The Typical Outline of an Ethnographic Research Publication

1.  The research question.   May be formally stated as a hypothesis or informally as a motive to undertake the study. Usually found in the opening paragraphs. Poses a question about one or several related aspects of human association poorly understood by sociologists. Alternatively, the research question may address the concerns of a professional community (e.g., social workers or educators) or the general public. The study’s findings answer the question; its methods ensure the answer’s reliability.

2.  The field site.    The place(s) where the research subjects interact, and where the observations and interviews were conducted. Identifies the key informants by pseudonym and describes the social categories of actor that inhabit the area. Typically situates the field site in a wider social or physical environment.

3.  The fieldwork experience.   Getting in, being accepted, establishing trust and rapport, getting the data. The learning and discovery process from the researcher’s point of view. Optional:  Only included if the fieldwork experience provides color, insight, and instructive lessons to readers.

4.  The conceptual or theoretical framework in which the research question is formulated.   May range from explicit theory to an eclectic mixture of concepts. If the research is geared to a professional community, the conceptual framework may involve matters pertinent to successful professional service. Found in the opening paragraphs and literature review and embedded in the findings and summary/conclusion.

5. Literature review:   Other published studies on the research question, the population, or the field site. Often includes other studies using the author’s preferred conceptual or theoretical framework. May generate hypotheses or ideas that the author wishes to adapt, test, contest, or extend in the present study. 

6.  Historical, cultural, institutional, or social structural background or context of the actions or interactions observed.   Often omitted or abbreviated, but essential for integrating levels of analysis. May include statistical or comparative data. Usually found near the description of the field site or the literature review. Earmark of the sociological imagination. 

7.  Methods and procedures.   How the data were collected, e.g., by participant observation, structured or unstructured interviews, etc. Site selection. Access to the field site or the population studied. Sampling issues. Issues of reliability, subjectivity, and research design. Coding and quantitative measures (if any). Use of visual images or recordings.

8.  The presentation of results.   Major findings or observations. The principles that determine the selection of facts to report or omit include the research question and the conceptual framework. A clean, efficient ethnography hues closely to the principle of relevance. Subheadings often help organize the presentation of results. Generally the longest section of the article.

9.  Summary / conclusion.   Reiteration of the research question and the main findings. If the conceptual framework fruitfully supported the observations, the findings are treated as confirmed facts. If the conceptual framework was deemed inadequate in some respects, the study offers finer distinctions or recommends a different conceptual framework. New issues or questions raised by the study. Suggestions for further research.

10. Discussion.   Explores the implications of one or more findings for sociological theory, methodology, or social policy. Often prompted by an unexpected finding or methodological difficulty. Highly optional. 

Reprinted from Teaching Sociology 32(3), July 2004.