Observing Culture and Social Life

Empirical social inquiry as efforts to generate new knowledge of culture and social life through the systematic collection and analysis of sensory evidence and other forms of real world data. Many researchers believe that the use of pictures and other forms of obtaining information for research are not necessary or even scientific, they are highly critical of them. The author continues in this chapter by continued explanation of how and why we would use pictures and other forms to give context to our research data.

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To assist researchers in determining what images, photographs to use they might want to start with a research design. When starting a project of empirical inquiry starting with a research design is usually the first step which organizes the description of what the study is about and how evidence will be used to answer the predetermined questions. In explaining how the evidence will be used is where when using images we would want to explain how the use of pictures will assist the project and what methods will be used. Also using personal accounts are author tool for establishing credibility of empirical social inquiry. The author gives three projects for example of how and when pictures are added to a project to give context. In project Material World the eresreacher took pictures of different families around the world with their most prized possessions which depicted visually a comparison and contrast of families and countries. In girl culture project the resurfacer tries to set it right by recording what she see and what her subjects have to say in ways that both document and raise questions about cultural and social life. These pictures depict women and gils, showing how each culture affect the or socializes what they value physically and emotionally. The Great Central Valley project the researcher of the California valley over time, such as land use, water use and agriculture practices.