Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 800 pages
• Published by: AltaMira Press
• Edition: 3rd Edition August 1, 2001
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0759101485
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0759101487
• Book Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 1.7 inches
• Weighs: 1.9 pounds

Product Description
A new edition of the best selling textbook in anthropological methods. Includes new examples, new material on text analysis, rapid ethnography, computers in the field, and other topics.

About The Author
H. RUSSELL BERNARD is professor of anthropology at the University of Florida. A expert on research methods, on writing and publishing in previously non-written languages, and on social network analysis, he is author of half a dozen books and editor of the journal Field Methods.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (Paperback) I read this work for a graduate class and found it very helpful. While not avoiding technical language, the author clearly explains concepts in everyday vocabulary. The first chapter on cultural anthropology and social science almost reads like a novel as the author traces the development of science, social science and related fields. The introduction of humor, such as his observation that, when ordered to recant by the Inquisition, Galileo "nearly published and perished" (p. 6), gives the reader pleasure while learning important and sometimes challenging concepts. Another strength of the work's explanations is the author's variety of illustrations, taken from fieldwork in Greece, oceanographic research vessels, Mexico and other locations. The book covers the gamut of anthropological research methods, including research design issues, literature review, observations, interviews, surveys, and analysis of data. One particularly helpful section for the anthropological or qualitative researcher is a chapter on how to take, code and manage field notes. The practical nuts and bolts explanation gives the reader one method for handling field notes. Bernard notes, "I wish I had used this method when I was doing my own MA and Ph.D. fieldwork" (p. 181). The chapters on statistics, while not a substitute for a course in statistics, outlines basic concepts - z-scores, t-test, chi square and more - in basically lay terms. This work would be a good text for an introductory research course, as well as a helpful reference resource for more experienced students and researchers. Although the text has a relatively recent copyright (1995), the section on literature search is already outdated. For example, over four pages are needed to describe how to look up citations in the Social Sciences Citation Index. The SSCI is now available on line, greatly simplifying the search procedure. The OCLC is mentioned, but with the caveat that "while all major libraries (and thousands of minor libraries) throughout the industrialized world have OCLC, they don't give their patrons direct access to the system" (p.135); this is another example of outdated search information due to the rapid changes in these technologies. In spite of the need to update the technical information, the book provides a wealth of information in an understandable format.