Linking words and culture

I really liked the section in this reading about linking words and culture. It shows how people that live in the western United States may call something different than people in the eastern United States. I see this happen all the time and have had many disscusions with people about it. One of the most commmon and the example that they used in the book is pop. People from different areas have different names for it. Another good one is grilled cheese or cheese toasties. Words also change meanings over time. I thought that the authors listed some very good words for examples of this. I also liked the reading that they picked out. I thought that Hearn's newspaper article about cheek was interesting. He had many good points in his writing about cheek.

Body Language

The reading about body language really caught my attention. When I was reading I noticed that I really take a lot of my deductions from peoples body language. I believe that I understand body language but I fail at the fact taking body language into consideration when I'm observing and interviewing people of my subculture. Now that I am taking this into consideration I believe that getting more notes to help prove my thesis will be no problem.

Body Language

When I read this chapter the thing that stood out to me was body language. I never really thought about that part of observing. It is a good thing to take notice to. Also the body make up is important. I did notice things from my observations about the makeup of the swimmers. One example is that most of the swimmers eyebrows are either thinned out or pretty much non-existent. I think I am going to try and observe the swimmers again and make some observations on their body language. 

Stage- Body Language is Important

I liked this reading because it talked about something that's often overlooked...body language. Body language is very important in interviewing someone I believe because often times it says what someone may not feel comfortable saying out loud, it may even say that they're not comfortable! There's so much that can be read just by how you fidget, although I believe it's not something that you can base everything off of. It's important at times but other times it can be somewhat misleading. I find that in my everyday life I try and read into things that aren't really there.

Comparison and my biggest tool

This chapter specifically intrigued me because in my ethnographical study, my biggest tool is using comparative methods, and observing differing views within the same group. It is so important to retain a wealth of information so that you can make the most accurate predictions and hypothesis. Every social group is made up of individuals who all have different opinions and views of their social group. The beauty of retaining information from individual is that you, as the researcher, are able to compare different personal feelings within a group.

CH. 6

There are so many elements involved in a subculture. When surveying the individual, it is easy to dissect what we observe face to face. Within a certain subculture, there are many individuals who share common behaviors. These are what make the group stronger. However, when observing and interviewing the individual, specific behavioral and language differences manifest.

Chapter 6 : pg. 307-319

Dress says a lot about a person.  Weather you are hired for a job or not could depend on this.

While interviewing the two teachers I did pay attention to how each of them dressed.  I also asked about their requirements of attire on the job.  The school system holds high standards for how their employees dress.  It should be professional and respectable.  They were both wearing dress pants and nice shirts.  The shirts were high cut and one was even tucked in.  I believe dress code has a standard everyone should uphold.

It had always been said that we should judge someone by how they look but as much as it is said, it sure is not lived by.

chapter 6

Listening to the language that a subculture uses is very important. Words and phrases that are used may not be used by a different group or have completely different meanings. It is really hard for me to pick up the exact language that they use in the studio. I hang out with most of the people that I observed on a regular basis. Most of what they say seems natural to me because I am so used to it. I am going to try to pick up things that I would not normally say.

Language Within the Field

I think anyone can relate to this topic. Within everyone's classes and professions they are in, they all have their own certain language they use. Slang and certain ways of saying technical jargon is the language associated with certain aspects of careers. I know within my own Landscape Architecture studio we have some ways of saying things. One thing that sticks out in my mind is that we say LA instead of Landscape Architecture. That may be like a "duh, of course that's what you would call it." But I always have to explain to people what it is. Other professions, like my roommate's, like photography. He says so many things and I have no idea what he is saying, so he has to explain it. Jargon has made it easier for the people within that subculture but harder for those outside of it.

Ch. 6 Body Language

This reading from Chapter 6 talked about the body language of a person during an interview. The way they act or present themselves can tell you a lot about how they feel about what you are talking about. One examples is fidgeting or stuttering because they are nervous. Watching their actions will help you to decide whether they are comfortable and if not you should try to change something to make them feel more relaxed. Helping them relax will help the interview go more smoothly. When you are interviewing you should always try to figure out how the person feels about everything that is going on without actually making them tell you.

FW Chapter 6: 307-319: Reading Actions

In this excerpt of Field Working: Reading and Writing Research I learned how body language, the way a person looks or acts, during an interview can be very informative about how he or she feels about the topic you are asking about. Like if I were to ask a person something too personal it would be obvious to me by the way they might just stare at me or perhaps look away. They may even fidget with their hands out of being nervous. Whatever they do I should be able to tell that their comfort line was crossed or that they are really excited about the topic. Even the way the person dress can say something about them. Perhaps they are conservative if they wear a turtleneck. This can help to understand more about how a person thinks or acts but it is not everything.

307-319

I liked how the text stressed that different cultures have different "languages" even if it is all in english. I can remember being on the swim team and when my friends would ask me how I did, I would respond to them in "swim lingo" and they had no idea what it meant. I also really liked how the text connected body language together with verbal communication. Although the person may not be saying anything, you can read a lot by someone's body language. For example, when I was little my mom used to always make me apologize to my brother for fighting with him for who knows what. When she would make me say sorry, I would say it nicely, but I would cross my arms and lean all my weight on my hip and I would squint my eyes. I always said it in a nice tone because my mom couldn't see my gestures from standing behind me. I always remember my brother trying to tell on me, but it never worked because I made the apology sincere with my words. Body language is extremely powerful, more powerful then some people may realize. I also liked on page 310 how it talks about linking words and culture. Although the person being interviewed may give you a short response, you still need to listen closely because some words could link to an entire different meaning, depending on the culture. It can be very helpful if you pay attention to their responses because you could learn a lot from body gestures, the clothes they are wearing, and linking words to to unlock information about their habits and beliefs. 

