One of anthropology's leading writers on ethnographic methods, Harry Wolcott discusses the fundamental nature of ethnographic studies. Tracing its development from its disciplinary origins in sociology and anthropology, he points out what is distinctive about ethnography and what it means to conduct research in the ethnographic tradition. In this engaging and thought-provoking book, Wolcott distinguishes ethnography as more than just a set of field methods and practices, separating it from many related qualitative research traditions as 'a way of seeing' through the lens of culture. For both beginning and experienced ethnographers in a wide range of disciplines, Wolcott's book will provide important ideas for improving research practice.

One of anthropology's leading writers on ethnographic methods, Harry Wolcott discusses the fundamental nature of ethnographic studies. Tracing its development from its disciplinary origins in sociology and anthropology, he points out what is distinctive about ethnography and what it means to conduct research in the ethnographic tradition. In this engaging and thought-provoking book, Wolcott distinguishes ethnography as more than just a set of field methods and practices, separating it from many related qualitative research traditions as 'a way of seeing' through the lens of culture. For both beginning and experienced ethnographers in a wide range of disciplines, Wolcott's book will provide important ideas for improving research practice.

This book is a reprint of a now classic text dealing with Wolcott's dissertation topic on the study of a Kwakiutl Indian village and the one-room school he taught at Village Island in the Alert Bay region of British Columbia. Within the book, Wolcott's interest in anthropology and training as an educator are blended together to present a unique look into the educational training of Indian children. Village life and the social environment from which young Indian children learn cultural conventions are skillfully contrasted with the formal, structured educational system-of which Wolcott as a teacher is part of-within the village. In showing these two opposing educational systems, the author is able to highlight problems that arise and additionally the issues which come from an ethnographer being involved in a situation more than through just observation.

Harry Wolcott's ground-breaking anthropological study into the life of an elementary school principal is now reprinted in a new edition. One of the first studies of its kind, Wolcott uses an mircoenthnographic approach to analyze a single occupation within urban American society. Originally written in 1973, the text skillfully applies anthropological concepts and methodology to the realm of education. This new edition features an updated preface written by the author.

In Teachers Versus Technocrats, author Harry Wolcott draws on his dual perspective as an educator and an anthropologist to provide a unique and penetrating look at the dynamics of a federally funded research and development project and to analyze what happened when university researchers and school district administrators attempted to introduce an experimental planning and evaluation system in an operating school district. Based on three years of research in which Wolcott uses a variety of anthropological field techniques, this study into the school's SPECS (School Planning, Evaluation, and Communication System) program reveals insight into the project's impact on teachers and administrators and analyzes the basic cultural patterns and relationships among educators. Originally published in 1977, this new edition includes an updated preface by the author and should be valuable to educators and anthropologists alike.

Harry Wolcott takes the reader inside the process of constructing an ethnographic study, offering a wealth of lessons from one of the masters. In this concise primer, he provides a set of models from which to organize a study, explains how to pick the various components that go into the ethnographic report, advises on how to create analogies and metaphors to help explain your work, and identifies the key features of an effective ethnography. He also discusses the role of serendipity and questions of ethics in doing ethnographic work. Learn the essentials of ethnography from one of the masters.

Harry Wolcott takes the reader inside the process of constructing an ethnographic study, offering a wealth of lessons from one of the masters. In this concise primer, he provides a set of models from which to organize a study, explains how to pick the various components that go into the ethnographic report, advises on how to create analogies and metaphors to help explain your work, and identifies the key features of an effective ethnography. He also discusses the role of serendipity and questions of ethics in doing ethnographic work. Learn the essentials of ethnography from one of the masters.

In this long-anticipated second edition of The Art of Fieldwork, prominent anthropologist Harry F. Wolcott updates his original groundbreaking text, which both challenges and petitions anthropology and its practitioners to draw not only on the traditional precepts of science, but also on the richness of artistry in the collection, interpretation, and expression of fieldwork data. Each of the original chapters have been thoughtfully revised to reflect the past nine years of anthropological development. Combined with a new final chapter, this refreshing text makes an exciting reentry into the ongoing debate of the processes, challenges, and rewards of fieldwork methodology. Researchers in qualitative methods and field methods and fieldworkers across disciplines will find this well-crafted, approachable book a thought-provoking read."

Writing Up Qualitative Research, Third Edition offers time-tested suggestions on every aspect of the process from beginning to end. In this new edition, author Harry Wolcott continues to focus on the writing side of qualitative research, while incorporating new features such as guidelines on how and where to use theory.

