Babbie makes observation into only qualitative. It need not be.

So I will talk about it first, and then deal with qualitative research in general.

Observation is simply observing some phenomenon.

Sometimes self-report isn't good enough.

There is a discrepancy between self-report and known instances of something

Self-report of the amount of housework men do!!!

Observation is often considered less quantitative because it relies upon the observer's

collection of data.

How many times someone did something, etc.

But how is that more subjective than a survey????

Objective - the data can be arrived at on its own without any subjective aspect

Intersubjective - two or more researchers come to the same conclusion.

Subjective - phenomena that is experienced by an individual

Consensual validation - trained observers produce similar data

Observation as quantitative method can be used much as survey data

Observe how many times, etc.

Blumer - observation is closer to empirical reality

• no preconceived theories - just observe

Deductive - start with theory - test an hypothesis. Goes from general to specific

Gate-keepers - develop trust

Informants - someone well versed in the phenomenon you want to study

Actions/ Dress

Interactions

Language usage/Content of communication

Sequence of events

Correlation of words and body language

take notes

Be unobtrusive in taking notes

Explain what you are doing so they don't feel nervous

Note empirical events - DESCRIPTION - don't generalize, be specific

Note your interpretation - researcher's feelings in sepearate account

Record the most important events

Use a standardized form if you can

Don't trust your memory

Rewrite your notes - reconstruct the scene, add details that you didn't have time

to put in, add new observations from reconstruction

Write down everything - you don't know what is important

Distinguish between inferential (interpretation) and noninferential data

Make folders for each hypothesis, or subject of observation

Beside the description, add analysis notes

Look for patterns

Frequencies

Magnitude

Structures

Processes

Causes

Consequences

Look for similarities and dissimilarities

Look for norms, and ask why they exist - what purpose do they fulfill

Look for violations of the norms, and ask why

Some behavior has no norm - but it may have patterns

Note the relationship between behaviors, attitudes and social structure

Decide what is background

Use introspection - imagine how someone felt, why they acted as they did

Use retrospective observation

Develop typologies - a list of types used for comparison

A cross classification of two typologies might be useful

Draw a map of the data, or some part of the data

Inductively group data according to emerging hypotheses

There may be descriptive hypotheses or causal hypotheses

Test the hypotheses with further observations

Sequence of events

Eliminate rival causal explanations

Participant Observation

Be careful of bias - Don't loose professional skills

Going native

Qualitative interview is not as structured as quantitative interview

There is more interaction

Be careful not to bias the answers

Observe the "culture" of a group.

Try to understand why people do what they ordinarily do

Exploration of the subjective experience

It is the same as interpretive research

You explore the "lifeworld" or "livedworld" of an individual or a group

Derive the essence of the experience from the individual's description of it.

Consciousness is intentional - you must be conscious OF SOMETHING

Bracketing is setting aside preconceived notions of what the world should be like

Phenomenology can be useful to understand the experience of addicts, rape victims, hallucinatory patients, spiritual experiences, etc.

At the conclusion of the study, you should be able to say "I now better understand what it is like for someone to experience that."

We will do Evaluation Research, Grounded Theory, and Triangulation next week.