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2023/2024

Bachelor's Degree Final Project

Code: 101280 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500256 Social and Cultural Anthropology OB 4 1

Contact

Name:
Jorge Grau Rebollo
Email:
jordi.grau@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.

Teachers

Anna Maria Piella Vila
Maria Montserrat Clua Faine
Silvia Gomez Mestres
Maria Julieta Olaso Ruiz
Isabel Graupera Gargallo

Prerequisites

The student can join the BA Final Project (TFG) after the succesful completion of the methodological sequence:

  • Field practices in Social and Cultural Anthropology I.
  • Epistemology and research methods in Social and Cultural Anthropology.
  • Research techniques in Social and Cultural Anthropology.
  • Field Practices in Social and Cultural Anthropology II.

Otherwise, the satisfactory achievement of the course training objectives would become severly hindered.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The TFG is a 4th year, 6 ECTS, compulsory course within the Degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology.

The TFG is conceived as the culmination of a sequence of methodological and technical courses offered during the second and third academic years. That sequence, taken as a whole, does constitute a model of ethnographic research in Anthropology and is developed throughout the first semester of the 4th year. By scheduling it during the first semester, the BA allows: a) the continuity of the formative sequence in the anthropological investigation (which was initiated four semesters before and has been taken consecutively since then), as well as b) the possibility of distributing the 4th year students' workload, favouring the attendance of the Work Placement module in the second semester, thus avoiding the overlapping with the TFG.

Hence, the TFG topic is already defined by the previous learning experience of the student in ethnographic research. Therefore, the TFG will deepen and expand the theoretical status of the covered subject and will include the methodological and technical design executed during the previous work, as well as the development of the analysis of the results of the research and the final conclusions. Thus, this work is not exclusively based on the hypothesis worked on in the sequence, but it goes hand in hand by expanding the focus from a thematic point of view. At the beginning of the course, the student and the supervisor of the TFG will establish the work scheme.

Regarding the supervisor, the student's choice among the teaching staff awarded in this subject will be considered.


Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Assessing in theoretical, methodological and ethical terms the anthropology investigations aimed to basic objectives or oriented to intervention.
  • Demonstrate skills for working autonomously or in teams to achieve the planned objectives including in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Demonstrating they know and comprehend the epistemological and methodological debates in Anthropology and the main investigation techniques.
  • Producing cultural diversity materials that could have a critical impact on the common sense conceptions.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analysing data critically from anthropological investigations and reports.
  2. Applying the current ethical codes to the ethnographic fieldwork.
  3. Applying the knowledge of cultural variability and its genesis to avoid ethnocentric projections.
  4. Assessing the methodology and techniques used in the several steps of the methodological and technical sequence.
  5. Carrying out a planning for the development of a subject-related work.
  6. Carrying out an individual work that specifies the work plan and timing of activities.
  7. Carrying out oral presentations using appropriate academic vocabulary and style.
  8. Distinguishing between the theoretical concepts of Anthropology and the indigenous concepts.
  9. Effectively expressing themselves and applying the argumentative and textual processes of formal and scientific texts.
  10. Explaining the work's results narratively in accordance with the critical standards of discipline and bearing in mind the different target audiences.
  11. Interpreting the cultural diversity through ethnography.
  12. Knowing and assessing the methodological debate of social and cultural Anthropology.
  13. Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
  14. Producing a written text that is grammatically and lexically correct.
  15. Producing an oral text that is grammatically and lexically correct.
  16. Providing a context for a research related to the state of its concerning anthropological theory .
  17. Recognising the ethical implications of the ethnological relationships established during the fieldwork internship.
  18. Solving problems autonomously.
  19. Using suitable terminology when drawing up an academic text.
  20. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.

Content

The final TFG Project is a written essay that consists of:

  • The elaboration and presentation of a topic that may allow a global and synthetic evaluation of the specific and transversal competences associated with the title of Graduate in Social and Cultural Anthropology.
  • A topic-centered bibliography search oriented to the selection and critical analysis of the specific literature of the chosen subject and the preparation of a theoretical framework.
  • The delimitation of a methodological and technical design elaborated thrughout the systematic work carried out during the previous formative sequence.
  • The development of the research analytical framework and the outline of final conclusions.
  • The delimitiation of the project's further steps (including feasibility, limitations and applicability).
  • And, finally, the oral presentation of the final TFG version before two examiners (excluding the supervisor). This public session is opened to the attendance of 3rd and 4th year students. It is adviced to prepare supporting material for the presentation (such as ppt templates, maps, images, figures, etc.)

A detailed template of the TFG final project will be available on the Virtual Campus.

