Observations

• Covert Participant, Advantages: P- Money, research opportunity due to only needing to focus on a small population, T- Gain answers to questions that has not been answered (validity), researcher understands subject better (verstehen)
• Covert Participant, Disadvantages: P -Time, limits research opportunity (subject matter), E- may face danger due to illegal acts, no consent, deception, T- cover could be blown, unreliable (can't repeat)
• Overt Participant, Advantages: P- Observer can record information openly, flexible method of research, E- Avoids deception and informed consent, T- Enable the researcher to ask questions without the fear of being 'discovered' (improves reliability and some elements of validity)
• Overt Participant, Disadvantages: P- Limits research opportunity as the researcher may be refused entry, T- Can create the Hawthorne effect (validity)
• Non - Participant

  • researcher observes the group/ event without taking part
  • will not influence the group
  • less likely to be bias
  • whole point is to understand group but will not experience it - Hawthorne effect
• Participant

  • researcher takes part in event/ group whilst observing it
  • Will understand the group better/ understand the truth
  • Create a close rapport with researcher
  • Costly in time and money
  • Difficult to access groups
  • Illegal activities/ informed consent
  • bias
  • Influence of researcher
• Getting in

  • must gain entry to the group
  • Make initial contact - depends on personal skills/ having right connections / chance
  • Need to win trust / acceptance
• Staying in

  • once accepted they need to stay to complete the study
  • Can be difficult for some to be involve, observe and remain detached (un- bias)
  • Over-identifying (going native) is where they become over involved and bias
• getting out

  • concluding the study and finishing the research- much easier than getting in
  • Leaves and stopes identifying with group
  • Re- entering work can be difficult - loyalty can prevent them from sharing information to others
• Hawthorne effect - those who know they are being observed behave differently. Low validity