Appendix A: Code of Ethics and Sample Letter for Ethnographic Inquiry in Local Communities

Act ethically and responsibly during ethnographic writing and research.

Show respect for people in and out of the group you investigate. Protect them from risks such loss of their privacy. Provide them with benefits from your research. Select your research participants/informants fairly and do not pressure them to take part. Some other points to keep in mind:

Your name____________

Location____________

Date______

Explain what you will do as a researcher and your research purposes to participants before research begins.

In detail—introduce yourself as a researcher and briefly describe your research topic. Explain that this research is for a class you are enrolled in at XXX school. Explain why the study is important. Explain why it is important that the person participate in the research. Assure the participant that his or her privacy will be protected (by using pseudonyms for name and location). Assure the participant that his or her responses will be confidential. Thank them for considering your request that they participate. Include the following statement at the close of your letter: