Quantitative research methods are used when the researcher needs to find out frequency, totals and other objective characteristics that can be counted. Surveying is one of the more prevalent methods of ethnographic research, in which ethnographers develop a structured questionnaire that contains mostly closed-ended questions. While surveys can provide reliable direction for researchers, they cannot probe as deeply as qualitative research methods, which are primarily used in ethnographic analysis.
Journalism is a form of qualitative research that ethnographers employ when they want to obtain an objective, rather than an interpretive, view of news information within a culture. When using this method, ethnographers take the role of a journalist to try to produce an article following news-writing standards, to demonstrate the relevancy or newsworthiness of a cultural practice or set of practices.
Conducting interviews using structured questionnaires to guide members of a culture to answer questions about their culture's practices and traditions is commonly used in ethnographic analysis. Interviewing can be an effective way to learn about a culture directly from its members; however, as an interviewer and outsider to the culture you may not obtain completely truthful answers. This can lead to inaccurate research findings that do not reflect the native's true point of view.
In combination with the participatory and observation-based methods, researchers may also use various on-site documents to help gain insight into a particular culture. Depending on the sophistication and literacy level of the culture, the number and kinds of documents available can vary widely. Examples of documents used by ethnographers include annual census reports, advertisements, court records and cultural newsletters.