Chapter 6: pgs. 307-319 Kinesics is Key

I found this section of the chapter interesting. I had never thought to look at peoples body language while interviewing them but now that I think about it I can remember the noticeable aspects. While I interviewed my two participants I mainly focused on what they were saying so I could type it in just the way they had said it. After reading this section, I realized that I should have also focused on their kinesics and dress and adornment. One thing I did notice about the second person I interviewed is that she kept very good eye contact with me, seemed to smile a lot, and slouched in her a chair a little bit. I noticed that with the first girl I interviewed she was dressed in sweats. This told me that she was comfortable with me seeing her being lazy and that she wanted to be comfortable because she had homework to do.

307-319 reading

The Idea that certain words in a language mean different things in different cultures is an obviously relevant issue, otherwise we wouldn't be reading about it I would imagine. For instance, "fuzz" might mean the police for some people or something you find between your toes for others. So, if one were to try to talk to someone with a different meaning for a word, a great deal of confusion could result. As one person may have no idea how what another person is talking about is relevant to the conversation. Which kind of makes the initial quote in the chapter irrelevant because one may be able to listen what a person says, but have no idea how to interpret it properly.

307-319 reading

chapterfive

i can see the connection between of how our first interview/observation ethnography is supposed to look like through this story of RALPHS SPORTS BAR... he did everything we were and are doing... told his expectations, explained the environment, made observations with his first impression, asked questions, interviewed, made connections, assumptions, and finally the explanation &conclusion.

When interviewing close attention needs to be paid to the interviewee. It also showed the importance of gaining multiple perspectives and dismissing preconceived notions. I liked the part of Ralph’s Sports Bar. It seemed like a good illustration of the importance of dispelling your prejudices before you try to analyze the behavior of a group.

Ch. 5 Perspectives

This reading showed me the importance of getting different perspectives in your study because not everyone in your subculture is exactly the same. There are always stereotypes in all kinds of subcultures but they aren't all true. You have to have an open mind and be able to let the different perspectives show in order to get it all right when you write your paper. When interviewing different people you will get different information from each of them. Some information will be the same but some of it will be different because every person has a different perspective on their subculture as well. 

chapter 5

This chapter helped me to realize that I must ask the right questions when interviewing. If you do not ask the question you intend to ask you will never know the answer. You also have to let the interview be flexible. You can not plan out every question because the person you are interviewing could answer differently than you expect everything could go in a completely different direction than originally planned. You also have to listen to the speaker. You could pick up on things that they are not directly saying and be able to ask questions. The interview should be more like a conversation rather than a question and answer session.

Chapter 5: 257-271

     My aim with this reading was to get ideas form Cindie's study.  It seemed like she went into Ralph's sports bar with a picture in her mind of what it would be like.  When you are trying to get information about a certain culture it's better to go into it with a clear mind.  I know it's not hard for some to be completely open minded but to gather truthful information and let your audience form their own feelings it is best to leave all previous ideas behind.

Listening

While interviewing, you must pay the upmost attention to what he/she is saying. Listening is the biggest part of any assignment you do because you don't listen, then you're not going to understand what to do or full details. Interviews is something where you have to almost have to be in the other person's shoes to listen completely. It is so important to pay attention because if not then you could miss the slightest detail and totally write down the wrong thing, in which you thought the person said different. This whole project, in a nut shell, deals with understanding why and how the person feels the way they do and listening as well.

Stage- Chaper 5 Ralphy and His Old Sports Bar

I really enjoyed this essay on Ralph's Sports Bar. I liked how I could really see the progression of his thoughts. At first outside the bar his was unsure if he wanted to go in. It looked trashy. Even when he stepped in he was unsure this was a good idea. Yet after he started talking to these people, he realized that they were all people who had likes and dislikes like him. He had been too quick to judge and after listening to them he was intrigued and wanted to hear more.
Also in this reading it was good for me to see the notes from the interview. I recorded my interview on my computer so I guess I did this part wrong but still...good to see how it's actually done and on the second interview I will take notes instead.

FW Chapter 5: 257-271 and 300-306: Many Perspectives

While reading Cindie Marshall’s story, Ralph’s Sports Bar, the importance of getting many perspectives in a study became very clear to me. At the beginning of a study you may have a stereotype, good or bad, about your group. Like Marshall, how she thought bikers were dirty and she didn’t find the sign about peeing inside at all weird for that group. However, she still should have found it intriguing because whether it be true about bikers being dirty or not the sign is still interesting. It is all part of finding the peculiar in the normal happenings. I find this very useful because my opinion on the subculture I am studying is that if they work out, then they all eat healthy. However whether or not this is true I should still note how they do or do not eat healthy because it is a part of who they are. Getting different perspectives and interviewing many different people is crucial. All people are different and have different views.

Chapter 5: pgs. 257-271 & 300-306 Sports Bar

I thought the second part of chapter 5 was a little boring. The story about Ralph's Sports Bar kind of reminded of the Iowa 80 article in the sense that it was a place for people to gather and socialize. A section that I found a little interesting is the part about how Alice and Cindie characterize people as "rednecks and bikers." I found the similarities and differences interesting. I think that it is hard to relate this reading to my project because I didn't tape my interview.

357-371 and 300-306 Portfolio

I did not really care for Cindie Marshall's study on Ralph's Sports Bar. It was like most of the stories we have already had to read in the book. I did not really learn anything from reading it. Some things that I did like about it were Cindie Marshall's Interview notes. I liked how it outlined the three groups of people that she noticed in the bar. It also had her views on the work ethics of the groups. I do like the research portfolio on page 300-301. It has some good questions to ask while working on your own portfolio. It also lists some good things to have included in your portfolio.

