Blog #2

This week we looked into four research methods for our term papers: questionnaires, interviews, observation and participant-observation. The one that struck me as most important was observation. Some of the advantages of observation include the ability to passively participate, take notes, and being able to experience first hand. Reading appendix B in The Emergence of Folklore in Everyday Life, discussing rural folklore in context and character, shed some light into observation. The author observed the character of individuals in small rural communities, and tried to determine if their values were diminishing due to growing infrastructure and communication. From observing a teacher,Ray Vaughn in one of his classes in small town North Vernon Indiana, the  author was able to show how the rural culture came out in Mr. Vaughn's expressions and personalities.

"What's this? Looks like a drunk chicken walked across this paper," he jokes with a student. "How about 96 percent. No I don't give 100s. Everyone knows 100s are scarcer than hen's teeth."

I believe using observation could prove to be the most informative research method. If I want to study a groups religion, for example, knowing nothing of their culture, attending a sermon or something of similar stature would be an easy way to get an insight to that groups values. Of course interviews would also be informative, but my belief is first hand experience has the most substance. The author of appendix b could have interviewed Mr. Vaughn and came away with the same thesis, but by showing the observation of the interaction between Mr. Vaughn and his students showed in an interesting way how the culture actually acts.