Key Features

Offers practical suggestions for preparing an article or book for publicationUses lively examples from the author s more than 40 years of experienceProvidessuggestions on how to proceed with the mechanics of preparing a manuscript Includes pointers on how to improve or jump-start the writing processFeatures a most robust and accessible pedagogy

This text is ideal as a supplementary text in any upper-level undergraduate or graduate seminar on the research process.Praise for the Third Edition Writing up Qualitative Research has CHIME compassion, humor, intelligence, mindfulness of humanity, and empirical evidence. Wolcott s empathic compassion is a major strength. The content of every chapter shows that Wolcott has fel and grappled with all the same anxieties and fears of writers at every level. Sonja Peterson-Lewis, "Temple University"

His style is good, down to earth, and easy to understand for both undergraduate and graduate. Joseph Wronka, Springfield College

The Wolcott text is much more reader-friendly and writer-friendly. It offer remarkable support for the writing process, compared to traditional texts. Judy K. C. Bentley, "SUNY at Cortland"

The conversational style makes the book inviting and accessible. It is comprehensive, addressing the various aspects of writing ranging from setting up to where to write to get published. It teaches and motivates with being didactic or arrogant. Pat Maslin-Ostrowski, "Florida Atlantic University""

Written in an accessible style this volume tackles such topics as beginning to write, continuing to write, editing and getting published, and ensuring that the researcher's final account is written so well that the qualitative study is also a quality one. It is indispensable not only to qualitative researchers but to anyone engaged in social research for whom the link between conducting research and writing it up appears more of an obstacle than an opportunity.

Recipient of the 1994 Critics? Choice Award from the American Educational Studies Association

"Wolcott offers a. . . cornucopia of advice. . . . Wolcott shares suggestions gleaned from his professional life. . . there is much that is useful to program evaluators and to students of program evaluation. . . . Wolcott offers an important. . . supplementary reading to a course on evaluation methods."

--Linda Mabry in Evaluation and Program Planning

"This book would be an excellent purchase for those either contemplating a qualitative research project, or who are currently sitting on a pile of data with which they don?t know what to do."

--Journal of Psychology and Christianity

"This book would be useful reading for researchers at various levels of sophistication and various stages in their careers. As an educator, I found the insights relevant to the teaching of qualitative research in general. As a researcher, I felt engaged by the discussions and found them relevant to research-in-process decisions. I would also recommend this book to researchers at the beginning of their careers who could benefit from reflecting on many of the questions raised."

--Barbara Bowers, Nursing Research

"The book offers communication researchers some of the best recent work on qualitative inquiry in the human disciplines. . . . Published by Sage, the leading publisher of qualitative research in the social sciences today. . . . Harry F. Wolcott is a master ethnographer, and for over three decades he has charted an interpretive, postpositivist approach to the anthropology of educational practices. In this collection, which rereads a number of his classic articles, he finally breaks from this tradition and openly embraces a fully post-foundational approach to validity and textual authority. . . . This book should be on the shelf of every qualitative researcher. . . . This work brings the communication scholar up-to-date on where qualitative methods are in current sociological and educational discourse."

--Norman K. Denzin in Journal of Communication

"When I received Transforming Qualitative Research I immediately perused the book and was excited and enthusiastic about Wolcott?s focus on those aspects of qualitative research that are the most vexing for novices such as doctoral students, as well as experienced individuals. The chapters of the book are so well written and replete with colorful analogies and metaphors that the reader glides through the pages easily and attentively. . . . The final chapters of his new book discussing the teaching of qualitative research and the role of the instructor are extremely valuable. In my opinion, Transforming Qualitative Data will shortly become a classic in our field."

--Edith W. King, University of Denver

"Harry F. Wolcott?s new book is stunning--a penultimate statement capping a brilliant career. The text weaves between the old and the new, repositioning Wolcott?s classic interpretive works, now read against the new postmodern turn in ethnography. A must work for all qualitative scholars."

--Norman Denzin, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

"This is more than a ''how-to book.'' Wolcott conceptualizes, contextualizes, and qualifies qualitative research in a way that only a humane, mature, and reflective professional could. Educators, social scientists of all persuasions, and even the ''educated lay person'' can benefit from a reading of it."

--George Spindler, Stanford University

"Wolcott is one of the most refreshing writers in the behavioral sciences today. With his characteristic light touch and whimsical humor, he transforms Transforming Qualitative Data from a book read because you have to, to one read because you can?t put it down. The volume belies the widespread academic belief that a book must be very serious to be taken seriously."

--Ronald P. Rohner, University of Connecticut

(long version of copy)

After the glamour of working in the field is over, you now face the daunting challenge of transforming your field notes and interview tapes into a completed study. But where do you start? In Transforming Qualitative Data, Harry F. Wolcott guides you through the process of completing your research study. Beginning with an introductory chapter that presents his views on ethnography, he explores the transformation process by breaking it down into three related activities: description, analysis, and interpretation. To illustrate each point, he critically examines his own work, using nine of his previous studies as illustrations. Then he shows you how to learn--and to teach--qualitative research by applying the three principles outlined in the volume.

Written with the usual wit and brilliance shown in Wolcott?s work, Transforming Qualitative Data is a major statement on doing research by one of the master ethnographers of our time. (short version of copy)

Qualitatively oriented researchers recognize that knowing what to do with data collected during fieldwork is more perplexing than fieldwork itself, although that aspect of qualitative inquiry has received little attention. In Transforming Qualitative Data, Harry F. Wolcott examines description, analysis, and interpretation as major alternatives among which researchers choose according to their purposes. To illustrate, he critically explores nine selections from his own previous work.