Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses

Type of Question Focus Example

Descriptive Sample of language Could you describe a typical day at the mill?

Structural How participants

organize

What are all the activities you do at the mill?

Contrast For a participant to

explain differences

or relationships

You mentioned earlier that ____ is a habit that

only a “millrat” does. Would a ____ do that?

Would ____ do that? Who wouldn’t do that?

Modified from Spradley, J. P. (1979). The ethnographic interview. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Brace,

Jovanovich College Publishers.

TABLE 9-2 Examples of Ethnographic Questions

One can see from this style of interviewing that the researcher needs to gain
skill through practice and experience to be able to conduct such interviews ef-
fectively. Box 9-2 summarizes some key points for ethnographic interviewing. In
this method, as with many others, keeping detailed field notes is essential along
with in-depth ethnographic interviews. The researcher should also collect artifacts
or symbols of the culture, employ maps and diagrams, and obtain family trees
and the like to help understand the culture. The importance of language cannot
be overemphasized. Words convey various meanings in context, so the meanings
of words and the situations in which they are used are essential to record and un-
derstand. Body language, vocal inflection, and tone in the context of the situation
should be recorded and analyzed. Slang or jargon should be noted and explored.

As with grounded theory, the constant comparison method is often used
so that data collection and data analysis may occur somewhat simultaneously.
Thick descriptions are used in each area of data collection. The researcher
may log an example of a typical day within the group, focus on specific unique
events, or develop a story with a plot and characters (Marshall & Rossman,
2011). Several logs or journals may be kept to organize data and observations.

The data are coded and grouped according to their meanings. Patterns and
categories are identified. When presenting the findings, the researcher often
uses a more personal reporting style. Researchers must strive to have objectivity
when analyzing and interpreting the data (Fetterman, 2010). Bias can occur as a
result of the closeness that the researcher typically gains with the culture when
living among the people. The ultimate goal is to present a detailed picture of a
culture that an outsider could read to obtain a better understanding and gain
empathy for a specific group. Ethnographic research is an excellent way to increase
sensitivity to those whose culture is different from researchers’ and readers’.

9.2 The Four Major Types of Qualitative Research 239