Watching Closely

Ethnographers rely on three related activities to conduct research in the field: observation conversation and participation. Observing others in their environments and using this data to inform and share conclusions is an essential part of any fieldworker''s toolkit. However many ethnographers'' observational muscles tend to be their weakest. Fortunately Christena Nippert-Eng''s Watching Closely: A Guide to Ethnographic Observation provides a practical interactive guide for improving one''s powers of observation. The book includes nine exercises for practicing observational skills including a preparatory briefing and post-exercise discussion. Nippert-Eng also offers a weblink to sample responses from her previous students providing an additional resource beyond the text itself. Beyond the traditional tenets of field work Watching Closely encourages readers to pursue more creative ways of collecting and analyzing data such as sketching diagramming and photography as well as developing more concrete expectations for the potential uses and meanings of ethnographic data. Engaging and accessible Watching Closely offers a guide for readers to not only strengthen their core skills and mindset as fieldworkers but also to produce research that is more scientifically rigorous and persuasive. From social and behavioral scientists to user-centered designers and architects undergraduate students to experienced fieldworkers a vast array of readers will reap the benefits of learning more about how we observe.