You are a cultural anthropologist using the ethnographic methods of participant observation and direct observation to construct what anthropologist Clifford Geertz termed a thick description, or a description of humans interacting in context. This is an objective, descriptive way of documenting what people are doing and the cultural understandings that are needed to make sense of their actions and the meanings and significance of those behaviors in their given context. Part 1: Fieldwork Go someplace (safe for you) for around 2 hours. Sit down. Take notes, or jottings. These should be short words and phrases that will help you recall the specific interactions between people and their worlds in more full detail later on. You'll want to start by writing as much as possible for maybe 15-20 minutes, then take a break. Think about what you’ve been observing, and focus your notes accordingly.