Biological or Physical Anthropology is the study of the past and present evolution of the

human species and is essentially concerned with understanding the causes of present human
diversity. This broad definition of biological anthropology also covers the fields of human
paleontology, evolutionary biology, human genetics, comparative anatomy and physiology,
primate behavior, human behavioral ecology, and human biology.
The methods of research being used in biological anthropology include fossil research,
theoretical research, environmental research, and completing the picture.
Biological anthropology strongly differs from other disciplines of anthropology. Rather
than basing their conclusions on artifacts, historical sites, written records, or observance,
biological anthropologists use Fossil Research which focuses on human and near-human
remains. In this method of research, anthropologists study bones, soft tissue, hair, and other
physical remains to better understand the human evolution, genetic variation, and future
development.
To better support their research claims on how humans evolved and will evolve,
biological anthropologists also uses Theoretical Research wherein they study the theories
regarding human evolution. Evolutionary theory and Primatology is the most used theories in
this method of research as the former studies the remains of humanitys earliest ancestors to find
similarities between different specimens, allowing for a developing timeline of human evolution
while the latter studies the humanitys closest relatives which is the primates.
Biological anthropologists also conduct their studies through Environmental Research.
In environmental research, biological anthropologists study the adaptive behaviors and genetic
variations of early humans through examining how they were able to adapt to environmental
factors such as harsh weather and infectious organism. Through this method of research,
anthropologists understand the past evolution in new light and may help predict humanitys
future evolution.
Lastly, another method of research biological anthropologists use is the Completing the
Picture Method. In this method of research, anthropologists try to complete the picture and
draw conclusions by relating different skeletal remains found in different museums which were
discovered by their fellow biological anthropologists.

Cultural Anthropology is one of the four areas of study in the broader field of
anthropology. It specializes in the study of culture and peoples beliefs, practices, and the
cognitive and social organizations of human groups. Cultural anthropologists study how people,
who share a common cultural system, organize and shape the physical and social world around
them, and are in turn shaped by those ideas, behaviors, and physical environments.
The methods of research used by cultural anthropologists include ethnographic analogy,
inter views and questionnaires, observational methods, reflexivity, and participant observation.
In Ethnographic Analogy, cultural anthropologists immerse themselves in other cultures
for the purpose of recording information about their lifestyle for comparative research.
Interviews and Questionnaires focus on community interaction through language. It
usually entails many open ended interviews with participants who are members of a group being
studied. The researcher strives to learn as much as they can about the history of the community
as well as individuals in order to gain a full understanding of how their culture functions.
Interviews can take place individually or with focus groups within the community based on age,
status, gender, and other factors that contribute to differences within the community.
The least used method of research in the discipline of cultural anthropology is
Observational Methods. This method allows the researcher to gain valuable information about
the group being studied without intruding on their privacy too much. Researchers are able to do
this by observing a group of individuals, recording their findings, reflecting their findings, as
well as participating openly with the community.
Reflexivity is a method of research which focuses on the awareness of the researcher and
the effect they may be having on the research. It involves a constant awareness and assessment
of the researcher's own contribution to and influence on the researcher's subjects and their
findings
Participant Observation is a practice of living and participating within a community
and gaining a deep understanding of the cultural system by active first-hand experience and
participation in daily life.

Resources:

United States. National Park Service. (n.d.). What Is Cultural Anthropology? Retrieved

August 28, 2016, from https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1209/what-is-cultural-anthropology.htm

Types of Research Done by Physical Anthropologists. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2016,

from http://work.chron.com/types-research-done-physical-anthropologists-9138.html
Cultural Anthropology/Anthropological Methods. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2016, from
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cultural_Anthropology/Anthropological_Methods