257-271 and 300-306

Largely uninteresting, the study of the bikers and rednecks wasn't really my cup of tea. I was a bit unsure if at the start of the characteristics of bikers and rednecks paragraphs, if she was talking about her own perceived stereotypes of those people or if this is what she determined from study. One thing I liked about this particular reading is the outline on pages 301-302. I believe that this will be beneficial to me now and in the coming future, it will help me organize and create papers for my subject. This should be a very beneficial part of the reading, although the rest was mostly unnecessary for me.

257-271/300-306

To be honest, I found this section of the book very boring. I liked the previous sections much better so it was hard to stay focused while reading the required text. Ralph's Sports Bar "The Arrival" wasn't that great in my opinion. I liked how on page 265 Cindie Marshall made three distinct cultures, Rednecks, bikers, and professional/white collars. I just thought it was funny how they described the rednecks. I am a very organized person so I really liked page 301 that described a portfolio to organize a lot of information that outlines the skills you have learned and the variety and amounts of material I have gathered. The one thing I do like about pages 257-269 is the organization. It is easy to read because it is in several different groups like "unfamiliar surroundings, how do I read the sigs? people watching, talking to TearDrop" and so on. It gives the reader a pretty clear understanding of how to understand the subculture you are studying. 

Listening is key

This chapter stresses a lot about how listening and observing people really helps you learn about them. You cannot be biased when making your observations about a field study. Even if you think you know  a person you are observing, and there won't be any surprises, you are usually wrong. This chapter discusses how being able to learn about something is a two way street. You have to work as a team with your observer by listening to what they have to say and then asking the appropriate questions that pertain to the point you are trying to come across. In order to study and learn about a subculture accurately, you have to be able to narrow down what you are trying to learn about that specific group and then listen to what they have to say, ask the right questions, and try to get your answers out of them without do the talking. Listening, observing, and not interfering is key when it comes to being a great observer and everyone needs those traits in order to work well with your subculture and learn about it. 

Learning How to Ask

This section of chapter 5 talks about how to ask questions when interviewing. It is important to go into the interview with a structure, or a set of questions you intend on asking. However, it is also important to be able to be flexible with your questions as well. This means to ask questions that may have just thought of during the interview. The book also mentions the importance of your assumptions. It says to not completely shut out all of your assumptions because you can never fully do that, but instead to use your assumptions about a subculter to help build more questions for the interviewee. There are also two different types of questions that can be asked, open and closed questions. A closed question is one in which the answer is short and clear. An open question is a question that allows the interviewee to to elaborate. Open questions usually give the interviewer more information and a better understanding of the person's worldview.

chapter5

I really really enjoyed the third paragraph on page 237 running into 238. It talks about judging people/things before you get to really understand/know them. I have judged other people many times in my life before really getting to know them, and then have been totally and completely suprised to find the real them. In the text it talks about someone having an older woman in her class and automatically thinking that person is probably just like her mom. Then they were assigned partners for a group project and she found out that this woman knew a lot of cool things! I think that should be an important lesson to everyone.

I like how the book breaks down questions into different parts. There are closed questions and open quetions. You want to make sure you have a variety of both and not too much of just one type of question. On page 244 it talks about learning how to listen. I think that when most people read that they probably think that is stupid because everyone knows how to listen. But there are key methods to listening that most people don't even realize. Good listeners don't interrupt or move conversations back to themselves. They focus on the person talking.

Chapter 5 : pg. 237-253

The message in this reading really gave me some insight about interviewing.

When asking the questions it's more about getting good information rather than just having your questions answered.  There are different levels of questions: the open questions which are more to the point.  I focused on the part about questioning mostly in this reading.  It gave me many ideas for my interview.

I plan on interviewing two first grade teachers.  For the beginning of the interview I will get the basic questions such at time teaching and schooling done with.  Then my plan is to have a normal conversation with them and gather information from there.

interviewing chapter 5

i think this entire chapter is really easy to read and fairly straight forward... just trying to say that we need to asked open questions that lead to other things, no just yes and no answers. we should have predetermined questions, take notes, and write down not just what the interviewer says but also what it reminds you of and reflect on their answer. also one key factor is LISTENING to the subject. because with a subculture you are familiar with, like mine, i might tend to expect what they will say instead of actually listening for differences and looking deeper into the interview. i think this part of the ethnography will be the fun part of this project and hopefully will find out something i didnt already know...

Chapter 5: pg. 237-253 Expecting the Unexpected

This chapter was very helpful to me because I have never done an interview for a research project. I found one paragraph very interesting because it talked about how you can't always have the whole interview planned out and that you should follow your informants lead sometimes. Expecting the unexpected was a good phrase because you never know which direction you interview could lead. I also found the example interview questions helpful because it kind of gave me someplace to start.

Interviewing Ch. 5

This reading gave us good tips for doing our interview part of our papers. In order for the interview to go well you have to be interested in what the person you are interviewing is saying. You shouldn't just sit there and have them answer yes or no questions, you need to have questions that they sort of have to explain their answer so you can better understand and learn more. Yes and No questions just don't lead you to enough information. If they have to explain you get more information from them and the conversation will go smoother. Also you need to have a few set questions that you want to ask but you have to be able to let questions just arise during conversation to help it all flow smoothly and help you get all the information you need.

Ch. 5 237-253 Interviewing

I thought that chapter 5 had some very good tips on interiewing. To have a good interview you need to be interested in the person you are interviewing. You cannot just expect to sit down and ask them the questions that you have written down. It is important to be able to change your questions during the interview. I also think that asking open ended questions for the interview is another good interview technique. This allows for the interview to flow much smoother. I also think it helps in the fact that there will not be as many pauses in the interview. It allows the conversation to flow much smoother.

