Participant Observation: Data Collection Approach

The place that I chose to observe, was my daughter’s karate practice. Normally I am not the one that brings her, but for the sake of this assignment I attended the two-hour practice. The primary focus of study was; the physical setting, people and the patterns. Over the course of two-hours, the topic of participant observation started to come out and detaching myself to a neutral point of view helped in providing a clearer picture. Here are the observations that I made during karate practice.

Participant observation is defined as first hand experience. Participant observation is a method developed by Anthropologists in the early 20th century. When Anthropologists noticed that in order to fully understand the question, “Why” in culture. Why do a certain people do this, why is that important, or why do they all do it, are just some of the questions anthropologists use participant observation. The key to participant observation is fieldwork, where the anthropologist actively lives with the people of the culture they are studying for about a year or more. Where the anthropologist goes through culture shock by leaving all their possessions at home and starting a new. This technique of studying gets the anthropologist to become one

In order to provide the Australia Park Victoria with the appropriate data to solve its current crisis, the most appropriate method of data collection for this research is the qualitative method. According to Gay and Airasian (p 627) qualitative method is the collection of extensive data on various variables over a long time in a natural setting with an aim of acquiring insights not possible using other methods. It involves three different kinds of information collection: direct observation, in depth and open-ended interviews and written documents. Qualitative method involves use of random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit different experiences. The method also enables the researcher to study the specific area of

LM: I think both observation techniques have their strengths. The third method – participant observer – has also been used in many great studies. If we’re just looking at just the two though, I can see why you each chose to do your studies in the way you did. Eli, in your studies, adding yourself to the group was completely necessary. Had the

This was my first time enacting in a participant observation and taking field notes. Before starting the observation of the Dance Marathon sponsorship team meeting, I was worried that the meeting would not last the two-hour time span requirement as well as that the interactions within the meeting would not suffice my posed research question. I proved myself wrong in the fact that the meeting went overtime and my observations sufficiently answered my research question. This method practice made me realize how much can be answered and solved, just through observation.

If I was on a boat with my mother, wife, and child, and the boat capsized with conditions allowing me to save only one of my three family members from drowning, I would most likely choose to save my child. I won’t speak for my hypothetical, non-existent wife, but I can safely say that my mother would live to resent me and my decision to sacrifice her grandchild (or daughter-in-law) on her behalf. Even if I set my mother’s and wife’s opinion aside, I believe that I would instinctively

I am not merely observing to gather information for this research. This close interaction with students allows me to obtain first-hand responses, reactions and feedbacks from the students on real time. Although I interact with all students, my main focus is on students with special with disabilities. Hence, they are the focus of my research. My observation stems beyond my personal interaction with students. I also observe interactions between students. This also lets me view from a different perspective and point of view.

Sociologist use observations mainly when they are observing a particular behavior, or an reaction to a certain situation. When they are observing, the researcher is not talking, or interacting with anyone, they are just

Participant observation is the main research method favoured by interpetitivists. It involves the researcher participating in a social group to observe and experience the world as a participant while still observing the group for future analasys of their behaviour from the researchers point of view. The researcher must decide how he will approach

I found that the participant observation method was the most helpful and easiest method to use. I was able to talk with the firemen about their experiences and see how they interacted. I also worked out with them and sat around talking with them. This method allowed me to get information about their interactions because I could easily observe them talking amongst themselves and to me. One of the downsides of this method was that I could not record information as I was observing. Writing down what they were saying and what was going on would seem rude and would be hard to do. I had to wait until leaving the firehouse before recording what happened. This led to more vague information because of forgetting things.

Researchers tend to choose intervention approach to apply in natural setting through three major methods, including participation observation, structured observation, and the field experiment; however, the extent and nature of intervention differs across these three approaches (Shaughnessy, 2003 p. 91). Participant observation is employed into major ways, which includes disguised, or undisguised. Once too often, researchers use undisguised participant observation for effective understanding or knowledge regarding the culture and behavior of group of people which most often applied by anthropologist (Levin, 1963). Moreso, the understanding that people do not behave normally as they should, if they are aware that their behavior is being observed, disguised participant observation is appropriately used. Much as participant observation be it either disguised or undisguised may allow an observer access to situations not ordinarily open to both traditional and multicultural research. It behooves an observer in employing these approaches to be mindful of possible loss of objectivity and unforeseen impacts the behavior under study may have on a participant observer.

The four approaches to field research involve participant, participant observer, observer participant, and complete observer. As a participant, the role of the researcher may be concealed and therefore the researcher may attempt to join a group and pose as an ordinary member with the purpose of conducting research. This method allows the researcher to access a specific situation, but unfortunately, this strategy can wind up being limited. The role as participant observer and observer participant may not hold any significant difference as each one involves secrecy and deception as the traits a researcher must embark upon in order to gain valuable material on the topic they are studying. The complete observer involves the researcher becoming completed and utterly immersed in the environment, but at the same time, there is a possibility of being pulled into a situation that is inherently dangerous, as the researcher may become part of the

Observation is watching events, people or activities in their natural setting. Observation can be non-participant (detached) and participant (involved). Participant observation is regarded as a scientific tool because the researchers study people in their natural environment; however, the researchers must be as objective as possible (non-judgmental; not overly involved) to capture the reality of the subject (Maciones & Plummer, 2005). The participant observation is further broken down in overt (obvious) and covert (hidden). Therefore, observation was chosen, because the researcher is able to examine the participants in their natural environment and the research utilized participant observation as a means of collecting data from the students

This was a multicentre, descriptive, non-interventional, prospective observational study performed between October 2012 and December 2014. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the current prescription pattern of adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer with a longitudinal survey to assess the physician’s reason and satisfaction associated with the selected regimen, and treatment compliance.

Observational data is a form of data that allows for the systematic observation and recording of people's behavior,actions,and interactions. It allows you to situate what they do and what they say (or don't say) in a particular setting and a larger social and cultural context. Many times people can not convey things in a focus group or interview setting. Observational research gives participants a chance to be themselves, allowing researchers to catch things that escape their participants awareness. While conducting observational research the researchers will observe things like body language which can reveal information about power. Researchers will also look at social settings which can illustrate how people make use of space and how that