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.