Untitled Quiz

Observation as a Data Collection Tool

• Observation is a qualitative research method focusing on social behaviours and interactions in everyday settings.
• It leads to a detailed understanding of community and culture.
• Two types exist: participant and non-participant.

Participant Observation

• Researcher immerses themselves in the community or setting, often participating in activities.

• Two types: overt (researcher's identity and purpose known) and covert (researcher's role concealed).

• Key features include active engagement in group activities, gaining an insider's perspective (emic perspective), and flexible involvement ranging from full participation to passive observation.

• Advantages: Researcher can be open and honest, is trusted, and can freely ask questions; observation can be combined with other methods (e.g., interviews, questionnaires).

• Disadvantages: Researchers are initially considered outsiders, may be prevented from joining certain activities, may lose objectivity by becoming too attached to the group, and the researcher's presence may affect the group.

Non-Participant Observation

• Researcher observes the setting and subjects without direct involvement.
• Key features: detached observation in a natural setting, minimized researcher influence on the group, and data collection via field notes, videos, pictures, or other documentation.
• Advantages: less researcher bias, subjects are more likely to behave naturally without feeling pressured by an outsider.
• Disadvantages: simply observing does not include experiencing what the group is undergoing, and researchers may only focus on what they choose to observe (observer bias).

Checklists as a Data Collection Tool

• Checklists are simple, systematic data collection methods used in research, observational studies, and assessments.
• They include a predefined list of items, behaviours, characteristics, or actions researchers want to observe or assess.
• Four types: Dynamic (behavioural), Quantitative (frequency), Qualitative (descriptive), and Procedural.

Dynamic (Behavioural) Checklist

• Focuses on capturing the occurrence of specific behaviours or actions over time.

• Includes a predefined list of behaviours, and the observer marks when a behaviour is seen.

• Advantages: Adaptable to changing situations and context, encourages focus on specific behaviours, reduces biases through standardization.

• Disadvantages: Biases can be inadvertently included based on priorities in the list, data can be complex to analyze, and keeping the checklist updated can be challenging.

Quantitative (Frequency) Checklist

• Observes the occurrence of events or behaviours and records how often they occur.
• Observer notes the frequency of the event within a specific time period.
• Advantages: precise numerical data, straightforward analysis, clear comparisons, and identification of trends.
• Disadvantages: high or low frequencies can be misleading if not analyzed with qualitative data, the data may be complex to analyze, especially when dealing with subtle behaviours.

Qualitative (Descriptive) Checklist

• Observes occurrences and records how often behaviours or events occur.
• The observer notes the frequency of the event within a specific period and provides descriptive notes.
• Advantages: Allows for more detailed and complete observations by including descriptions of complex phenomena or behaviours that might not fit standard formats, provides more comprehensive insights and context, and helps capture nuances and underlying meaning.
• Disadvantages: more time-consuming for both the observer and researcher, more subjective as different observers might interpret and describe events differently, and high and low frequencies require qualitative analysis.

Procedural Checklist

• Ensures specific steps or tasks are followed in a process or sequence.
• Consists of a series of task that need to be completed in a specific order, with each task being checked off when completed.
• Advantages: clear structured format that guides users, helps ensure consistency, avoids confusion and standardizes processes/tasks, streamlines processes and increases efficiency, reduces the risk of skipping steps, essential in environments requiring procedural integrity.
• Disadvantages: rigid structure with limited flexibility, may oversimplify complex tasks, and a poorly designed checklist may omit critical steps leading to incomplete or faulty procedures.

Effectiveness of Observation and Checklists

• Observation is effective because it allows direct access to behaviour, substantial qualitative data, non-verbal cues, and can be useful when studying unconscious or habitual behaviour.
• Checklists are practical and effective, offering structure for data collection, and consistency in recording.