Participant-Observation

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Participant-Observation

• INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods

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Outline

• Observation
• Participation
• Recording (Field Notes)
• Ethics

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How to Observe

• Evenly distributed attention
• Direct observation and description without
  interpretation as a way to challenge conventional
  thinking, discover new categories, concepts
  Becker
• When relying on observation alone be very careful
  about imputing motives, general mind-reading.

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How to Participate

• Varying degrees
• going native at the extreme
• striking a balance between insider and outsider
• Researchers role as translator

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How to Record Field Notes

• when? as soon as possible
• where? somewhere unobtrusive
• what? a running description of events, people,
  things heard and overheard, conversations among
  people, conversations with people. Lofland
  and Lofland
• KEY IDEA Log more data than you know you will
  need (to support an inductive analytical approach)

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How to Record Field Notes
BEST PRACTICE TECHNIQUE
separate direct observation from inference as best you can Put inference/interpretation in brackets or in a separate column
distinguish between direct quotes and paraphrasing for direct quotes and for paraphrasing
all the specifics date, time, place names, names and contact info for people
Not limited to text drawings, maps, tape small papers into your notebook such as business cards, flyers, etc.
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Jottings vs. full field notes
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http//www.studioincite.com/73urbanjourneys/map.ht
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Assignment 1

1. Practice evenly distributing your attention
2. Practice breaking down your observation into the
   most basic descriptions (and distinguish this
   from your interpretations)
3. Practice recording more data than you think is
   relevant
4. Practice thinking iteratively
5. Bonus points for approaching and engaging
   strangers in your quest to understand the social
   setting

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Sites

• gas stations - 2
• Food carts -
• Post office -
• Theaters (during intermission) - 2
• Lines queues (different ways of doing that)
  waiting - 9
• ATMs privacy - 5
• Retail dressing rooms - 1
• Waiting (for fixed events) Cheeseboard - 2
• Docks/ports loading 5 - Fishing piers - 2
• Homeless shelters - 3

• Gyms - 3
• discount food markets -
• Bars - 9
• Museums - 5
• Parks - 4
• Farmers markets - 3
• Bike repair shops - 2
• Libraries - 5
• Parking lots -
• Elevators - 5
• Flea markets -
• Cook-your-own-food restaurants - 1

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Selected Sites

• Bars 9
• Lines queues (different ways of doing that)
  waiting - 9
• ATMs privacy 5
• Docks/ports loading 5 - Fishing piers - 2