Etnography & Survey Research in Anthropology

In this post the writer is going to discuss the main differences between ethnography and survey research in anthropology.

Ethnography

Ethnography is the method of qualitative research. The intention of Ethnography is to provide a detailed, in-depth information of everyday life. The data produced uses less statistical/numeric data because the investigated participants tends  The method of this research is observation, requiring the ethnographer to have dual role: as a participant in the community and as an observer. Ethnographers can observe based on the following methods:

• Covert observational research - The researchers do not identify themselves, Either they mix in with the subjects undetected, or they observe from a distance. Adventage: The subjects’ behavior will not be contaminated by the presence of the researcher. 
• Overt observational research - The researchers identify themselves as researchers and explain the purpose of their observations. The problem with this approach is subjects may modify their behavior when they know they are being watched. They portray their “ideal self” rather than their true self.

It is usually conducted in the communities that do not read or write, because there would be difficulties to apply the method of survey research to this community (e.g. questionnaire). This method goes beyond reporting an event, it also represent the "webs of meaning" (Clifford Geertz). It also represents the "insider's point of view", allowing the information to emerge from the ethnographic encounter rather than imposing there from existing models

Survey Research

Survey research is the method of quantitative research. This method studies the community as a whole, taking a great number of respondents in the research. The method begins to apply when modern community starts to evolve, where the trait is literate people who is able to read and write; allowing them to complete survey research's methods. This method requires less representative participants as sample from the community, but relies heavily to numerical/statistical data (in order to represent larger, wider and diverse community). Differs from ethnography, survey research is often conducted with little or no personal contact at all with participants. The method of this research is listed below:

• Mail surveys - sent to a preselected sample of people, with instructions on how to fill out the survey and return it enclosed.
• Personal interviews - conducted by an associate of the researcher or the actual researcher. These usually take place either at a research facility, their home, or a neutral, public place.
• Telephone Interviews - reduces both cost and time from doing them in person, and means a wider population can be reached for sampling, including people far from the research base and people who work during the day.
• Internet Surveys - it’s easy and cheap to get many responses from a wide variety of demographic, and it’s also easy to poll people that fit a certain profile.

Information gathered from many sources:

• "What is Ethnography?" at http://www.brianhoey.com/General%20Site/general_defn-ethnography.htm (quoted at March 18th 2014)
• "Observational Techniques" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observational_techniques (quoted at March 18th 2014)
• Bina Nusantara PPT "Human Realities", slide 116-117
• "Survey Research" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_research#Methods (quoted at March 18th 2014)