2. Part Three SOURCES AND COLLECTION OF DATA
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
© 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,All Rights Reserved.

3. Chapter Thirteen OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES

4. Observation
Nonbehavioral observation
Behavioral observation

5. Observation Nonbehavioral observation Record analysis
Physical condition analysis
Process or activity analysis

6. Observation Behavioral observation Nonverbal analysis
Linguistic analysis
Extralinguistic analysis
Spatial analysis

7. Advantages of the Observational Method
Collect the original data at the time it occurs
Secure information that participants would ignore because it’s so common it is not seen as relevant
Only method available to collect certain types of data

8. Advantages of the Observational Method (cont.)
Capture the whole event as it occurs in its natural environment
Participants seem to accept an observational intrusion better than they respond to questioning

9. Limitations of the Observational Method
Observer or recording equipment must be at the scene of the event when it takes place
Slow process
Expensive process
Most reliable results are restricted to information that can be learned by overt action or surface indicators

10. Limitations of the Observational Method (cont.)
Research environment is more likely suited to subjective assessment and recording of data than to quantification of events
Limited as a way to learn about the past
Cannot observe rationale for actions, only actions themselves

11. Relationship between Observer and Participant
Direct or indirect observation
Observer’s presence known or unknown to the participant
Observer is involved or not involved with the participant

12. Observation Methods
Direct
Indirect
Participant
Simple
Systematic

13. Guidelines for Selecting Observers
Ability to concentrate in a setting full of distractions
Ability to remember details of an experience
Ability to be unobtrusive in the observational situation
Ability to extract the most from an observational study

14. Observation Data Collection
Who
What
Event Sampling
Time Sampling
When
How
Where