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You observe a lot watching. Yogi Berra
3 primary forms of qualitative 3 primary forms of qualitative data collectiondata collection
Observation
Interview
Document & Artifact Review
Value of ObservationValue of Observation
Because he sees and hears the people he studies in many situations of the kind that normally occur for them, rather than just in an isolated and formal interview, he builds an ever-growing fund of impressions, many of them at the subliminal level, which give him an extensive base for the interpretation and analytic use of any particular datum. This wealth of information and impression sensitizes him to subtleties which might pass unnoticed in an interview and forces him to raise continually new and different questions, which he brings to and tries to answer in succeeding observations.
Becker & Greer, 1970
How Observation studies differ
1. Whether participants know they are being observed
2. Length of observation3. Status of observer in group
Observer Role
Participant ObserverParticipant Observer
Transient ObserverTransient Observer
Advantages of Doing Observations
“being there”
Experience the Context
First hand information
Discovery oriented, inductive
See what you didn’t know to ask about in interviews or that was not reported
Learn things that participants were uncomfortable talking about in interview
Check & balance of data collection
Limitations of Observations
Bias Can’t be in more than one place to observe at a
time Transient: No time to build trust Can misinterpret behavior Time consuming, Inefficient
You can observe but not see. Sherlock Holmes
how to prepare for an observation
Develop an Observation Guide and Observation Table For Your Group’s Field Study (Due beginning of Class #5)
A written plan telling What to look at & When to Look (aka instrument, protocol)
Think about What data would be most useful. That goes in the guide.
Think about When you would get the best data given your research goals. Build that into the plan.
Sampling
Since you can’t observe everything you must make decisions about what you want to observe:
which peoplewhich activities what time periods?
This becomes part of the sampling plan. What you decide to observe is based on purpose
of study.
WHAT TO OBSERVEJerome T. Murphy, Getting The Facts
what to include in observation guide
You might look at :
1. Individual Characteristics
2. Interactions
3. Nonverbal behavior
4. Artifacts
5. Physical Surroundings
6. Unobtrusive Measures
The ResearcherThe ResearcherWhat about the characteristics of the researcher?What about the characteristics of the researcher?
Age
Gender
Race
FIELDWORK AS TEAMWORK
...a husband-and-wife team, or a team in which there is a great discrepancy of age, whether of the same or opposite sex, works better than a team of two men or two women of the same age. Each piece of knowledge that either member of the team acquires speeds up the learning of the other or others. If this is accepted enthusiastically, without rivalry, then any team of whatever composition, but especially one contrasted in sex or age, will be able to do, not twice, but four or five times as much work as one person working alone.
Margaret Mead, 1970
Observation StudyObservation Study
How do people behave while waiting?How do people behave while waiting?
-to see a therapist-to see a therapist-to board an airplane-to board an airplane
Taking Field Notes 1Taking Field Notes 1
The new client was uneasy waiting for her The new client was uneasy waiting for her intake interview. intake interview.
Taking Field Notes 2Taking Field Notes 2 At first the client sat very stiffly on the chair next to the At first the client sat very stiffly on the chair next to the
receptionist’s desk. She picked up a magazine and let receptionist’s desk. She picked up a magazine and let the pages flutter through her fingers very quickly the pages flutter through her fingers very quickly without really looking at any of the pages. She set the without really looking at any of the pages. She set the magazine down, looked at her watch, pulled her skirt magazine down, looked at her watch, pulled her skirt down, and picked up the magazine again. This time she down, and picked up the magazine again. This time she didn’t look at the magazine. She set it back down…She didn’t look at the magazine. She set it back down…She would watch the receptionist out of the corner of her would watch the receptionist out of the corner of her eye, and then look back down at the magazine, and eye, and then look back down at the magazine, and back up at the 2 or 3 other people waiting in the room. back up at the 2 or 3 other people waiting in the room. Her eyes moved from the people to the magazine to the Her eyes moved from the people to the magazine to the people to the magazine in rapid succession. She avoided people to the magazine in rapid succession. She avoided eye contact. When her name was finally called she eye contact. When her name was finally called she jumped like she was startled. (from Patton)jumped like she was startled. (from Patton)
Taking Field Notes 1Taking Field Notes 1
The client was quite hostile toward the The client was quite hostile toward the staff person. staff person.
