designing observations

• behavioural categories

  key behaviour that the researcher will pay attention too and record strengths- easily replicated, quantitative data and quick to conductweaknesses- Behaviours may be missed that are not on the pre-determined checklist
• coding frames


  allow for more specific behaviours to observe within a behaviour categorystrengths- easy to replicateweaknesses- behaviours can be missed
• time sampling


  This is where an observer records behaviour at prescribed intervalstrengths- quick increases reliability weaknesses- can miss behaviour that is not in the time frame
• Event sampling


  counting the number of times a certain behaviour occursstrengths- Every behaviour of interest will be counted from the beginning through to the end of the observation easier to replicateweaknesses- some behaviours could be missed if there is too much happening at the same time