Participant observation

Question 1

What is participant observation (Wolcott 2005)

Answer 1

participant observation is the residual category that includes anything that is not some kind of interviewing.

Question 2

Types of observer stances? (Gold 1958)

Answer 2

Complete ppt
ppt as observer
observer as ppt
complete observer

Question 3

Membership roles (DeWalt and DeWalt 2002)

Answer 3

Continuum of active and passive participation in the activities of the community and culture.

-The degree of participation is influenced by both the researcher and the community

Question 4

Why use ppt observation?

Answer 4

To provide a deeper and context rich understanding of the situation and phenomenon under investigation.

• To experience events in situ not just as reported by participants.
• To open up avenues of investigation not originally conceived of by the researcher.
• To blur the emic/etic distinction in qualitative research.

Question 5

The 3 main phases of ppt observation?

Answer 5

1. gaining access and building rapport
2. conducting observations
3. writing fieldnotes

Question 6

1. gaining access and building rapport

Answer 6

gaining access should not be considered separate from the research itself.

-It is while gaining access that you build important relationships and begin to establish your role in the community.

•Gaining access is not something done once, it is an ongoing process.
-Access has to be negotiated with different people and groups

Question 7

Types of gatekeepers and examples of each?

Answer 7

institutional

• University ethics panel.
• NHS / other professional body.

Personal
-The people who will be participating in your research
.-Obstructive and facilitative relationships.
-How much of your research do you reveal?

Question 8

2. conducting observations

Answer 8

The essence of fieldwork is revealed by intent rather than by location.”(Wolcott, 2005, p. 58)
1.Reciprocity
.2.A tolerance for ambiguity.
3.Personal determination and faith in oneself.

Question 9

Types of observation?

Answer 9

Descriptive
.-Focussed.
-Selective.

Question 10

What to observe?

Answer 10

The physical environment
.-Participants in detail.
-Interactions

Question 11

doing better ppt observation (Dewalt and dewalt 2002)

Answer 11

actively observe.
•Look closely at the interactions.
•Listen carefully to conversations.
 Try to remember as many verbatim conversations, nonverbal expressions, and gestures as possible.
•Keep a running observation record.

Question 12

doing better ppt observation

walcott 2005

Answer 12

focus your observations.
•Review what you are looking for and whether you are seeing it.
•Be prepared to discover that observation itself is a mysterious process.
•Assess your observations in terms of what you will need to report.
•Reflect on your writing practices

Question 13

contemporary approaches

Answer 13

Focussed observation

• Shorter time period.
• Multi-site.

•Use of audio-visual methods

• Video recordings.
• Not ‘participant’ observation as it is traditionally conceived.
• The ‘go-along’ method
• Targeted or policy-orientated observation

Question 14

Writing fieldnotes

Answer 14

Frequently
•Regularly
•Systematically (although not necessarily at first!)

• Fieldnotes build up slowly into something worthwhile
• Get into good habit

Question 15

What to write

Answer 15

First impressions
•Large scale observations
•Small details
•Significant events
•What people say
•What people do and how they act
•Diagrams /drawings
•Initial analytic insights

Question 16

types of Fieldnotes

Answer 16

1. Head notes
2. Jottings (hand-written)
3. Full notes (typed)
4. Analytic memos

Question 17

Towards analysis

Answer 17

data collection and analysis are not conceived of as two separate phases.

•Likely focussed on what actually happens, rather than just participants’ perceptions or attitudes.