PS398 Chapter 6: Observation in Qualitative Studies
Document Summary
Interviews alone may not be sufficient bc people may not disclose important info or may be unaware of going-ons in their midst or have spotty recall. Going native: becoming too immersed in participant observation, losing sight of research role. Ideal is mid-level participation that is selective and contextual. If study is site-centred, attendance at carefully sampled events can be extremely useful in documenting the range of activities. Is study is person-centred, getting permission to shadow participants gives added value to what is otherwise entirely dependent on participants" verbal accounts. Representative: varying by time of day, types of participants etc. Purposive: attending clinic days reserved for new mothers, shadowing participant who is community health worker. Qualitative methods relying on historical documents, narrative, and other textual analyses may not draw on observational data. Other behaviours are too intensely private or risky to observe (ex unsafe sex, iv drug use)
