Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
then comes directly from the memoranda and feedback generated throughout
the study. Thus, the ethnographer needs only to finish the final synthesis,
which explains how all the memoranda and the responses fit together.
Participants should have no significant surprises at the end of the process.
INTERIM REPORTS
Incontractresearchwork,interimreportsaremorecommonthanmemoranda.
These reports are preliminary summaries of the ethnographer's knowledge at
prespecified intervals during the study. These reports go to sponsors, partici-
pants,andcolleaguesforreview.Intestinganethnographer'sunderstandingof
the program or culture and allowing specific feedback for each aspect of the
report, interim reports are an invaluable contribution to the quality of the
research effort.
FINAL REPORTS, ARTICLES, AND TOPICS
The last stage in ethnographic research is writing the final report, article, or
book.These final products often represent the ethnographer's last opportunity
to present a refined, analyzed picture of the culture under study. These three
forms of highly crystallized expression require the same foundation of data,
hardwork,andinsightasdotheotherformsofwritingbutdifferintone,style,
format, distribution, and economic value in the marketplace.
The variety of reports, articles, and books is so great that in one chapter I
can do little more than discuss a few generic characteristics and guidelines for
each type.A brief review of the most common forms of ethnographic publish-
ing is essential, however, because sharing knowledge, which usually involves
publishing findings, is a critical part of an ethnographer's work. Publishing is
anethnographer'swayofsharingobservationsandconclusionsandthenlearn-
ing from the feedback generated by the published material.
A government report is typically more pragmatic than an article or book. It
is likely to have an immediate impact on the program or group under study.
Typically,theethnographerfocusesonaspecificpolicyissueinthereport.The
language is likely to be bureaucratese full of abstract jargon (words such as
prioritization
and
implementation
)—a must for communicating effectively
with government agencies.The report may contain a technical and a nontech-
nical compilation of the findings. It will typically have an executive summary
for policymakers who do not have the time or inclination to read the entire
