According to Kendall and Thangara (as cited in Trainor and Graue, 2013, p.83) the key elements of ethnography are:

• ethnographic "fieldwork". Even though time in the work field does not necessarily guarantee quality in ethnographic research, ethnographers are required to spend prolonged periods in the field. Fieldwork may be conducted from six months to two years or more in the field (Fetterman, 1998, p.8.). However, as stated in Trainor and Graue (2013, p.85) fieldwork may involve short burst of time as part of a research team, it may be virtual, while it may involve an individual or a team conducting "multisite ethnographies" with shorter periods of time in different sites. While spending time in the fieldwork, ethnographers may begin with learning the native language, historical data, census information, the kinship ties, as well as the basic structure and function of the culture under study (Fetterman, 1998). 

• "participant observation" - observing what people say, what they do and what they say they do (Trainor and Graue, 2013, p. 83). Participant observation is considered as the primary research tool of ethnographic fieldwork, involving continuous and "reflexive" engagement with research participants, often in their local languages, and often for an extended period of time. In most cases participants are aware of the ethnographer's presence; instead of being detached observers ethnographers use themselves as research instruments being always part of the field of study, while at the same time they record their experiences typically in the form of "fieldnotes" (Trainor and Graue, 2013, p. 87). Participants may help ethnographic researchers shape their research. Being in the fieldwork, observing participants and asking questions is the source of valuable information. People's life histories can be especially illuminating (Fetterman, 1998). 

• the process of analyzing fieldwork engagements and writing ethnography. Making fieldnotes, analyzing the data and writing ethnography can be done while the researcher does conducting fieldwork. This process includes maintaining "fieldnotes", writing analytic memos, coding, analyzing and reanalyzing data. Keeping the data organized and writing sections of the ethnography during the fieldwork can facilitate the process while it can make formal analysis and report writing more efficient. In addition, feedback can be given while in the field. Memoranda and interim reports are the beginnings of the ethnographic final report (Fetterman, 1998). The final stage of analysis includes reconfiguration of all notes in order to synthesize ideas and gain useful insights. According to Wolcott (2008) there are several formats and styles in writing ethnography. A good fieldwork strategy consists of arranging and prioritizing the topics. Beginning with the relatively uncomplicated ones, such as kinship, material culture and economic organization, while leaving more complex issues such as power, social control and belief systems until the ethnographer has become more familiar with the setting, helps in prioritizing time (Wolcott, 2008). The ethnographically informed report can be communicated through a variety of electronic communications, newspaper releases, photographs, recordings and speech; however, book form remains the standard way of communicating research findings, as it "provides the most control over ethnographic work" (Fetterman, 1998, p.12).