Learning Journal #11

There are two major things I want to talk about in this blog: my topic and my methods. I'll do the latter first.

Recently in my Anthro 442 class we've been talking about sampling. We've discussed things such as 'what is the appropriate sampling size', 'how to achieve a purely random sample'; we've even delved into standard deviation and probability. This has been such a wonderful thing to talk about. It's gotten me seriously considering a questionnaire of sort for other communities around Wiamose. After all, I can only generalize my data to pertain to all of rural Ghana if I have reason to believe that it does indeed pertain to all of rural Ghana. The only way I'll be able to know is to test my ideas on other communities.

Along those same lines, I was able to talk with my professor, Jacob Hickman, to figure out the best sampling size, etc for my project. We looked on GoogleEarth and decided that because of the satellite imagery, I might be able to pre-select houses to go to-- get a good random sampling of houses as well as villages. This has been a new addition to my project that makes me VERY EXCITED!!!!! I feel like my methods are starting to take shape, and that my project is becoming real.

Now for the first thing I wanted to talk about: my topic. I've had this secret panic growing inside of me that my project was too general; but then I couldn't narrow it down because what if I missed the mark and my project is way too specific. So, as mentioned earlier, I went to speak with Jacob about this very thing. After speaking with him, my fears were calmed. He thought my topic was great: (just in case I haven't updated it yet... my new topic is.....) How does the political push toward a national identity affect dance in rural Ghana? He said it was general enough to allow some leeway for shifting from either more political ideology to dance ideology. He also seemed pleased with the political implications it would bring for other disciplines besides dance. In other words, this project will not only answer the question to the changes in dance since Independence, but it will also address the political changes as well.

So there you have it.... new updates on my project, and on my methods. Its now 12:42am..... and if I keep writing about Ghana (and my project), I think I'll get too excited and it will take me forever to calm down! So goodbye for now..... I'm pretty positive I'll be writing again soon.

:)