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Chapter 10

Writing Exercises

Writing Exercises: Inquiring into Details

Writing Exercises: Inquiring into Details

You've collected a lot of field notes on the group you've selected. Now what do you do? Try to organize your thinking about what you've seen so far. Try working through the following three steps in your journal in preparation for drafting your sketch. You can use the boxes below to develop your ideas, or write directly into your notebook. (See page 420 in your textbook.)

This activity contains 3 questions.

	Narrative of Thought. Tell the story of how your thinking has evolved. When you first chose your subject, what did you think about that culture? What assumptions did you make and what did you expect to find? and then? and then? and then? and how about now? You can use the boxes below to develop your ideas, or write directly into your notebook.   To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

	Look at Strands in the Web. Which of the following features of a culture apply to the one you're studying? You can use the boxes below to develop your ideas, or write directly into your notebook. Shared language (i.e., are there "insider" phrases and words that have significance to group members?) Shared artifacts (i.e., are there objects that have particular significance to group members?) Common rituals and traditions (i.e., are there patterns of behavior that surround certain activities, or are there historical understandings of how something must be done?) Shared beliefs and attitudes (i.e., are there common attitudes towards other insiders, towards outsiders, towards new initiates; do group members share beliefs in the significance of the group and its activities?) Common motivations (i.e., do members participate for some of the same reasons?)   To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

	Examine One Strand. Choose one of the features above. Use the box below or write directly into your notebook to generate specific evidence from your research or fieldwork that supports your claim.   To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

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