Stage- FW Chapter 5: 237-253

This was an appropriate reading. I liked the description on the differences between open and closed question. It's clear to see the benefits of both types of questions. Aside from learning how to ask questions it's important to learn to listen. This seems like something that should be intuitive but on the contrary, I believe it's very hard to listen to someone completely. There may be certain questions you wish to ask that may cause you to ignore some of what your person has to say. With skills in listening I should be able to ask open ended questions and let the person basically go through the interview basically on their own. I don't want to ask too many questions. I also really liked "The Man Who Forgets Nothing". There's an important message behind it.

FW Chapter 5: 237-253: More Than Just an Interview of Words

Artifacts can be very useful and a great enhancer while conducting an interview. It can help the subject really remember their situation that you would like to know more about. Anything can be used as an artifact, even just a picture or what you would like to talk about. I find this very insightful and that it really could work to draw the attention of the person being interviewed. This also helps for the interview to be more comfortable for the person and the conversation to go more smoothly. This would be a great start to a story and really get the interview going. In my subculture I could show a picture of a work out machine or perhaps of a gym and it might help to place the person being interviewed at the spot. Therefore, I will be able to really get a connection to what I want to learn more about and they will be able to remember their feelings more clearly.

Chapter 4 is a boring headline

When you post on this site, try using a headline that might actually interest someone in reading what you have to say. Sum it up. Be clever. Be concise. Don't bore me.

While you're at it, make sure you carefully edit and proofread before you post. This is not instant messaging, and people do judge you by how you write, whether you like it or not. Some of the postings on here are difficult to follow. If I can't make sense of them, chances are your classmates can't either.

End of Chapter 4

The end of chapter 4 really opened my eyes to a lot of things. It is interesting, yet intimidating to know that the job that I have as an observer and a writer is double the responsibility than the people I am observing. Not only do I have to interact, study and observe my field site, but I also have to get the opinions and thoughts of the people I am observing. I need to represent my field site as the members involved in my study and as myself so I basically have to be two people at once which is stressful yet interesting. The chapter explains how I have to focus a lot on tiny details that I notice during my observations. It also talks about how when you observe a field site you should have  a focal point during every observation so it can serve as a metaphor for the theme I am observing. This chapter gave a lot of great tips on the fact that I have to be percise and very observant when it comes to detail in order to portray my field site accurately. 

Ch. 5 237-253

While reading throughout these pages I thought it was interesting how it stated in the very beginning that we enter other people perspectives and step out of our own when we talk or study them. Now that I think about that statement it's true. When I think about my observations, I was questioning different things about them. Like for example, what were they thinking, why did they do something the way they did. Another thing I found interesting is how to be a good listen. It had some helpful things that I should know not to do when I interview, because I know for a fact I have done things like checking my cell phone or letting my eyes wander. If I have done my research though, have open questions, and have interest on my informant I learned I should be able have a mutual conversation.

Chapter 4

The idea of having different perspectives is very interesting to me.  It's interesting when you think back about something from your childhood, and you have a totally different perception than you do now.  It says in the book, "When you return to a place where you spent time in your early years, like your grandmother's apartment or a childhood playground, you're probably surprised that the place seems different, maybe smaller or larger than you imagined."  This is very true for many places that I used to travel to.  

When I would go to my cousins house, when I was little, their backyard seemed huge.  They had a hammock and a forrest with a "river" (as I would call it when I was little).  We would run around and it seemed like the woods could go on forever, and that there was so much to it.  Now that I have gone back and have seen it through my older eyes, it seems so much smaller than I imagined.  The "river", was actually a creek.  The forrest did not go on forever.  It was actually a very small backyard with a little bit of woods.  It is very interesting that your perceptions on different places can change from when you were a child.

Chapter 4 pgs. 220-236: A Little Goes a Long Way

After reading the second half of chapter 4, I found that the section about grammar very interesting. By just changing a few verbs and using key nouns from observing, I could change the tone of my paper. It made me start to think that changing little things could go a long way in the end. When I revise my paper, I will now look through my observation notes for the key nouns and make sure to use verbs that stand out.

Chapter 4

In this chapter it talks about how you can record imformation not only by writing it down, but by drawing pictures, videos, maps, photographs, and sketches. I thought that this was a good idea, for one reason is because I am a very visual person and I remember things visually a lot better than I do orally. This will enhance my memory for my project. Also it mentions that you can get observations out of a picture, which is so ture, because its like freezing a frame of where ever you would be observing and being able to look at it for as long as you want. Well thats all I got out of that reading.

Grammar of Observation

This section in chapter four really spoke to me because I tend to use words over and over again. I also tend to use boring words that do not convey the picture as well as other words I could be using. The book informs us about how important nouns are to the observers because our observations are often of actual people, places, and things. Strong verbs can also be used to bring the writing to life in the reader's imagination. An example of a strong verb in the book would be slither instead of walk. The book also goes over adjectives and adverbs. It is important for a field worker to not rely heavily adjectives and adverbs to help in the description because it can show your assumptions and value judgments as a writer.

chapter 4

On page 236 it talks about the implications that a researcher may or may not find find during a field study. This struck me as interesting because the way the reading talked about how to capture the implications. It says in one or two short visits one must look deep in to the group. By doing this the things that are pulled from the are implications of the culture you are observing. I think that doing this could help a lot in a study like ours because if you catch these implications it will help you better analyze your observations and help you find answers to you questions

Chapter 4 Reading

In this Chapter, it mainly deals with the final stage in a project. It tries to give you an idea as to how your final project together and different ways you can go about putting it together. Also this section talked about different grammar usage. This really helped me because I have a tendency to use the same word or phrase over and over again. This gives you a more broad idea of different words you can use and different ways to use the same words. This chapter was really helpful and will be a great reference for papers to come.

Chapter 4 220-236

The section of this reading I got the most from was "The Grammar of Observation".  It went in depth about using nouns and verbs in your notes.  For instance, take a typical word such as "look" and make it a story such as using gaze or peer instead.  By adding a strong verb.  It makes the observation so much more vivid.  You want your audience to have a mental picture while reading.

