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ObservationGlobal Health & Social Science Website
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Learning Objectives
• At the end of the session students will be able to:
• Discuss the main concepts and principles that relate to observation
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of observation as qualitative research methods
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Definition of observation
• Systematic watching and recording of what people do and say … in naturally occurring settings and careful recording of what occurs (Mays & Pope, 1995)
©2010 Charlie Hopkinson, courtesy of RESYST
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Observation• Purpose!
• To explore culture and social organisation
• Advantages!
• Can be used for enquiry into sensitive issues not open direct questioning
• Allows the researcher to see for her/himself
• Bridges the gap between what people say and do
©2010 Charlie Hopkinson, courtesy of RESYST
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Observation in practice• When is it used?
• Clinical / nursing practice
• Teaching / Training
• Meetings
• Any work places
!• Why is it used?
• Skills
• Performance
• Attitudes and social relationships / interactions
• Language
©2010 Charlie Hopkinson, courtesy of RESYST
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Types of observation
• Direct observation
• Participant observation
©2010 Charlie Hopkinson, courtesy of RESYST
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Participant Observation
• The researcher as part of the research!
• The participant observer to the observing participant continuum
• Participating but only observes or fully participating but making observations?
• Clear research aim and objectives are essential!
• Preparation; Reading; Thinking; Discussing
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Tips Research Diary• A valid and important ‘data set’ and tool for analysis
• Hard backed numbered and dated notebooks
• Never leave the house without pen and diary
• Get into habit of writing everything down
• Date, time and page number
• Devise coding method for different data – observations, thoughts, analysis –codes & categories
• Type up into a word document
• Add in new ideas & thoughts
• Keep both hard and electronic copies safe
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Challenges to undertaking participant observation
• Small scale - challenging to capture a wide number of experiences
• Can be very time consuming
• Ethical challenges and ensuring informed consent of those participating
• Can have accusations of bias and subjectivity - important for the researcher to reflect on what they are “seeing”
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Case Study: MAFESSTA Study Malawi
• Epi-social science research project
• Based on the shores of Lake Malawi
• Objective understanding the factors that shaped vulnerability and resilience to HIV
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Key methods used• Worked in 12 villages with in-
depth fieldwork carried out in 2 of these villages (my PhD)
• PhD objectives included investigating gender power relations and how they shaped vulnerability to HIV
• We used qualitative and participatory research methodology
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Observation• We used observation; structured
tasks & times pre-selected and included:
• Afternoons with women weaving mats and drying fish; wet season – seeing challenges and changes of season
• Early in the morning boats landed the catches – we bought fish; see the fierce competition for fish at certain times of year
• In the bars following high fish catches and low fish catches; - violence and alcohol abuse
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Challenges/dilemmas • Bars unsafe places esp for women at night; the
male research assistant often went alone; female research assistant felt she could not go to the bar because fears of rumours that she was a sex worker
• Insights into participants behaviour; difficult for the RAs to discuss this/introduce contradictions
• Ethics - participants were not always aware that the male research assistant was doing structured observation
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References• Crotty, M. (1998). The Foundations of Social Research - Meaning
and Perspective in the Research Process London: Sage
• Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Culture. New York, Basic Books.
• Ellen, R. F., Ed. (1984). Ethnographic Research: A Guide to General Conduct. London, Academic Press
• Silverman, D. (2001). Chapter Three Ethnography and Observation in Interpretating Qualitative Data - Methods for Analysing Talk, Text and Interaction London: Sage Publications