the unobservant anthropologist

Again, this blog post would be better off as a wiki and I’m still working on that.

I’m currently working on my fifth research project, and while that by no means makes me an expert I have collected quite a few software & online resources that I use to organize, inspire, and manage the elements of my research. I’m organizing the resources in the traditional research outline- having the idea, literature review, research design, transcription, analysis, write up, and “publishing” findings. Depending on your approach to research i.e., grounded theory, etc. and the scope of your research i.e., project vs. paper, you may need to re-order the outline or you may want to pick and chose from the list.

I’ve decided to break the list into a seven part series to avoid the posts being 20 pages long. Here’s part 1

Be sure to bookmark all of the webpages that you find of interest so that you may reference back to them! I prefer del.icio.us, but there are many social bookmarking websites and you can also use your browser to bookmark.

I find wikis to be particularly useful in keeping track of my thoughts, websites, etc. Learn about wikis here.
Mind mapping software is also a very easy way to keep track of your ideas for a project. Learn about mind mapping here.

Inspiration for a Project

Here are my recommendations for places to get inspirations for projects- it’s important to note that you should not copy others’ ideas, but expanding your horizons about your knowledge of what others are doing, and your knowledge in general, is a great way to get new ideas.

SfAA podcasts (not up right now, but will be after the 2008 Meeting)
Other anthropology podcasts
Google video search for “anthropology”
Bookmarks on del.icio.us for “anthropology+podcast“

This website has a good list of anthropology listservs
This is the AAA (American Anthropological Association) list of listservs

MySpace anthropology-related forums via Moving Anthropology Student Network

Twitter
SfAA ning network
Facebook
Linked In
Moving Anthropology Student Network

a list of online social science journals
Another good list of online journals

I find reading (be it online, books, articles, etc.) and engaging in conversation (virtual and face-to-face), specifically with people whom have different views/interests, to be my inspiration for both research and live in general- the above ways are the places that I do this online.

What are the ways you find inspiration online?

Related post: How to Network Online