In my observations I began using more descriptive words.  Reading over one day it was so surprising what a difference was made just by using different words.  I can honestly say this section benefitted me greatly.

Stage-Chapter 4 220-236

I thought this was perfect timing for this chapter. I was trying to figure out how to put all of my components together to present to the class. This was a good look into what has to happen for a portfolio. I also found the "Grammar of Observation" helpful. It's sometimes hard for me to think of new words to say the same thing that's happening. Although it didn't give me words to actually use, I sort of have an idea what direction I need to be thinking when I come up with my vocab list. This was an easy reading to get through.

CHAPTER FOUR

i found this section easy to read because i am also putting together a portfolio outside of this class for my interior design major, it gave me a lot of tips and good ideas.  I actually have most of my things gathered together i just wasn't sure on what type of layout to put it in and this was exactly what i needed to help me with...

i also liked the story of karen's portfolio reflection, a pose on "strike a pose" these little stories always are so confusing to me once i start reading them, then it all comes together at the end.  and when she said something about what she would do if she had more time with the project..... i think this course also makes it very hard for us to do an entire detailed ethnography in such a short time, there is so many aspects of each culture.. you could go on forever.....

Chapter 4 Objects

When you really think about it almost every object or "thing" you use can be used for something else too. Everyone uses different objects to do certain jobs. Like in my subculture, studying in Davidson Hall floor 9, some people used the computer as a "break" from homework and others used it for homework. I don't think I'd really every thought about how many different uses some objects can have. It all depends on how you look at it. I'll probably notice a little more now the many ways people use certain things. Such as my roommate just used a hair tie to keep her notecards together and I put mine in my hair. It's always neat when you can look at things in a new way.

FW Chapter 4: 220-236: The Importance of a Portfolio

When I was reading this portion of the book I noticed how neat and informative a portfolio could be. Not only does it store all my information from previous work, but it also can store the extra stuff I do not want, but I might want to look over eventually. The portfolio is a pile up of everything and I find it very useful to find what you might need about the topic I am researching. From all this data compiled in the portfolio I will be able to learn so much about my topic. Especially, if I personally look at each artifact in my portfolio and write a response to it. That way I will be able to learn more from the information I have already gathered. Only it will be in a whole new light.

Multi-Use Object

This reading brought out something I had not thought about. In every subculture there is a main object of use. It may have many different uses. Not all utensils or tools have only one use. Not all of those uses are what the tool was made for. You may see someone using a utensil and it might be used for painting. Someone might see and think it is used for something that has nothing to do with painting. This is a point I had not thought about and something I am going to try and find. It is something interesting to see people use one thing for many different uses. I have already thought of something that I can use from my subculture. It will help give outsiders a view into how this subculture thinks and acts a little better than what I had described already.

Ch. 4 220-236 Grammar of Observation

I thought it was pretty interesting while reading through the pages 220-236 how it discussed about describing my informants' perspective as accurate as you can. How I would want to combine the informants ideas with my own. I know not everyone will have the same attitudes that you have watched or interviewed, but I learned that my attitude could change depending upons others perspectives. Another thing I found interesting is how it talked about grammar of observation and working with four elementary parts of speech. That is something I usually try to apply when I'm writing, or learn from with my drafts. I need to apply all of this to my work in order to produce good quality work.

Ch. 4 220-236 Word use in writing

Chapter four was very helpfull outlining four elementary parts of speech. It showed how using nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs can really change your writing. I thought that the part in this section where they used different adjectives and adverbs in a example showed just how much you could change it. In the first example they described the office as a mess, but in the second version they described it as very orderly. Just by changing up some of the words they were able to completly change up the description of the office. This has helped me to understand that I need to be careful when choosing words to include in my paper. I also need to be careful when I do my interviews not to change what the person is telling me. I need to put my self in their shoes and view their subculture from their perspective.

Chapter 4

I found the discussion of seeing england for the first time particularly interesting. Before I visited England for the first time I didn't know what to expect. I have always listened to English bands from the Beatles and the Clash to Lilly Allen and the Arctic Monkeys. I have always followed English football and have worn gear from English clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea. Before actually arriving in London in the summer of 05 i had no idea what reality was like in England, just the pictures in my head of roaring stadiums and Rock and Roll bands. Needless to say my two week trip opened up my eyes to many things in England that I couldn't gather from Premier League coverage or Rolling Stones albums. The country that had captured my imagination with its more progressive sports and arts captured a different part of my imagination when I toured Westminster Abbey and saw the river Thames. I found that the part of England that intrigued me most was the old world charm so accurately captured by Charles Dickens rather than the oppressed youth punk scene portrayed by the Sex Pistols.

Spatial Gaze

"What we see depends on how me filter or select what we see. What we see also depends on how we look..." This quote really stuck out to me, like it was speaking directly to me. One of biggest problems that I have run into during this project is not being biased. I know most of the people that I am observing really well. It is very difficult to stay neutral and possibly write something negative about people that I am friends with. The spatial gaze or worldly view really helped me make good observations. I had to take myself and my feelings out of my observations and simply write what I saw and how I felt.

Chapter 4 pg. 175-184

"We are always part of the places we study", is the topic of my entry today.  As I was reading the beginning of this chapter, I realized this really pertained to me.  I am very familiar with the area I am studying, a classroom.

Thirteen years and counting of my life have been spent in a classroom.  My first grade classroom was even one of my observation sites.  I think surroundings play a large part in education.  The atmosphere you learn in could either help or hurt you and after reading this chapter I am going to look closely in to how that factor influences the students.

Mapping space

Mapping space can help a person to see their field site more closely and pay attention to details. The book describes how effective mapping can be for researching a subculture. It can be very helpful to observe the place your subculture uses and do it in a detailed way. Mapping out the place of study forces the observer to pay attention to detail as close as possible. When the process of mapping is done it can help the observer to better understand their subculture and how they use their space. The map will also help the observer in writing a well written and detailed paper later.

