5/23/2016 Emic & Etic Q: Foundations of Qualitative Research in Education

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Emic & Etic

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Emic and Etic Approaches

The words emic and etic refer to two different approaches to
researching human beings. The terms originated in linguistics
and anthropology in the 1950s and 1960s; over the
following decades researchers in numerous fields and
disciplines, including education, have found the concepts
useful (Headland, 1990). Precise definitions vary drastically
across authors, but a basic understanding is as follows:

An emic approach (sometimes

referred to as insider,
inductive, or bottom-up)
takes as its starting point the
perspectives and words of
research participants. As Lett
(1990) explains, from an
anthropological perspective,
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5/23/2016 Emic & Etic Q: Foundations of Qualitative Research in Education

Emic constructs are accounts, descriptions, and analyses

expressed in terms of the conceptual schemes and categories
regarded as meaningful and appropriate by the native
members of the culture whose beliefs and behaviors are
being studied (p. 130). In taking an emic approach, a
researcher tries to put aside prior theories and assumptions
in order to let the participants and data speak to them and
to allow themes, patterns, and concepts to emerge. This
approach is at the core of Grounded Theory, and is often
used when researching topics that have not yet been heavily
theorized. Some of its strength lies in its appreciation of the
particularity of the context being studied, in its respect for
local viewpoints, and its potential to uncover unexpected
findings.

An etic approach (sometimes referred to as outsider,

deductive, or top-down) uses as its starting point
theories, hypothesis, perspectives, and concepts from
outside of the setting being studied. As Lett (1990) describes
it, Etic constructs are accounts, descriptions, and analyses
expressed in terms of the conceptual schemes and categories
regarded as meaningful and appropriate by the community
of scientific observers (p. 130). A researcher who takes an
existing theory or conceptual framework and conducts
research to see if it applies to a new setting or population is
taking an etic approach. One of the strengths of the etic
approach is that it allows for comparison across contexts and
populations, and the development of more general cross-
cultural concepts (Morris, Leung, Ames, & Lickel, 1999).

While in some cases methodologies heavily privilege one

approach over the other, many researchers live in the
tension between these two extremes. A completely etic
approach risks blinding oneself to potentially new and
groundbreaking concepts. At the same time, since all
researchers come with previous ideas, perspectives, and
commitments (see Subjectivity) it may be impossible to be
purely emic.

Etic and emic can also refer specifically to codes, such as

those used in Thematic Analysis to label sections of text
according the themes and patterns. An etic code is one
developed from the literature or prior research, while an
emic code arises from the data and is often built from a
participants own words.

Works Cited

H eadland, T . N . (1 9 9 0 ). A dialogue between Kenneth P ike and M arvin H arris on emic s and etic s . I n T .N .

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5/23/2016 Emic & Etic Q: Foundations of Qualitative Research in Education

H eadland, K.L. P ike, & M . H arris (E ds .). Emics and etics : The ins ider/outs ider debate. Frontiers of anthropology,

v. 7 . N ewbury P ark, C alif: Sage P ublic ations .

Lett, J. (1 9 9 0 ). E mic s and etic s : N otes on the epis temology of anthropology. I n T .N . H eadland, K.L. P ike, & M .

H arris (E ds .). Emics and etics : The ins ider/outs ider debate. Frontiers of anthropology, v. 7 . N ewbury P ark, C alif:

Sage P ublic ations .

M orris , M . W., Leung, K., A mes , D., & Lic kel, B. (January 0 1 , 1 9 9 9 ). V iews from ins ide and outs ide: I ntegrating

E mic and E tic I ns ights about C ulture and Jus tic e Judgment. Academy of Management Review, 24(4 ), 7 8 1 -7 9 6 .

Resources

For a series of articles

and dialogues on the
concepts of etic and
emic, including history
of the terms and their
many definitions, see:

Headland, T. N., Pike,

K. L., Harris, M., (Eds.)
(1990). Emics and
etics: The
insider/outsider
debate. Frontiers of
anthropology, v. 7.
Newbury Park, Calif:
Sage Publications.

For an article on
combining etic and
emic approaches in the
field of multicultural
literacy, see:

Godina, H., & McCoy,

R. (October 01, 2000).
Emic and Etic
Perspectives on
Chicana and Chicano
Multicultural Literature.
Journal of Adolescent &
Adult Literacy, 44, 2,
172-79.

Copyright 2008 President & Fellows Harvard University. All Rights Reserved.

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