Research Methods in Anthropology

Research Methods in Anthropology is the field’s classic, celebrated introduction—and the most comprehensive survey available—of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Written in Russell Bernard’s unmistakable conversational style, this guide has launched tens of thousands of students into fieldwork with a combination of rigorous methodology, wry humour, and commonsense advice.

The book’s tripart organisation covers the three major components of research (research design, data collection, and data analysis) in an accessible, step-by-step manner that eases students into developing their anthropological mindsets. Boldfaced key terms introduce students to the vocabulary of social research, boxes expand on ideas covered in the text, and an appendix on “Resources for Fieldworkers” provides a comprehensive collection of student aids for the code of ethics, statistics packages, research journals, and area files.

New to the Seventh Edition:

• New Chapter 6, “Ethics and the Conduct of Anthropology” walks students through the challenges anthropologists face in research and how to deal with them.
• New Chapter 25, “On Writing Up” introduces the basics of getting articles published in peer-reviewed journals.
• New discussion of “The Art of Proposal Writing” teaches students to write persuasively about the importance, rigour, and creativity of their proposed work.
• Expanded Chapters 11 and 12, “Collecting Cultural Domain Data” and “Collecting Social Network Data” offer practical skills in data collection for both cutting-edge and classic anthropological methods.