For this class, we are getting to the end of the work. 1 more week of lectures, 2 more of tutorials and no finals, means that all that there is to do is the final essay this weeks readings are there to help with this final essay; taking into account the last few steps of the final interviews and the actual writing of the beast.
For my study, with knowing my participant quite well, I decided to take the line of a semi-structured ethnographic conversation. I chose to follow the semi-structured style as I pretty much know my focus areas, and what I needed to gather more information on – however I still wanted the participant to be an active part, I wanted to keep the interview balanced with input coming in from both sides. The subject (for some strange reason) wanted some input from me, to see as to why I was asking these questions, and what it all meant in the big picture. The structured interview process I felt limited the openness, the flow of the interaction; while the unstructured interview I felt would not provide any of the scaffolding I needed to get to the meat of the information.
The ethnographic interview provided me with the time to ask questions, and it also allowed me to conduct most of my interviews in a casual, working setting, which even helped to remind my subject about some things that they had forgotten, and tap into their previous feelings. It also benefited the subject and myself, as it worked alongside the information I had already gathered from previous interviews and the diary that had been taken.
I am still going though the writing stages of the essay. Like the chapter says, the writing process has changed my original intentions almost completely. writing the draft, developing the ideas – not much of the first plan that I had sketched out has stayed the same. Not that I had expected it to. However, with writing the section headings, I can work on different parts at roughly the same time. It is true that each part leads into each other in many ways, but it is helpful to change between the parts quickly and refresh what I am doing. It also serves as a reminder for me to stay to the point. Looking up, seeing what the main aim is, surprisingly, helps.
So, is this essay going to work out? One way to find out….
