Practical Research 1 M8

• Observation


  Conducting observation will enable you to witness several things relevant to your study. It will allow you to collect data that would otherwise go undetected through other data gathering processes such as interviews.
• Four different types of observation

  • Participant observation
  • Nonparticipant observation
  • Naturalistic observation
  • Simulations
• Participant observation


  Involves an intense interaction between researcher and the subjects or participants of the study
• Overt participant observation


  The identity and purpose of the researcher are known to the group being studied
• Covert participant observation


  The participants of the study are unaware that they are being observed for research purposes
• Nonparticipant observation


  The researcher does not participate in the activities of the group being observed
• Naturalistic observation


  Commonly used by psychologists, other social science researchers and natural scientists, involves observing the subjects under study in their natural environment
• Simulations


  The researcher recreates a situation, environment or system, and observes the subjects under study in the said simulated environment
• To facilitate the data collection process through observation

  1. Take photographs and collect available artifacts

  2. Record videos

  3. Gather documents such as annual reports or minutes of meetings

  4. Write a summary of your observations
• Interview


  Done to validate the information recorded in an observation. Considered one of the most important data collection strategies in qualitative research.
• Four types of interviews

  • Structured interviews
  • Semi-structured interviews
  • Informal interviews
  • Retrospective interviews
• Structured interviews

  The researcher has a specific set of questions designed to elicit responses from the participants. This can also referred to as survey interviews, which displays both features of survey and interview.
• Semi-structured interviews


  The researcher prepares open-ended questions to which the participants are free to respond in any way they see fit.
• Informal interviews


  Done to determine how the participants act during certain situations. Conducted without a specific sequence of questions or form of questioning.
• Retrospective interviews


  Done to recall and reconstruct something that happened in the past.
• Types of interview questions

  • Background questions
  • Knowledge questions
  • Experience questions
  • Opinion questions
  • Feeling questions
  • Sensory questions
• Background questions


  Routine questions relevant to the background of the participants. Obtain personal information about the interviewee.
• Knowledge questions


  A participant's actual knowledge about the research topic. The interviewee could be a known expert in the field and the questions raised are for the purpose of obtaining information directly from the perspective of an expert.
• Experience questions


  Focused on what the participant is doing at the present moment, what he or she has been doing, or what he or she did in the past. These questions are asked primarily to situate an interviewee's experience in the context of the objectives of your study.
• Opinion questions


  Are asked to elicit what a participant thinks about certain topics or issues.
• Feeling questions


  Require responses emanating from the emotions of the participants that may have arisen based on their experience(s).
• Sensory questions


  Focus on what the respondent has seen, tasted, heard, touched, or smelled.
• Reminders during the interview

  • Respect the culture of the group being studied. Always make it a point to observe ethical standards when conducting your interview.
  • Respect the individuals being interviewed.
  • Act naturally and confidently.
  • Develop rapport with the participants.
  • Ask the same question in different ways.
  • Ask interviewees politely to repeat their answers whenever their responses seem vague.
  • Do not monopolize the conversation.
  • Avoid leading questions.
  • Do not ask dichotomous questions.
  • Ask questions one at a time.
• Informed consent


  A document signed by the participant signifying his or her free will to participate in the study.
• Focus group discussion


  A data gathering method which involves interviewing a small group of people to obtain data on a certain topic. Ask several groups of people (normally 6-10 people per group) what they think or feel about a certain topic or issue. The participants are seated together, forming a circle, and can hear what the other members of the group have to say about the issue.
• Documentary analysis / content analysis


  A technique to study human behavior indirectly by analyzing relevant documents which may include books, journals, magazines, artwork, songs, pictures, among other things.