ACROSS FAMILIES/ Data collection
Non-participant observation
Watch practices as they unfold
Non-participant observation systematically records activities, interactions or environments while the researcher remains outside the activity being studied. Records can be field notes, event counts or protocol ratings. The degree of structure follows the question. Observation can show enacted practices and sequences, although the observer's presence and recording choices still shape the evidence.
WHEN IT FITS
Choose when actual work or classroom behaviour matters and access permits systematic watching. Decide whether the aim is interpretative understanding or reliable counting before designing the recording protocol.
Strengths
- Captures practices beyond self-report
- Preserves sequence and setting
Limitations
- Access may favour visible or acceptable activities
- Observer presence can change behaviour
Know the boundary
Observation is not necessarily an experiment and cannot alone identify participants' private motives.
USED ACROSS
Banking & financeBusiness & MBAPsychologyComputer scienceEducation