Collecting Thick Data

Overview

This class introduces students to the concept of “thick data,” or using an ethnographic approach to collect detailed, small-scale information about people. Compared to “big data” that relies on aggregated information, “thick data” focuses on the practices, experiences, and interactions of individual people and groups along with the context and meanings behind them.

Learning Goals

• Understand the concept of thick data
• Gain an introduction to ethnographic methods of data collection

Background Information

Review the following concepts and background information with stduents.

Big Data:

• Three V’s: Volume, Velocity, Variety
• Volume: massive quantity of data
• Velocity: accelerating speed of newly created data
• Variety: text, photo, video, etc., often “unstructured”

“Big Data” Hype:

• Phrase grew in popularity in early 2010s
• Championed by Silicon Valley and technology companies
• Based on the assumption that the best way to generate insights or solve problems is to look at massive amounts of data

Ethnography:

• The study of human cultures and communities
• Based on fieldwork, or immersion in a group or community you’re studying
• Observing and collecting qualitative data about that group or community

Thick Description:

• Coined by Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (1973)
• Not just observing surface actions, expressions, or situations, but interpreting their larger cultural and social meanings

When is a wink a wink? 😉

Compare these two stock photos:

• What is each person doing in these two photos?
• What is the meaning behind these expressions?
• How did you reach this conclusion?

This is a canonical example from the anthropologist, Clifford Geertz illustrating the importance of studying not just surface-level actions but the meanings behind them. The picture on the left is someone who is involuntarily squinting one eye because it’s bright outside. The person on the right is winking. Unlike other kinds of closing one’s eye, the factors that distinguish a wink are:

• Intentional
• Aimed at a particular audience
• Trying to get across a message
• Part of an established social code

Takeaway points:

• “Thick Data” is a version of “thick description”
• Involves collecting information through direct observation
• Focuses on context and meaning behind what you observe and measure

Instructions: Collecting Thick Data

Today you will be working in small groups. Imagine that your group is a team of ethnographers studying the customs, culture, and social practices of the student body at your school. In this role, your group will:

• Choose one specific aspect of social/cultural life at your school (10 min.)
• Observe your chosen topic and write field notes documenting your observations (30 min.)
• Interpet a subset of your observations through an ethnographic lens of “thick description” and “thick data” (10 min.)
• Debrief with another group (10 min.)

Instructor Note:
This activity might be challenging to get through in 60 minutes. There are a few options to alter the schedule if you need more time for them to come up with a topic and collect information. You could have them each brainstorm one concrete idea and a plan for data collection as homework - then groups can choose a topic and dive more quickly into data collection. Or you could move the debrief/share section to either an asynchronous exchange of reports after class or have it be a warm-up activity at the beginning of the following class period.

Step 1: Select your Topic

• Set a timer for 3 minutes and collectively brainstorm a list of ideas of customs or practices that you could observe about the student body at your school. Some examples: food, economics, sports, health, etc.
• Focus on nearby places you could actively observe in the next 30 minutes - ex. a coffee shop, bus stop, hallway, classroom, etc.
• You will be dividing your observations into two types: qualitative and quantitative.
• Half of your group will be making qualitative observations about what you observe, taking notes that describe what you are seeing, hearing, etc.
• Half of your group will be making quantitative observations - ie. counting or measuring the things you are seeing, hearing, etc.
• Choose ONE of your ideas to focus on that will allow you to make both qualitative and quantitative observations
• Make a plan for where and how you’re going to make your observations. Decide which members of the group are going to be recording qualitative observations and which members are going to be recording quantitative observations.

Step 2: Field Notes

Observations:

Take “jottings” on what you observe. There is no single correct set of observations to make, but here are some questions to get you started:

• What is the setting/place you are observing?
• What noise do you hear? How loud/quiet is it?
• What smells are there?
• Who are the people you’re observing? From what you can gather, what kinds of people are they?
• What are they wearing?
• What objects or things are they using?
• Are they communicating with each other?
• What other interactions are they having with each other?
• What else are they doing?
• What emotions are they showing?
• What noise do you hear? How loud/quiet is it?
• What smells are there?

In addition to these jottings,cChoose a few things you can count or measure at your chosen location. Some examples:

• How many X, Y, or Z do you see or hear? (ex. How many laptops do you see at the coffee shop? How many people are wearing hats, flip flops, or some other item of clothing?)
• How many times does X, Y, or Z interaction or action happen? (ex. How many people order coffee vs. another beverage? How many of these people say thank you when they place an order?)
• How long does it take for X, Y, or Z to take place? (ex. How long does it take each person to place an order?)

Step 3: Interpretation

As a group, choose a subset of your observations and write a brief, 1-2 paragraph interpretation of your observations that includes both quantitative and qualitative observations.

• Don’t just focus on what you saw, heard, etc. but the why behind them - or the potential meanings of different actions and interactions.
• What beliefs, values, social structures, etc. are driving these behaviors or interactions?

Step 4: Debrief

Each group pair up with another group Each group first share:

• What topic you chose
• ONE interesting quantitative observation
• ONE interesting qualitative observation
• Discuss what kind of contextual information did each of you need to have as an observer to understand the meaning behind certain behaviors or interactions?
• Taken together, do you think your two groups’ interpretations paint an accurate picture of the student body at your school?
• If you think of these ethnographic observations as “thick data,” how would you study the same topic using “big data”? What kinds of sources could you use? What would they tell you that “thick data” would not tell you - and vice versa?