What you'll learn
- how ethnographic surveys should be created
- how to prepare for a survey by investigating a research topic
- the ethics involved in survey research
- validity and reliability in survey research
- how to write survey questions
- how to create a survey with an attractive layout
- the basics of coding quantitative and qualitative data
- how to calculate a few types of basic data analyses
Requirements
- software to open PDFs, if you want to complete worksheets on your computer (instead of printing them out)
- a printer, paper, and a pen or pencil, if you want to print out PDF worksheets and write on them
Description
Have you ever wondered how Cultural Anthropologists get their information about people around the world? Well, there are many types of research methods that Cultural Anthropologists use, including participant observation, interviews, focus groups, and more. In this introductory course on research methods in Anthropology, the focus will be on surveys.
You might have taken a survey at some point in your life—maybe you were on a website, and a pop-up window asks if you could answer a few questions. Or, maybe you got a phone call, and someone wanted to ask you a few questions about something. Or, maybe you received a questionnaire in the mail, and you were asked to answer some questions on a form and send the form back. All of these are types of surveys. So, surveys seem simple—it's just asking people questions, and recording their answers, right? Well, there’s actually a lot more involved in doing a survey.
In this introductory course for beginners, you will learn the basics of creating surveys. In Unit 1, you will learn about the field of Anthropology and survey use in Anthropology. In Unit 2, you will learn about preparing for a survey by deciding on a research topic and research question. In Unit 3, you will learn about research ethics, including the history of research ethics and the ethics involved in surveys. In Unit 4, you will learn about constructing a survey, including writing survey questions and designing the survey’s layout. In Unit 5, you will learn about survey administration, and in Unit 6, you will learn the basics of survey analysis. In Unit 7, you will learn about a real-world example where Anthropologists used a survey.
In this course, you will watch a combination of talking head videos and PowerPoint lectures. At the end of each unit, there is a short activity to help you explore the course content. After each activity, there is a short quiz of about 5 questions. Then, at the end of the course, there is a final assignment where you can go out “in the field” and be like an Anthropologist!
This course is part of my “Anthropology 4U" series of Anthropology courses. The courses can be taken in any order, and you don't need to know anything about Anthropology to take these courses.
Enroll now, and learn about creating surveys! I hope to see you in class!
Who this course is for:
- someone who knows nothing (or only a little) about research methods in Anthropology, and wants to learn
- someone who is taking a college class about research methods in Anthropology and wants more information
Instructor
Hi! I'm Keirsten Snover and I'm an Anthropologist! I'm the founder of Anthropology 4U, a small business aimed at bringing the 4 fields of Anthropology to the average person.
Educational Background
I earned a Master's Degree in Medical Anthropology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. I also have a Master's degree in Interdisciplinary History & Anthropology, as well as a B.A. in Anthropology from Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Washington.
Professional Experience
I have worked as a professional Medical Anthropologist for the Cleveland Clinic medical center, which is ranked the #2 hospital in the world. I also have worked for Archaeological & Historical Services, a respected Archaeology research company in Washington state.
Teaching Experience
My teaching experience includes 3 years as a frequent guest lecturer at Eastern Washington University. I also taught workshops in Forensic Anthropology through the Future Connections Program in Cleveland, Ohio, and also through the Gear Up Education Grant in Cheney, Washington. I have also taught Archaeology workshops through the Spokane Public Schools' Tessera Program. In addition, I have 5 years of experience as a Teaching Assistant for the Departments of Anthropology at Case Western Reserve University and Eastern Washington University.
Research Experience
I have presented research at several professional conferences. For example, I studied disease and poverty in Nairobi, Kenya, and then presented my research, titled "The Intersection of Disease and Poverty in Slum Communities Around Nairobi, Kenya" at the 10th Annual Eastern Washington University Research and Creative Works Symposium in Cheney, Washington. As another example, I presented research as a contributing author on behalf of my research team at the Cleveland Clinic. The title was, "Preparing for a Genomic Future: Assessing the Educational Needs of Professionals in Clinical Genetics" and it was presented at the 13th Annual Meeting of the National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (NCHPEG) in Bethesda, Maryland.
Professional Publishing
I have several published articles in professional journals, including the following:
2018: Contributing Author for Thematic Feature Interview Forum: Space and the Outer Limits of Archaeology. International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology 4:19-27.
2015: Access to Resources in Astrobiology: A Consideration for Astrobiology Outreach. Astrosociological Insights 4(1):19-20.
2008: The Spanish Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919: The Spokane Experience. Master's Thesis, Eastern Washington University.
2007: Contributing Author for Channeled Scabland Archaeology: Investigations at the Cattle Guard Site, Department of Geography and Anthropology, Eastern Washington University Report Series No. 6.
2005: Malaria in Africa: Is America Part of the Solution or Part of the Problem. Journal of Northwest Anthropology, 39(2): 189-194.
2005: Perceptions of Malaria among Western Populations and the Wandamba of Eastern Africa: A Cross-Cultural Comparison. Lambda Alpha Journal 35: 29-36.
About Me
I am a single mom with two children, a boy (age 18) and a girl (age 23). In my free time, I like to read and paint abstract art (with watercolors and acrylic). I also enjoy "hiking" in my wheelchair in the Dishman Hills Natural Area near my home in Spokane Valley, Washington.