Dr. Young’s Lecture 1
DR. YOUNG’S PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Observations and Interviews
Observational Data
oHuman perception is highly selective
oSocial science observers must be trained
oObservers must be prepared to observed
oPasteur: “In the fields of observation, chance favors the prepared mind.”
Observational Data Describes...
oSetting
oActivities
oPeople
oMeaning
Purpose of Observational Data
oReader is able to enter the situation
oInformation users understand context
oDecision makers informed about what is occurring
Entering the Field
oPreparation
oSafety
oEquipment
Researcher Roles
oParticipant vs. non-participant observer
oOvert vs. covert observations
oDisclosure of purpose
oDuration in field
oFocus of observations
Field Notes
oInclude everything worth noting
oDo immediately after interview
oDon’t trust memory
oVague and overgeneralized vs. detailed and concrete notes
Field Notes Include…
oThick description
oObservers feelings*
oInsights, interpretations, analyses, working hypotheses*
o*Clearly labeled as such
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
oInstruments used to measure velocity and position of electron alter the accuracy of measurement
Observational Effects
oProcess of observing affects what is observed
oMust monitor effects and take into account in interpretations
Qualitative Interviewing
oAllows us to enter another’s perspective
oCannot observe feelings, thoughts, intentions
oQuality of information is dependent on skill of the interviewer
Three Types
oInformal conversational interview
oInterview guide
oStandardized open-ended questions
Interview Guide
oProvides topics to be covered
oInterviewer is free to build a conversation around the topics
oWord questions spontaneously
oGuide provides a framework for question sequence
oFollow up questions, probes are used
Questions
oOpen-ended
oNeutral
oSingular
oClear
oAvoid dichotomous questions that seem to suggest a yes-no answer
Nonverbal Cues
oEyes
oMouth
oFacial expressions
oHead
oShoulders
oArms/hands
oLegs/feet
oTotal body
Nonverbal Cues
oVoice level and pitch
oSpeech fluency
oSilence
oDistance
oPosition in room
oTouch
Interviewer Responses
oClarification
oParaphrase
oReflection or responding to feelings
oSummarization
oProbe
oConfrontation re: discrepancy
oInterpretation
oInformation giving
Interviewer Statements
oSocially appropriate
oAppropriate to research questions
oInterventional
oIrrelevant or inappropriate