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Participant observation Participant observation refers to a form of sociological research methodology in which the researcher takes on a role in the social situation under observation. The social researcher immerses herself in the social setting under study, getting to know key actors in that location in a role which is either covert or overt, although in practice, the researcher will often move between these two roles. The aim is to experience events in the manner in which the subjects under study also experience these events. Sociologists who employ participant observation as a research tool aim to discover the nature of social reality by understanding the actor's perception, understanding and interpretation of that social world. Whilst observing and experiencing as a participant, the sociologist must retain a level of objectivity in order to understand, analyze and explain the social world under study. What is the researcher role? Take responsibility for finding out what is expected Take the initiative in raising problems or difficulties Help the supervisory team to ensure consistency Discuss with the supervisory team how to make guidance more effective, including disability related concerns Agree, organize and attend mutually convenient meetings, contribute to their agenda and circulate work in advance Undertake research training as agreed and where need is identified Undertake recommended reading Produce written work as agreed Comply with reporting procedures and inform supervisors of the progress of your research Tell supervisors about difficulties you encounter in your work Arrange for informal sharing of information and practice Generate your own ideas Set realistic deadlines Ask when you don't understand Decide when to submit the thesis and ensure that it is submitted on time Ensure that the thesis complies with regulations. What are the procedures? Thematising is to answer the question of what is going to be studied, why this is going to be studied, and how this is going to be studied. The answers to these questions will become the background for carrying on with fieldwork, analysis and reporting. [14] The design stage constitutes the step where the methodological procedure is planned and prepared. What is the time schedule and how do the different steps interrelate? When the chosen technique is interviews, designing the research project will be to determine which kind of interviews to use—personal, collective (focus group), expert, etc.—and how many interviews to perform. [17] Interviews are structured according to an interview guide made by the researcher, which outlines themes to be covered during the interview. The interview guide is typically without specification of how to formulate exact questions, and questions will be open-ended to encourage the respondents to give long elaborated answers. [20] The next step of the research process is transcription of recordings—often done by assisting personnel. Different kinds of instructions will be given to assistants according to the researcher's preferences. Such standards for transcription can be conceptualized as a continuum—from a transcript incorporating (almost) every sound or silence recorded (breaks, sighs, stammer, etc.) to a transcript restricted to sentences of relevance to specific research questions The word coding is often used to refer to the first part of the analysis that concerns the naming and categorizing of phenomena through close examination of data (STRAUSS & CORBIN 1990). Coding of data might be done using one of the computer-based analysis program packages (e.g. NUD*IST or Atlas.ti). However, whether one chooses to use a computer program or not, it is the researcher who defines and names the categories of data. Verification of the data analysis concerns the generalizability, the reliability, and the validity of findings. Generalizability means that findings can be generalized; reliability refers to the consistency of findings/results, whereas validity questions if the study in fact investigates what was intended. It goes without saying that reporting covers the part of the research process where the researcher writes a report to present his findings. As KVALE points out this report is not to be seen solely as a representation of data "seasoned with" the researcher's comments and interpretations: "The interview report is itself a social construction in which the author's choice of writing style and literary devices provide a specific view on the subjects' lived world. What are the advantages of participant observation? 2 Types of observation: Covert observation involves: The social researcher participating fully without informing members of the social group of the reasons for her presence, thus the research is carried out secretly or covertly. Contact with a 'gatekeeper', a member of the group under study who will introduce the researcher into the group. Advantages of this type of covert participant role are: The researcher may gain access to social groups who would otherwise not consent to being studied. The avoidance of problems of observer effect, the conception that individuals' behavior may change if they know they are being studied. However, there are problems of recording data. Overt observation involves: The researcher being open about the reason for her presence in the field of study since the researcher is given permission by the group to conduct her research. The use of a 'sponsor', who is an individual likely to occupy a high status within the group, therefore lessening any potential hostility towards the researcher. Advantages of the use of overt observation include: The avoidance of problems of ethics in that the group is aware of the researcher's role. The group is being observed in its 'natural setting'. Data may also be openly recorded. Problems of 'going native' are avoided. What are disadvantages of participant observation? Problems of covert observation include: The researcher having to become involved in criminal or dangerous activities, particularly where the research is studying a 'deviant' social group. Problems of negotiating and having to act out forms of behavior which the researcher may personally find unethical or distasteful. The researcher having to employ a level of deceit, since the researcher is essentially lies about the nature of her presence within the group. Close friendships are often resulting from connections with members of the group under study and the covert nature of the research can put a tremendous strain on the researcher, both in and out of the fieldwork setting. The problem of 'going native', which refers to the fact that a researcher will cease to be a researcher and will become a full-time group participant. Problems with overt observation include: Observer effect, where the behavior of those under study may alter due to the presence of the researcher.