interviews & final presentations

the end of the quarter is upon us and we are a bit behind in coordinating the final presentations that begin this week on wednesday. I have looked at the interview assignment posts and they look good. however, due to some initial confusion about the instructions (my fault) and the host of activities last week, symposium, etc., i would like to modify the final presentations to foreground the interview assignment.

the interview/observation component of your projects is crucial so it is important that we take the time to practice and work through some of the challenges that emerge. even expert interviewers can easily be foiled in an unfamiliar environment where you have fewer contacts and where your instincts can be somewhat impaired.

interview assignment:

1) each person should interview someone using this in-depth interview format:

2) blog your field notes and include reflections about how you found your subject. was it difficult? how did the information you received from the interview compare to your expectations? in other words, what were some of the limitations of the interview?

3) some of you emailed with scheduling difficulties. take the time to conduct the interview as needed and post your notes before wednesday. we'll discuss your experiences in the first 10 minutes of class today.

final presentations:

1) the schedule: to initiate the scheduling process, i'd like to propose that we reverse the schedule from the last presentations. the groups that went on the second day would present on the first day this time (this wednesday). and those who went first last time would present on the second wednesday, may 30th. it would look like this:

may 23

- way-finding
- sex worker info needs
- Moroccan religious fashion


may 30

- immigration & health care
- transportation
- coffee shops
- waste management

talk with your group members and contact me as soon as possible if you need to switch days.


2) the format:

begin by briefly identifying any refinements or reformulations of your research project since the last presentation. in 2-3 minutes, summarize the following:

a) Research goals (int’l engagement, pilot study, publishable research)
b) Relevant literature
c) Research question
d) Field sites (both online & offline)

spend the remainder of your time (7 minutes) discussing what you (collectively) learned from the interview and how that informs what you will do in Amsterdam. this means you will need to synthesize your individual experiences to establish a plan for Amsterdam. use specific examples from your interview exercise.

3) the media:

post your presentation outline and any relevant resources on your wiki. for example, you should link each of your interview blog posts to an appropriate section on your wiki. the wiki is the collaborative workspace and a medium that allows people outside of the program to have all the pieces in one place.

deliver the presentation using whatever medium (or media) you choose as the best way to convey the material. this is a media intensive process, so our expectation is that you will use the overhead projector in some way to convey your material as well as your organization of the project.