Observation

Observation

1. Issues

   • The position of the observation material with respect to reality:
     • Direct and indirect observation
   • The position of the observer with respect to this reality:
     • Participant and not participant observation.

2. Data analysis

   • In the analysis of the data it will be necessary to collect the information of the units of measurement with which a great variety of quantitative analyses can be performed.
     • The type of analysis to be used depends, firstly, on the objectives and hypotheses of the research and, secondly, on the informative possibilities of the recorded data
       • Only frequency, duration, sequence of categories, ...

3. Definition

   • Research characterised by a prolonged period of intense social interaction between the researcher and the subjects, in the milieu of the latter, during which time data, in the form of field notes, are unobtrusively and systematically collected
     • Describe and explain.
     • Adequate and reliable data.
     • Perfectly identified behaviors.

4. Conducting an observation

   • These include what you will observe, how to gain access and how you will observe it, how you will conduct yourself, how you will record what you see, what additional information you will collect, and how you will process and analyse your data.

5. Planning

   • Helpful to be reasonably confident of two things: the focus of your study, i.e. the topic of your research, what it is you wish to explore and learn more about; and the research questions you intend to address.
     • Validity
     • Reliability

6. Uses

   • May require the use of observational instruments and tools to obtain...
     • Qualitative analysis data
     • Quantitative analysis data
       • Data to which numerical values are assigned for measurement and comparison.

7. STUDENT: Jaqueline Rodríguez Paredes

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