Configuring Space

Mapping space is something that can help many people. It will show others who you are trying to get the point across to. It also will help you figure something out you might not have realized before about what you are observing. I think mapping is something that is pretty cool. It takes me back to being a little kid when I made a map of my backyard. Then my friends and I pretended we were in a battlefield and we had to recover a flag. The map helped us figure out what the best possible and quickest route was. Mapping space helps you see what the uses are within an area. It will tell you who and what type of person uses it. This will come in quite handy when trying to show the relations between people and their surrounding area/space. I will try to use mapping in order to help me figure out what I am seeing.

Spaces Chapter 4

Understanding the places that you are has never really crossed my mind until this reading. It is always good to understand exactly where you are. Like when you are little you learn what your house looks like, what your city looks like, and even what your state and country look like. Eventually you'll understand what your school looks like and you'll know where you are and how to get around. When you learn where you are you feel more comfortable and you understand what's going on. It's always good to know and understand the surroundings of your subculture because it will help you get a little more understanding of the subculture itself and help you feel more comfortable in the surroundings.

Ch. 4, England for the first time :)

I like Kincaid's story Seeing England for the First Time. I think there was an awesome use of imagery. I enjoyed reading about the childhood experiences and how imagery was used that early on in life. My favorite usage of imagery was when there was a description of the breakfast and all of the elaborate foods there. She has a great word usage along with her excellent imagery. She chose good synonyms for words that people wouldn't usually. I felt as if she did when she told the story. I'd like to read more from Kincaid.    :)

Strike A Pose - laurendeffner

when i first starting reading this article i was really confused but it all came together at the end. I also was sort of confused on how this tied into the reading until i got to the reading afterwards... It was showing the difference between looking at a situation as the insider and the outsider. "Sometimes things as not what they seem" This statement i especially true, and with this ethnography i think its going to be sort of difficult to be on the other side, as the insider and try to see things as they and try to figure out things as not what they seem. Hopefully i will be able to accomplish this because i have already been involved in the subculture that im observing but that can also be a disadvantage... i also like the quote "We all need fantasy. Without it, reality is far too great for us to even remotely handle." and i really like the way they look at the article about the beauty, how karen is both effected as replused and amused. I really like the side notes after each reading because it helps me see a view that i dont usually see just reading it on my own.

Mapping Space

I never really thought about mapping my subcultures space. When I was reading our assignment, I came across the mapping space section, and I realized that idea had never really crossed my mind. It’s a good idea though, to get a good visual perspective of what you are observing. I think I am going to map my subcultures space, it would be a good space to map, and it’s a pool. I just thought that that was interesting and a good idea.

StrikeAPose-ch.4--175-184-194-211

Chapter 4 was a good read I must say, and also very helpful as usual. I enjoyed reading about finding a focal point and learning how to map a space and all those things. But my favorite little story was on page 206 titled Strike a Pose, by Karen Downing. The story, in a weird way, sort of motivated me. Karen comes to realize that her and Darlene maybe have more in common then she thought. When Darlene describes her idea of fun, Karen instantly thinks otherwise. But still, Karen wants to help Darlene find happiness, so she gives her the brochure she originally had. Karen thinks to herself that "Photo Phantasies" is a horrible idea because you pay money to get dressed up and be somebody you're not when it doesn't last but a night. At the very end of the story it shows Karen thinking of what Darlene said about Photo Phantasies and about how she is buying flowers that won't last but a week or so(not along time, anyways) It's ironic because she was just saying how it is stupid to do something that doesn't last for along time, but in the end if it makes you happy it could be worth it. Karen found herself buying flowers that in the end will die sooner or later. I really liked this story for some reason, it was very moving. I also liked the reflection afterward that talked about certain points in the reading. It made points clearer and it made it easier to organize the story in different ways. I wish every story or reading I read had something after it to organize my thoughts in several different ways. That would be very helpful.

I thought the article "On Seeing England for the First Time" by Jamaica Kincaid was a little boring but it had a good point to it. As a child, she grew up in a country that was influenced heavily by England. She had always seen pictures and used products from England but had never been there and hoped to go there. At the end of the story, she describes her experience visting England for the first time and is not impressed. She thought it was ugly and described many aspects as a jail sentence. That descpriction makes me not want to go to England. I think that everyone can relate to this story in some way because people look at pictures and want something or to go somewhere and finally get it and are dissappointed at what they actually wanted.

Stage-Chapter 4: 175-184 and 194-211

I liked the essay on understanding where you are. It's true that sometimes we live in someplace without really taking a step back as an outsider and really looking where we live. I think that I didn't really realize where I lived and what it looked like until I was in Kindergarten. Living in Indiana for my whole life made it easy to understand where I live. Not only is Indiana a recognizable state shaped like a boot, but I became so familiar with it. Now that I'm older I begin to understand more how each state has contributed to the growing of our country as a whole. I suppose this relates to my research on my subculture.

Chapter 4 pgs 175-184, 194-211: The Picture and the Reality

I thought Jamaica Kincaid’s essay On Seeing England for the First Time was very interesting. I too have an experience like that on seeing the ocean for the first time. I never saw it until I was in fifth grade and when I did I found the salt water quite disturbing, the shells painful, and the sand annoying. I would have been much happier at the pool in my Indiana backyard. However, before I saw the beach the pictures and stories I heard of it had really influenced me to think it was the most fun and adventurous place in the world.
I think to really have a feeling about something or somewhere you have to witness it. What you think about something can often be very wrong and your opinion can easily change.

