Anthropology 390: Community-Based Research Methods introduces the basic concepts, principles, and issues surrounding community-based research methods. You will gain some insight into the contrasts and complementarities between Western and Indigenous methodologies—how they differ, and what each brings to the whole picture. This course will introduce the concept of ethics in research so that you will be able to apply for ethics approval from an ethics committee as part of a community-based research project. The units of the Study Guide will direct you through the process of carrying out a small-scale research project, while exposing you to varying perspectives about the methodologies used in ethnographic research.
Outline
Unit 1: Introduction
Unit 2: Finding a Topic and Doing Background Research
Unit 3: Research Ethics
Unit 4: Oral Traditions and Mapping
Unit 5: Information Gathering
Unit 6: Information Analysis
Unit 7: Reporting
Unit 8: Verification, Reflection, and Revision
Learning outcomes
The objectives of this course are to
demystify the research process;
build your confidence when choosing and executing appropriate methods for carrying out community-based research;
prepare you to successfully adhere to ethical guidelines;
expose you to varying perspectives on appropriate social science research methods; and
enable you to acquire the skills to complete a community-based research project.
Evaluation
To obtain credit for ANTH 390, you must submit eight journal entries and six assignments. You must achieve a grade of at least 50 percent on each of the six major assignments, andD (50 percent) for the overall course mark.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1: Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography
10%
Assignment 2: Applying for Ethics Approval
10%
Assignment 3: Edited Field Notes
10%
Assignment 4: Database, Maps, Charts
10%
Assignment 5: Research Paper or Report
26%
Assignment 6: Reflection and Revision
10%
Journal Entries (8 entries)
24% (3% each)
Total
100%
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Reid, Colleen, Lorraine Greaves, and Sandra Kirby. 2017. Experience Research Social Change: Critical Methods. 3rd ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. (Print)
Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. 2021. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. 3rd ed. London: Zed Books. (Print)
Wilson, Shawn. 2008. Research Is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods. Black Point, NS: Fernwood Publishing. (Print)
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.