Webs of significance
Just before the class jumped into to the cultural understanding block of the semester, we were assigned a reading called Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture. Some parts of the reading went over my head until we had in class discussions. I really gravitated towards Geertz webs of significance portion of the reading. I felt that this portion of Thick description better helped me understand how certain things in culture were more in depth and enigmatic than what meets the eye. As I done my observations on my ethnography paper I kept this in mind, and it became clear exactly what webs of significance meant. In society certain gestures or looks can mean a multitude of things and it all depends on who interprets it and the context in which the action occurs. During my online blog I discussed one of gestures we have in America and how it is perceived. I think writing in the blog about the reading helped me further understand not only cultural interpretations but also helped a long way in determining how to write about my own perceptions. Below is my webs of significance blog it details why we as people see things the way we do.
Drafting a Report
For the first time on any report I was assigned I drafted and wrote about what I was doing. In my online notebook I began to discuss what I was doing piece by piece each week. This was actually a major push forward because before then my thoughts were vague and fuzzy. Ideas were concocted in my head and as I wrote them I felt there was a trail leading me via my OLN to the final destination. First I stated what group I was studying for my report and why I was studying them. Second I asked myself questions in the blog about key elements of their culture and how I could incorporate those into my paper. As I done my observations I took notes about the scenery and tried to figure how to bring that into the setting of my paper, and I felt I successfully conquered that task. In the OLN I also talked about how the workshops help me in writing process by giving me critique and analysis as the author I may not have seen. Below are three of my OLN's detailing how I got to my final draft.
I took a couple of screenshots of my brainstorming ideas(link below) to give a look into what I had going on in my head at the time. I felt like I was climbing through a spider web it was messy but i put down the setting first and that in turn help me lay down the groundwork for the rest of my paper. Things really started to come together I equate it to a jigsaw puzzle. We all know how it looks crazy when pulling the pieces out of the box, but when we start to put them in place it becomes easy to see where the next piece goes.
I took a couple of screenshots of my brainstorming ideas(link below) to give a look into what I had going on in my head at the time. I felt like I was climbing through a spider web it was messy but i put down the setting first and that in turn help me lay down the groundwork for the rest of my paper. Things really started to come together I equate it to a jigsaw puzzle. We all know how it looks crazy when pulling the pieces out of the box, but when we start to put them in place it becomes easy to see where the next piece goes.
Ethnography and my understanding
By far the biggest writing challenge of the semester for me was the Ethnography project. I had absolutely no clue what ethnography was before. Well actually I may have understood what it was, but I never heard the term before. The elements that it consisted of though were present in my everyday life unbeknownst to me. Initially I thought it was complex, and I felt I was trapped in a labyrinth. After some reading and discussions I began to peel back the layers, and see quintessential meaning. What it all boils down to in one's perception or interpretation of actions, and words that exists in a culture of people. The first observation we done in class felt intrusive and creepy. I sat at the Chic-fil-A watching some guy's every move and recording them. The observation was uncomfortable at first, but after a while it felt natural because its something I do often. Everyone observes and records things in their minds and makes judgement accordingly. As I began research for the ethnography paper I tried to get a grasp of the elements that make up ethnography. The face system faction seemed to toughest for me at first, but after about two good observations I began to see exactly what it was. After days of research, writing notes, and doing interviews my ideas began to flow. I really enjoyed the paper after reading over it, and seeing how I turned something I had never done before into what I believe was my best writing of the year. I chose to lay out a story format which was easier and I felt more conducive to getting my point across and engaging the reader. I used quotes and small portions of conversations to display discourse and ideologies. I wrote out the whole paper in my writer's notebook and analyzed every paragraph, revising and editing if necessary. The ethnography project was the first time I ever mapped out a paper, used detailed research and made one cohesive piece of work. This paper I believe was the shining example of my growth as a writer.