Chapter 4: perspective

The chapter starts off, much like most other chapters, with a quote. " "Gaze" is the act of seeing; it is an act of selective perception. Much of what we see is shaped by our experiences, and our "gaze" has a direct bearing on what we think. And what we see and think, to take the process one step further, has a bearing upon what we say and what and how we write." That is a direct quote from Paul Stoller, what he does or is famous for I've no clue, but he was worthy enough to make it into a book, so he must've done something right. The quote could not be more true, it is our experiences in life that shape and control how we perceive the world. For instance, I may look at a cow and see dinner, but someone else may look at it and see a God (see hindu). It's perspective that makes everything people unique, or at least a part. It is through perspective that the world remains ever-changing.

Chapter 4: perspective

Chapter 3 Blogging

The first section of reading in this assignment talked about getting permission from those you are observing in a research project. This part gives some important advice on this subject, like studying a group that is not threatening. Jake tries to observe the campus skin heads and realizes that he will not get much out of it because of how secretive and racist they are. The second section is about Skye Angus's venture into the blogging world. She observes the writing techniques of others and even herself. She finds other people's writings to be interesting and describes the experience of blogging as addictive. In the end she learns some new things from her research of the blogging sub culture and then becomes part of the subculture as well.

Chapter3--The dangers of blogging

After reading the required material over chapter 3, a sudden curiosity came over me. This chapter talks about bloggers and how research is very important and bla bla bla. Well I totally and 100% agree with that, but what I don't agree with is the complete positiveness over the internet. Although I use my cell phone and the computer WAY too much, I wish we didn't have these things. I think that people's communication skills are suffering because of the internet(blogging) and texting and what not. If people want to do research, I think the best way is to go out and research the real world. Go out and get a book, or observe for themselves. I realize now all things are observable and the internet makes things a lot easier, but the internet also hurts us in a lot of ways. I think the internet can be addicting and can delay us on certain tasks we need to get done. On page 164 it talks about Alicia and how she is a shy person and keeps things to herself. To let her feelings out, she keeps an online journal. I think it is sad that she feels comfortable writing all her feelings online but she can't talk to people about them in real life. I think the internet just makes things harder for people in the long run. But maybe i'm wrong. Who knows. Blogs can be a good thing, I guess, but I mainly see them as a bad thing.

Chapter 3

First off I found the dicussion of cultural relics interesting. I was thinking the other day as i observed that I would have a hard time finding culural relics but the book discussion gave me a different perspective. I realized that I needed to take the connotations of relics out of my frame of mind. I was thinking more Raiders of the Lost Ark instead of simply what is important to my subculture.

The discussion of Skye the blogging girl seemed very unimportant when i read it. Then there was a dead end paragraph called What About Bill? that seemed like it was just overlooked by the book editor. Regardless Skye using a blog as a journal is understandable because she can get anonymous feedback. I think the constant obsession with connectivity with others is a byproduct of our technological advancement. I'm not sure if this is a positive or negative thing. People are more likely to express themselves because they can associate with others like themselves despite geographical distance. This expression can help people deveop but also can lead to less of a regional identity.

What about Bill?

When I was reading the assignment something that stood out to me was the “confessions of a blog addict”. When I was reading “what about Bill” and he was talking about how Bill used to wrote long enjoyable blogs, but then he went out into the real world and the blogging seamed to cease. I liked this story because I feel that Bill over came something that most cant do. Once you are addicted its very hard to get off, but he went out and made something of himself rather than sit in his room and blog all day. Bill showed a good example to all of the addicted bloggers, and hopefully made an impact. 

Ch. 4 Mapping

I really like the idea of mapping in chapter 4. The first map that Emily had drawn for her subculture. Showed how different people interact with the horse industry. Clearly all of these people have different views about horses. However, at the same time they all have one thing in common and that is horses. By looking at this map you can see how people can have different outlooks on horses. You can also see where the author Emily fits in with the group of people. By using this map she is able to see all of the different angles people can have that interact with horses. The other map that Emily had drawn was of her fieldsite: the Carver Sales Barn. I also think that this style of map is very useful; because it lets the author step back and take a good look at the fieldsite. It also lets you see how the fieldsite all comes to together and functions. This can help greatly when at the fieldsite and when writing about it. It can also help to find important places in the fieldsite. Overall I think mapping is a very useful tool when studying the fieldsite.

Geting Permission Chapter 3

When I read about how Harvey DuMarce had trouble becoming an insider to a group that he already thought he was part of, I had a laugh inside. I say this because I have made the same mistake. Once I was researching swimmers from all around the area. But when it came to other schools i ran into the same problem he did; i thought that they would just let me come right on in and become part of them but I found that to be completely false. So eventually I was able to become part of the after getting permission and and going the swimmers from other teams. I guess what im saying is that before one start researching a subculture you should make sure they are willing to accecpt you and that you can obtain normal access to the subculture. I also see now how intrusive an outsider can a group people feel.

Ch. 4 175-184

I thought it was pretty interesting while reading through chapter four, that each of us has a sense of place. It discussed how this women named Bonnie grew up in Pennsylvania and had many memories from her childhood where she lived. Then thirty years later and over 1,200 miles away that a clock in her town reminded Bonnie of her old memories as a child. I thought that was pretty awesome, because I have had a similar event in my life to which she did. I moved to a new town when I was younger and felt a bit uncomfortable about the move. Well there was a playground I remember that was close to my new house, and it made me think about the playground that was by my old house. The park brought back my old memories from where I used to live and made me eventually feel more comfortable about moving.

Blogging Chapter 3

I personally loved this reading because I am a blogger myself, only my blogs are private. No one else can read my blogs. I blog to relieve stress and to get things off my chest. I don't blog so that others can read what I've said. It's all for my own private use. I do feel that blogging is a good thing for people to do but only if they do it safely. The man who wrote the blog "A Grey Box with Words Inside" is not a safe blogger. He puts all his information on his blog so he can be contacted by anyone and everyone. You never know who is out there reading what you are writing. If you aren't careful about what you put on the web, terrible things can happen. You never know, your identity could be stolen, you could be stalked, you just never know. You have to be careful if you are going to give information out for the entire world to see.

