observational design

• what is a unstructured observation design


  write down everything you see in lots of detail. usually used for small scale observations with few participants
• evaluate unstructured observation design

  + more detail and depth

  - more likely to be qualitative so harder to analyse
• what is structured observation design


  only write down behaviours that are predetermined on the list
• evaluate structure observational design

  + more likely to be quantitative so easier to analyse

  - less detail and depth
• what is a behavioural category


  when a target behaviour is being observed is broken up into components that are observable and measurable

  - categories should include all the ways in which behaviour might occur and should be specific and measurable.
• what keeps behavioural category data structured and objective


  - must be observable, measurable and self-evident

  - all forms of target behaviour included

  - categories should be distinctive and not overlap
• what is event sampling


  counting each time a behaviour occurs
• evaluate event sampling

  + useful if the behaviour is infrequent as time sampling could miss it

  - if event is too complex important behaviours could be missed
• what is time sampling


  recording the behaviour in a fixed time frame
• evaluate time sampling

  + effective in reducing the amount of observations that have to be made

  - could lead to unrepresentative data
• what is inter - observer reliability


  when two researchers are observing an recording behaviour to make sure it is reliable.