By describing a phenomenon in sufficient detail one can begin to evaluate the extent to which the conclusions drawn are transferable to other times, settings, situations, and people.

Observation and Thick Description (total 800-1200) Part 11) Choose a place (can be anywhere you have access to)2) observe from one viewpoint (place/position) for 60 minutes. 3) Take copious notes. You must document everything you see (EVERYTHING….but that’s not possible…I know, so you have to try really hard). You should have several pages of notes.Part II1) Review your notes. Identify what you have seen. Identify patterns. Organize your notes into themes/points.Part III1)Produce a memo on what you saw and documented. A memo is a note yourself and collaborators about your findings during a project. Memos should be 800 to 1200 words and include both quantitative and qualitative analysis A) what you saw B) how much of it C) how long. D) qualitative analysis can not be counted, it is descriptive and analytical. What are your conclusions? These must be supported by your findings.Part IVChoose something from your observation and provide a thick description. ~100- 150 wordschoose a scene, a place, an object or interaction and provide a “thick description”. Choose your words and phrasing to give meaning and life to your observations. Colors, tastes, texture, flavor, feel, smells, emotion, movement, fluidity, etc. The reader should be transported to your scene. take notes or a picture so that you don’t have to write purely from memory. Bring your picture to class/AttachThick description is described by Lincoln and Guba (1985) as a way of achieving a type of external validity. By describing a phenomenon in sufficient detail one can begin to evaluate the extent to which the conclusions drawn are transferable to other times, settings, situations, and people.The term thick descriptions was first used by Ryle (1949) and later by Geertz (1973) who applied it in ethnography. Thick descripton refers to the detailed account of field experiences in which the researcher makes explicit the patterns of cultural and social relationships and puts them in context (Holloway, 1997).This can be contrasted with thin description, which is a superficial account.