Participant Observation Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Participant observation is a qualitative research method that researchers use to collect data in group settings. Researchers are active participants in a group and become thoroughly immersed in group activities. In this way, the researcher gains an in-depth understanding of the group members, members’ activities, and organizational nuances. Researchers interview group members informally, record and detail events that take place in the group or the organization under study, and then interpret their activities. An effective participant observer needs to gain an appreciation about individuals within the group, learn about the ways in which the group as a whole functions, and understand the organizational culture as well as any other factors that allow the observer to develop a relationship and become an accepted member of the group.

Through participant observation, researchers often gain insights missed when using other research methods. Participant observation has several advantages: it allows researcher to collect data more easily, and it may be less expensive than other methods of collecting data. On the other hand, it is also fraught with disadvantages. It may take a researcher an excessive amount of time to collect data, and the researcher may lose objectivity in collecting data, thereby possibly affecting the overall outcome of the process.

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