An Invitation to the Ethnographic Study of University Examination Behavior - Concepts, Methodology, and Implications

Oct 15, 2026

Paper invites ethnographic study of university examination behavior, framing student life in relation to exams through two foci: higher education context and qualitative methodology with theoretical implications, especially around managing exam-related stress. Data were collected via interviews, observation, “Garfinkling,” and unobtrusive measures, and analyzed through prior published studies, including notions of student “magic,” emotion work, impression management, and examination dramaturgy. It positions the qualitative approach to address gaps in existing predominantly quantitative exam research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Résumé

Getting Access To and Collection of Data

Observation

# An Invitation to the Ethnographic Study ofUniversity Examination Behavior:Concepts,Methodology,and Implications CHERYL ALBAS &DAN ALBAS University of Manitoba ## Abstract The topic of this paper is student life as it relates to examinations.Thereare two foci:first,the field of higher education and,second,qualitativemethodology and theoretical implications for higher education,particu-larly with regard to dealing with exam-related stress in students.Datacollection involved interviews,observation,'Garfinkling,'and unobtru-sive measures.The data analysis and theoretical implications are fromour earlier previously published studies.They include student 'magic,'emotion work,impression management and examination dramaturgy.Brief synopses of these studies are included to provide clear relevance ofthe discussion. ## Résumé Cet article qui aborde laquestion des examens sous I'angle de la vie des étudiants,met l'accent sur deux points principaux:premierement,le domaine del'enseigne-ment supérieur,et deuxiemement,la méthodologie qualitative et ses implicationsthéoriques par rapportàl'enseignement supérieur,particulièrement en ce qui con-cerne la facon dont les étudiants gèrent le stress associe aux examens.Les don-nees ont été recueillies au moyen d'interviews,de l'observation,notamment encontexte ouverte(《Garfinkling)et d'autres méthodes non intrusives.L'analysedes données et les implications théoriques proviennent d'études déjà publiees parles auteurs.Elles comprennent entre autres les(rituels magiques des examens,lamaftrise des émotions,la gestion des impressions et la dramaturge des examens.De brefs résumés de ces études sont presentés dans le but de démontrer la perti-nence de l'analyse ethnographique par rapportal'enseignement supérieur. Leading scholars in the field of higher education are calling for morequalitative research (Huberman &Miles,1983;Kuh &Andreas,1991)A review of the literature in the area of higher education reveals a dearthof studies of a qualitative nature dealing with examinations.Such studiesas exist are mainly quantitative and deal largely with topics like socialclass and social performance(Bajema,1968;Sexton,1961).Where thisliterature touches upon examinations,it does so more from the stand-point of examinations as functional for accreditation for social roles(manifest)and maintenance of the established stratification system(latent)(Giddens,1973;Pascarella &Terenzini,1991;Weber,1968,p.1000).It does not deal with the everyday dynamics of preparing forand writing examinations from the standpoint of the students themselves.This paper is offered in the hope of inviting interest and perhaps com-pany in researching the area.The study of the examination is importantbecause it is the culmination of an instructional process and is also anevaluation of the process itself as well as of the candidate who is to bepresented to society as,it is hoped,a polished product(Broadfoot,1984;Tepperman &Curtis,1995,p.217). As the title indicates in this paper an attempt is made to demonstratethe qualitative methodology employed over the years in our ethnographic study of university student life as it relates to examinations.The paperhas two distinct foci:first,the message is clearly one related to the fieldof higher education and second,it is explicitly a demonstration of theuse of qualitative methodology.The first part of the paper deals withvarious techniques of data gathering,and then discusses the inextricablelinkage of methodology and theory.Then,using already published stud-ies(Albas &Albas,1984,1988a,1988b,1989a,1989b,1993,1995,1996;Albas &Albas,1988)we demonstrate how we made theoreticalsense of the data obtained as described in the first section of the paper.Incarrying out these objectives,we attempt to lead readers through ourthought processes as our empirical findings are submitted to examinationin the light of existing theories.This is what Burgess(1984,p.160)sug-gests is widely lacking in current resea

FAQs

What are the two main foci of the paper?

The paper focuses on higher education and on qualitative methodology with theoretical implications, especially regarding how students handle exam-related stress.

What data collection methods are used in the study?

The study uses interviews, observation, “Garfinkling,” and unobtrusive measures to gather information in an ethically responsible way.

Which theoretical aspects from earlier studies inform the analysis?

The analysis draws on earlier work involving student “magic,” emotion work, impression management, and examination dramaturgy to interpret examination preparation and writing from students’ perspectives.

Oct 15, 2026

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