Introduction/Overview
What is participant observation? How is it actually done? How is
it combined in mixed-methods research to produce valid findings? How can
we ensure its quality? Is there an advantage to doing limited
participant observation with other methods in a short-term study?
Participant observation is a key tool in the social researcher’s
toolkit. Traditionally associated with ethnography, participant
observation has often involved long-term and intense immersion in the
field of study, requiring considerable commitment from the researcher.
This course will address the practicalities of doing participant
observation in diverse settings, using a range of published examples as
well as practical activities. We will especially consider shorter-term
participant observation and mixed methods. The course will introduce
participants to the principles and practicalities of participant
observation and then introduce ways in it can enhance qualitative
research. It is a practical course, designed to equip participants with
the knowledge and skills required to immerse themselves in a setting, to
listen, to ask questions; and to supplement observation with the
analysis of other data.
Topics covered
- The foundations and principles of ethnography
- Gaining access
- Participating and observing
- Making fieldnotes
- Being an ‘insider’
- Avoiding over attachment
- Participant-observer roles
- Using other methods
- Rapport and trust
- Reflexivity
- Issues of representativeness, reliability and validity
Course objectives
By the end of the course participants should:
- understand the contribution that close, theory-oriented
observations, participation, observation, and conversation can make to
qualitative data collection;
- be equipped to record the data produced through diverse methods;
- take a critical and creative approach to ethnographic methods and
understand how they can be combined with other methods of data
collection for a range of social, political and policy research areas;
- be in a position to defend the validity and reliability of ethnographic interpretations.
Who will benefit
The course is introductory but will rapidly take participants to the
level of being able to put their knowledge and skills to practice. Some
prior familiarity with qualitative methods would be beneficial but not
essential.
Course tutor
Karen O'Reilly is Emeritus Professor of
Sociology at Loughborough University, and an affiliate of the School of
Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford. She has
taught ethnographic and qualitative methods for over 20 years, including
the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Collection and Analysis,
the Swiss Summer School in Social Science Methods, in Lugano; at the
Universities of Aberdeen, Essex, Loughborough and Oxford; and at
universities in Germany, Norway and Hong Kong. Her experience also
includes being a Member of the Advisory Board of the NCRM biannual
Research Methods Festival 2011-2012; and a member of the ESRC Peer
Review College 2012 – 2016.
Karen is a highly experienced ethnographer whose many publications include two widely cited books on ethnography: Ethnographic Methods(Routledge, 2nd ed. 2012) and Key Concepts in Ethnography(Sage,
2009). She has also been instrumental in the design and evaluation of
Masters level Research Methods courses and programmes in a number of
universities. Karen provides short courses for the SRA on a regular
basis.
This course contributes 6 hours to the MRS CPD programme