Problem Definition Assignment

When you begin a field research project or internship, it is important to think about why you are doing the project. What are you trying to achieve? What sociological or anthropological lessons might you and others learn? What problems or questions might you answer? What would make you feel that your experience was a success?

The following questions ask you to think through these issues. Type out an answer to each of them. Be prepared to discuss them in class and to hand in your work. Your answers to each question can be brief−a couple of sentences.

1. Why did you choose your internship or field assignment?

Responding to this item, think about what appealed to you about this setting when you first learned about it. What do you think you might learn? Are there larger theoretical questions you might address through your observations and field notes? If you have not taken sociology or anthropology courses this last question might not mean a lot to you. We still will want to talk about the question. Do not give a passive answer like, “I needed to choose an internship and this one seemed easy to get access to.”

2. What sociological or anthropological question or questions do you hope to answer by doing your field work?

Imagine that you are reading an article or a book about your field setting in a sociology or anthropology class and that it was written by someone with professional training in one of these disciplines. Think about what the central theme of the article or book might be, what argument the author might make, and/or what the author seeks to prove by providing this ethnographic narrative.

This will be an easier task if you have taken lots of courses in these fields. If you have not let your imagine play and make up an answer that sounds plausible to you. Try not to worry about sounding like you “know what you are talking about.” We are trying to get you to think about your setting from a “big picture” point of view.

3. Looking ahead to your field research involvement, what would make you feel like you had a successful experience?

Part of your answer to this question may be personal: it will feel successful if I am accepted; if I have a good relationship with my field supervisor; if I feel like I am treated in a professional manner; or if I have a satisfying experience completing my field assignment. Think also, however, about learning goals and analytic goals. Do not just say, “I will feel successful if I learn how an elementary school works.” Think about questions you have about the setting that you hope will be answered like, “How do teachers deal with discipline problem children in their classes?”

4. What kind of help from your teacher and T.A. would make you feel that they had done a good job in this class?

Many of the experiences you have in this class are beyond the control of your instructors. What can they give you that will make you feel that this has been a good semester? What is our job?