What Do I Need To Consider When Doing Observational Research?

1.	What Do I Need To Consider When Doing Observational Research?
Answer» Try to be “invisible”, do not get involved in the dynamics of the situation. USE all of your senses, not just your sense of vision. Record the SOUNDS, smells and tastes (if applicable). Record your impressions and feelings. How do you feel while observing? Were you frightened, surprised, ANXIOUS, amused, excited? Relate what you were feeling to what you were observing. Record the context of the situation: place, time, participants, numbers of participants, GENDER of participants, etc. Record what you were thinking during the observation. Did the situation remind you of something similar? Had you EXPERIENCED something similar. What do you think the participants were thinking about while you were observing? Record all of your information in a journal. Use shorthand or abbreviations if necessary.

Answer»

Try to be “invisible”, do not get involved in the dynamics of the situation.
USE all of your senses, not just your sense of vision. Record the SOUNDS, smells and tastes (if applicable).
Record your impressions and feelings. How do you feel while observing? Were you frightened, surprised, ANXIOUS, amused, excited? Relate what you were feeling to what you were observing.
Record the context of the situation: place, time, participants, numbers of participants, GENDER of participants, etc.
Record what you were thinking during the observation. Did the situation remind you of something similar? Had you EXPERIENCED something similar. What do you think the participants were thinking about while you were observing?
Record all of your information in a journal. Use shorthand or abbreviations if necessary.

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