COURSE OVERVIEW

The aim of this short course is to introduce researchers to the uses of social survey techniques in ethnographic research. The following topics will be discussed:

• survey research design
• sampling strategies
• linking ethnographic and survey data
• construction of interview schedules
• interviewing techniques in survey research
• training interviewers
• data quality control
• coding and entering data
• data analytic strategies for survey data.

The emphasis in the course will be on the unique applications of various kinds of social survey techniques in anthropology. As such, the focus will be on how to incorporate social survey techniques in ethnographic research, where the principal aim is to test hypotheses of relevance to anthropological theory. The course will consist of readings, seminar discussions, formal presentations, and hands-on, practical experience. Course content will be organized around the instructors’ field experiences in Peru, Brazil, Mexico, the West Indies, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The use of statistical packages (principally ANTHROPAC and SPSS) at home and in the field will be a central component of the course. Participants in the course are required to have laptop computers; versions of ANTHROPAC and SPSS will be supplied. A basic understanding of univariate and bivariate statistics is strongly encouraged. This course will best serve those who are actively engaged in carrying out or developing a project.

COURSE DEVELOPERS

William W. Dressler

University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

wdressle@as.ua.edu

Kathryn S. Oths

University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

koths@as.ua.edu

Daniel Hruschka

Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85281

Survey Research