Chapter 3: pgs. 140-147 & 159-165...TMI!

I found the study on blogging to be interesting. I think that blogs are a way for people to express themselves and vent publicly. I don't like the idea of a personal blog because I don't want everyone to know my struggles or triumphs. I have a Myspace and Facebook but I don't consider those a blog because I do not update all the information daily and express my thoughts and feelings. The section talking about the man titling his entry "A Grey Box with Words Inside" caught my attention. I think that he put to much information (tmi) of personally contacting him on the internet. By putting his address and phone number on the internet, I think he opened himself up to a lot of danger because you don't know what kind of people are out in the world. It did help in times of crisis but I would not give money or any other type of gift to someone I have not meet in person because you never know, it could be a scam.

Stage- Chapter 3 140-147 & 157-165

I thought that the authors made some good points in this reading. The first, that you need to feel comfortable and safe in the subculture that you're observing. You don't want to sacrifice either one for the sake of research. Also I thought that there were some good tips inside box 13, that talked about reading an artifact. After being part of a subculture it may be hard to remember what it was like not to understand terminology or to think something's new and exciting.
A good example of this is Skye Angus's Confessions of a Blog Addict. He admits that he's already part of the group but he still is aware that some may not fully understand the terminology or understand what makes it special. So he goes slow in introducing it, which may be handy in my particular project because I am researching a part of life most have left behind and forgotten.

Chapter 3 pg.140-147

This reading was not as informative as others I have read but, the section about the coil baskets I found very interesting.  It talks about what information we can gather from artifacts in our subculture. I thought it would be a great way to learn more for not only the project but in general.  I would really enjoy finding an artifact that relates to teaching or teaching methods.  My plan is to continue to search for something interesting along those lines.

Blogging!!!!

Blogging kind of intrigues me. I was always the girl who had the diary that my little brother got into. Having a "safe" and anomynous place to write down my stresses and feeling would be very good for me. I also believe that I would get sucked in. It was start as just once a week... but I am sure that soon enough it would consume my life. I am still tempted to start a blog. I really like how Skye let her sub-culture consume her. She became the sub-culture. I would really like belonging to my sub-culture just ot get a REAL inside view, but I definitely have no intentions of changing majors.

Blogging=Life

Blogging sounds like something I would fall into the trap of. After what Skye wrote and how she thought she would never get sucked in, I feel the same way. She thought it would never entice her or that she would get as wrapped up in it, but she did. I used to be a person who thought many things were stupid. I never thought all of the shows on MTV were good, the reality shows to be specific. Another thing was country music. It sounded way too twangy for my listening pleasures. Now, after being forced to listen to it, I enjoy it. I am going to my first country concert, Darius Rucker, during spring break. It isn't something I am excited about, but it is much further than I would have ever gone in the past. MTV is another thing that has changed my life. I am addicted to ABDC (America's Best Dance Crew) and Real World: Brooklyn. Now I watch them religiously and even try to mimic what the dancers do on ABDC. My roommate makes fun of me for saying 'ABDC,' but I am hooked and can't stop watching. As a kid I got addicted to infomercials. The Ronco- "Set it and, Forget it!" captivated my attention so much that I watched it four times, and it lasted for an hour. All of this hard evidence leads me to believe that I would DEF. blog religiously. I wouldn't be able to stop. So that is why I am only going to blog for this class and then stop after it ends. Thank you Mrs. Evans.

You need to be comfortable

Reading these pages made me realize how it is really important to be comfortable with the subculture you are studying. It is okay to study a subculture that you aren't part of, or even one that you would never join, but you need to be comfortable with the group of people and have a sense of being able to relate to them in order to observe it to your full capacity. It is important for you to feel comfortable and the people you are observing to feel comfortable while you are researching and working with a specific subculture. Certain groups that you may be interested in, may be dangerous for you to observe. For example, if I thought the Mafia was an interesting subculture, I could observe them and hang out with them, but it probably wouldn't be safe for me to do so and I doubt members of the Mafia would ever let me observe them no matter how interested in I was. You have to be comfortable, respectful, motivated and honest with yourself while observing a certain fieldsite and this chapter really stressed how important that is to have as part of this project. 

Chapter 3 pgs 140-147, 159-165: Respect and Appreciation of a Subculture

During this reading I began to realize the how valuable it was to research a subculture where you were welcome and have more than just interest in but also respect. Like Jake, the student who wanted to do his project on skinheads. He was never fully welcome there, nor did he want to be. Therefore, his subject would never really work. Also, you cannot just expect to be fully welcome in an unknown subculture. Like Harvey DuMarce, who thought he could just walk into a tribal meeting and be immediately welcome. We have to realize everyone’s subculture is special and sacred to them. Saying we are doing a study on it is not a good enough excuse. It is best to get permission before butting in.
I also realized when I am finished with this project I will come to appreciate my subculture and how unique it really is.

Ch. 3 Blogging

I thought Skye Angus's positioning on blogging was very interesting. She went into her study assuming that all bloggers were nerdy, but she soon found out that all kinds of people have blogs. She also used it as a way to keep up to date on what was going on with people in her family. I think that most people use blogs to do this. I also think that most people find blogs as a good way to vent.I thought it was pretty cool that one blogger was able to get people to put money into his Paypal account. Obviously the guy has some readers that like his blog a lot. By having such loyal readers his is able to get people to give him money. This guy has obviously found out that blogs can be used for more things than a diary. I have read of this before where people have a coffee fund, and this goes directly into their Paypal account. I think it is a very clever way to get some money. It is also a good way for these authors to be rewarded for all of the time they put into their blogs.