The structure of the public defence will be as follows:

  1. Candidate's presentation: up to 20 minutes.
  2. Examiners remarks: up to 10 minutes.
  3. Final candidate's reply: up of minutes. (Taking notes of the observations / questions formulated by the examiners is highly adviced).

After the first plenary class, the student will choose his/her supervisor within the teaching team of that academic year. Each supervisor will only supervise the number of students stipulated in his/her teaching plan.


Methodology

  • Individually and biweekly tutored development of the preparation sessions of the information obtained for the analysis, the research process and writing of the bachelor's Degree Final Project.
  • Systematization of information, analysis of ethnographic data and drafting of the TFG.

The TFG is presented in a double format: written version (in PDF) and oral defense, on the dates established in the course calendar.

Work schedule:

The subject is developed through individual tutorials and plenary sessions in which general information is provided for all students.

The student selects a supervisor among the teaching team of the bachelor's degree final project. For this purpose, at the beginning of the course, the option to carry out this selection will be enabled in the Virtual Campus, and it will be specified the maximum number of students that each tutor can assume (set by their teaching plan) TFG Schedule:

 

Date

Session

Content

18/09/23

PLENARY
  • General guidelines of the TFG

02/10/23

1st SESSION
  • Fact sheet on the work carried out during the sequence
  • Review topic, units of analysis and observation

09/10/23

2ND SESSION
  • Define the research topic, keywords

16/10/23

23/10/23

3rd SESSION
  • Expose the search results (authors, keywords used, problems detected).

30/10/23

06/11/23

4TH SESSION
  • Ethnographic approach to concrete reality and results (including hypotheses). More global context

13/11/23

20/11/23

5TH SESSION
  • Analysis of information 'thematic, theoretical framework / ethnographic information).  
    Debugging conclusions

27/11/23

04/12/23

6TH SESSION
  • Review the different sections of the TFG and resolve some doubts (especially the theoretical framework and ethnographic analysis) Review ethnographic contents with theoretical contributions (from the theoretical framework)

11/12/23

18/12/23

Delivery of the final draft document

08/01/24

7TH SESSION
  • Doubts about the final version

15/01/24

Final version delivery (PDF) (for asssessment and for the records)

22/01/24

8TH SESSION (PLENARY)
  • Review and preparation of the oral presentation

 

Any modification of this calendar will be duly announced on the Virtual Campus.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Plenary sessions 5 0.2 4, 5, 13, 17
Type: Supervised      
Individual tutorials. Systematization of gathered information, analysis of ethnographic data and TFG writing. 20 0.8 1, 3, 2, 14, 15, 16, 12, 8, 6, 5, 10, 9, 7, 19, 11, 17, 18
Type: Autonomous      
Bibliographic search. Supervised development of the preparation of gathered information for the analysis, the analytical process itself and the TFG final writing 84 3.36 1, 12, 8, 11, 18, 20

Assessment

The evaluation consists of two phases, which must be individually passed:

- Written TFG manuscript:

  • Advised extension between 8,000 and 12,000 words (20 to 30 pages or 2100 characters / page), including footnotes and bibliography, plus annexes (if necessary).
  • The written part must be delivered on the date stipulated in the calendar of the subject (available on the Virtual Campus).
  • The tutor's grade for the written work corresponds to the follow-up process of all the tutorials and work carried out by the student throughout the semester. (70% of the final grade of TFG).
  • Format requirements:

• Source: Times New Roman 12. Color black.
• Interlined: 1.5
• Main entrance: bold.
• Secondary entry: bold and italic.
• Appointment style and bibliography: APA 6th edition.
• It will be necessary to differentiate between bibliography, filmography and webography

 - TFG Oral and public defense:

  • Lenght of oral presentation: up to 20 minutes long (about 10 images of a Ppt template).
  • The oral defense will take place in January-February. The date and composition of the court will be announced on the Virtual Campus.
  • The mark of the oral defense corresponds to the assessment made by the court of the presentation of the work carried out by the student. (30% of the final grade of TFG).

The course evaluation rubrics are to be found in the Virtual Campus.

On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.


Important: The students must accomplish all the courserequired tasks in order to be graded. It is, therefore, NOT ASSESSABLE the student who has not followed the tutorial process since the beginning and / or has not done a minimum of four tutorials.

PLAGIARISM / IRREGULARITIES (plagiarism, unauthorised use of IA, etc.): In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

The Bachelor Degree's Final Project cannot be re-assessed.

This subject does not incorporate single assessment

On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.

Given the sensitivity of the gathered data, the final version, properly anonymized, will be kept in a specific departmental virtual depository.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.


Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Oral Presentation 30 % 1 0.04 15, 10, 9, 7
Written TFG version 70 % 40 1.6 1, 3, 2, 4, 14, 16, 12, 8, 6, 5, 10, 9, 19, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20

Bibliography

Compulsory readings for each TFG will be determined in accordance with the particular topic developed by the student. If, at the suggestion of the supervisor, the methodological basis for qualitative research should be reinforced, we recommend the following manual:

  • Ballestín, Beatriz; Fàbregues, Sergi. (2018). La práctica de la investigación cualitativa en ciencias sociales. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.

Additionally, if needed, the student can also read any of the following references:

  • Álvarez-Gayou, Juan Luis (2005). Cómo hacer investigación cualitativa. Fundamentos y metodología. Mèxic: Paidós.
  • Bell, Judith (2002, ed. original 1999). Cómo hacer tu primer trabajo de investigación. Guía para investigadores en educación y ciencias sociales. Barcelona: Gedisa
  • Bourdieu, Pierre; Chamboredon, Jean Claude; Passeron, Jean-Claude (1994, ed. original 1973). El oficio de sociólogo. Presupuestos epistemológicos. Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI.
  • Coffey, Amanda; Atkinson, Paul (2005). Encontrar el sentido a los datos cualitativos. Estrategias complementarias de investigación. Alacant: Publicaciones de la Universidad de Alicante.
  • Comas, Dolors; Pujadas, Joan Josep; Roca, Jordi (2004). Etnografia. Barcelona: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
  • Flick, Uwe (2004). Introducción a la investigación cualitativa. Madrid: Morata.
  • Gibbs, Graham (2012). El análisis de datos en investigación cualitativa. Madrid: Morata.
  • Gil Flores, Javier (1994). Análisis de datos cualitativos. Aplicaciones a la investigación educativa. Barcelona: PPU.
  • González Echevarría, Aurora (1987). La construcción teórica en Antropología. Barcelona: Anthropos.
  • Hammersley, Martyn; Atkinson, Paul (1994 [1983]). Etnografía. Métodos de investigación. Barcelona: Paidós.
  • Hernández, Roberto; Fernández, Carlos; Baptista, Pilar (2014, ed. original 2003). Metodología de la investigación. Mèxic: McGraw-Hill.
  • Marshall, Catherine; Rossman, Gretchen B. (1989). Designing qualitative research. Newbury Park / CA: Sage.
  • Miles, Matthew B.; Huberman, A. Michael (1994). Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook (2a. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Quivy, Raymond; van Campenhoudt, Luc (2005, ed. original 1992). Manual de investigación en ciencias sociales. Mèxic: Limusa.
  • Randolph, Justus (2009). A guide to writing the dissertation literature review. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, vol. 14 (13).
  • Reboratti, Carlos; Castro, Hortensia (1999). Estado de la cuestión y análisis crítico de textos: guía para su elaboración. Buenos Aires: UBA, FFyL.
  • Rodríguez Gómez, David; Valldeoriola, Jordi (2009). Metodología de la investigación. Barcelona: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
  • Rodríguez Sabiote, Clemente; Lorenzo, Oswaldo; Herrera, Lucía (2005). Teoría y práctica del análisis de datos cualitativos. Proceso general y criterios de calidad. Revista Internacional de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades. SOCIOTAM, (vol. XV, núm. 2, pàgs. 133-154).
  • Ruiz, José Ignacio (2012). Metodología de la investigación cualitativa. Bilbao: Universidad de Deusto.
  • Schettini, Patricia; Cortazzo, Inés (2015). Análisis de datos cualitativos en la investigación social. Procedimientos y herramientas para la interpretación de información cualitativa. La Plata: Universidad Nacional de La plata / Edulp.
  • Strauss, Anselm L.; Corbin, Julien (1990). Basics of qualitative research. Londres: Sage.
  • Strauss, Anselm L. (1987). Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Nova York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Sautu, Ruth et al. (2005). Manual de metodología. Construcción del marco teórico, formulación de los objetivos y elección de la metodología. Buenos Aires: Clacso.
  • Taylor, Steve J. ; Bogdan, Robert (1989). Introducción a los métodos cualitativos de investigación. La búsqueda de significados. Barcelona: Paidós Ibérica.
  • Téllez Infantes, Anastasia (2007). La investigación antropológica. San Vicente (Alacant): Editorial Club Universitario.

 

Adviced repositories:

  • ACADEMIC LIBRARIES.
  • CBUC.
  • JSTOR.
  • GOOGLE SCHOLAR.
  • SCOPUS.
  • ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANTHROPOLOGY.
  • DIALNET.

Software

The use of Mendeley or Zotero reference managers is strongly advised.