participant observation, an interplay between emic and etic perspectives, sustained involvement in a research setting, and researcher reflexivity. This chapter describes the goals of such research, details common methods used, and shares numerous examples of ethnographic research into genre, with studies lying on a continuum from focus on text to focus on context. The chapter also shares common issues and challenges in carrying out ethnographic research as well as future directions.