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Chapter 4
Explanation and Evidence
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Explanations
 An explanation is an answer to a why
question.
Theories are explanations of
associations or Relationships
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Why Theories Cannot Be Proved
Theories can never be proved with
absolute certainty.
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Generating Theories
Two methods have helped
anthropologists produce explanations
of cultural phenomena:
Single-case analysis
Comparative study
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Evidence: Testing Explanations
Operationalization
Sampling
Statistical Evaluation
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Evidence: Testing Explanations
Operationalization
In order to ensure research is done
accurately, a researcher typically
provides an operational definition
of each concept/variable.
How will the variable be
measured?
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Types of Research in Cultural
Anthropology
Ethnography
Within-Culture Comparisons
Regional Controlled Comparisons
Cross-Cultural Research
Historical Research
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Types of Research in Cultural
Anthropology
Ethnography
After doing fieldwork, an
anthropologist may prepare an
ethnography, or a description and
analysis of a single society.
Ethics in Fieldwork
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Types of Research in Cultural
Anthropology
Within-Culture Comparisons
Testing a theory within one society
comparing individuals, families,
households, communities, or
districts, for example.
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Types of Research in Cultural
Anthropology
Regional Controlled Comparisons
An ethnographic comparison
between societies in the same or
similar region.
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Types of Research in Cultural
Anthropology
Cross-Cultural Research
Worldwide comparisons between
societies having and those lacking a
particular characteristic.
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Types of Research in Cultural
Anthropology
Ethnohistory consists of studies
based on descriptive materials
about a single society at more than
one point in time.
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Types of Research in Cultural
Anthropology
Historical Research (ethnohistory)
consists of studies based on
descriptive materials about a single
society at more than one point in
time.
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