Taking Field Notes 2Taking Field Notes 2
When the staff member told her that she could When the staff member told her that she could not do what she wanted to do, the client began not do what she wanted to do, the client began to yell at the staff member, telling her that she to yell at the staff member, telling her that she couldn’t control her life, that she was nothing couldn’t control her life, that she was nothing but on a “power trip,” that she’d “like to beat the but on a “power trip,” that she’d “like to beat the shit out of her,” and that she could just “go to shit out of her,” and that she could just “go to hell.” She shook her fist in her face and stomped hell.” She shook her fist in her face and stomped out of the room, leaving the staff person out of the room, leaving the staff person standing there with her mouth open, looking standing there with her mouth open, looking amazed. (from Patton)amazed. (from Patton)
Taking Field Notes 1Taking Field Notes 1
little kids crying
Taking Field Notes 2Taking Field Notes 2
A little baby in a carriage is crying. I can’t see the baby but I hear it. At first the mom [I’m assuming it is the mother.] pushed the carriage back and forth a little and makes a shhh noise and hunches over towards the baby a little. After only about 20 seconds of it not making the baby quiet down, she picks up the baby that I’m assuming is a boy by the blue and yellow clothing and the blue baby blanket. She cradles the baby to her shoulder and she rocks back and forth whispering to the baby. Soon the baby quiets down.
(from BMO)
Doing FieldworkDoing Fieldwork
Aside from getting along in the setting, the Aside from getting along in the setting, the fundamental concrete task of the observer is the fundamental concrete task of the observer is the taking of field notes. Whether or not he taking of field notes. Whether or not he performs this task is perhaps the most important performs this task is perhaps the most important determinant of later bringing off a qualitative determinant of later bringing off a qualitative analysis. Field notes provide the observer’s analysis. Field notes provide the observer’s raison d’etreraison d’etre. If he is not doing them, he might . If he is not doing them, he might as well not be in the setting. as well not be in the setting.
-Lofland -Lofland
Example of Use of Example of Use of Observation in a Case StudyObservation in a Case Study
What is the Nature of the Relationship Between Neighborhood What is the Nature of the Relationship Between Neighborhood Organizations and Schools?Organizations and Schools?
An Exploratory Multiple Case Study
Pam Brown, FAU PhD 2007
The Use of Observation to Enhance The Use of Observation to Enhance UnderstandingUnderstanding
DemographicsDemographics Social groupingsSocial groupings HierarchyHierarchy IssuesIssues RelationshipsRelationships HistoryHistory
Seating arrangements
Types of spaces
Body language
Expressed emotion
Documents
Photographs
Words spoken
What Observations
Observation 1 – The MuseumObservation 1 – The Museum
To deepen my understanding of African American point of view through:
The building
The classrooms
Artifacts
Photographs
Exhibits
What I foundThe reality of the size and shape of the buildings and classrooms
Photographs of mothers and fathers of case study participants
A docent who had actually attended the school
A video of original students telling their story
Farm implements used by the children
Observation 2 – Meeting between Neighborhood Observation 2 – Meeting between Neighborhood Organization and SchoolOrganization and School
Observation Guide
Physical: the room, the layout, documents
Social: Body language
Gesture
Facial expression
Groupings
Emotional: Language
Feelings
Reactions
Connections
Findings
The school in control
Hostility between two groups
Charges of racism shared by larger group
Emotional denials
Attempts to find common ground
OBSERVATION ASSIGNMENT
Conduct 30 minute observation. Conduct 30 minute observation. The observation should be done in order The observation should be done in order
to gain information for your field study. to gain information for your field study. Observation Table and Guide due at the Observation Table and Guide due at the
beginning of class #5. beginning of class #5. Observation table and guide must be Observation table and guide must be
approved by a professor, PRIOR to approved by a professor, PRIOR to conducting the observation. conducting the observation.