Practicalities of observational data Morales2016

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Practicalities of Gathering Data through

Observational Studies:

An Ethnographer’s AccountKatherine Morales, 3rd Year PhD student

This presentation was prepared by Katherine Morales and delivered on 19/04/2016 for Trinity College Dublin's Research Skills Peer Group.

For any further questions email: [email protected]

+What is observational data?

As opposed to “experimental data”.

Observational data: draws on inferences from a

sample to a population where the independent

variable is not under the control of the researcher

because of ethical concerns or logistical constraints.

Tendency to be qualitative and subjective.

Tendency to be uncontrolled.*



+Usefulness of Observational Data

They can provide information on “real world” use and practice.

They can inform the construction of tools/instruments for for data collection.

Observation, as mentioned previously, can help formulate a hypothesis to be used in subsequent experiments.

Observations can inform language behavior or language use in a specific community.

They can be used to complement existing data, or data gathered through different means (e.g. questionnaires, surveys, interviews).



+Observations as part of

Ethnography

Ethnography: “the scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences” (OED).

It is “…an interpretive approach which studies the local and immediate actions of actors from their point of view and considers how these interactions are embedded in wider social contexts.” (Copland & Creese, 2015: 13)

Ethnography parts from the idea that: “Language does not exist apart from culture, that is, from the socially inherited assemblage of practices and beliefs that determines the textures of our lives.” (Sapir, 1921: 207).

Observations are OPEN* (Copland & Creese, 2015: 37):

Only tools are pen and paper.

They might take place in different settings.

(Observation-through-ethnography) Creates different levels of participation.



+Observations as part of

Ethnography (Cont.)

“Observations are generally used to build rapport and develop

trust in the field and so usually precede audio, video or

interview recordings.” (Creese & Copland, 2015: 38)



+Personal anecdote:

The Participant-Observer

This presentation was prepared by Katherine Morales and delivered on 19/04/2016 for Trinity College Dublin's Research Skills Peer

Group. For any further questions email: [email protected]

+The Reliability of Observational

Data

What linguists have said (although there are many different ways to look at it):

BLOMMAERT (2007: 682): (in ethnography) “does not, unlike many other approaches, try to reduce the complexity of social events by focusing on an a prior… but it tries to describe and analyse the complexity of social events comprehensively” ( = towards objectivity? / objectivity is a goal)

HYMES (1980: 99): “since partiality cannot be avoided, the only solution is to face up to it, to compensate for it as much as possible, to allow for it in interpretation.” (= there is always some partiality)



+The Reliability of Observational

Data (Cont.)

To think about:

Is there one social reality (one truth)? Or are there different

ways of interpreting observations (multiple social realities)?

Is (observational data) objective or subjective?

Potential blindspots (in observational data), e.g. what are your

prejudices?

How you are perceived by outsiders and how.

“Observer’s paradox”(Labov, 1972)



+Instruments for Observational

Research Consent forms

Observation Calendars (for both participants and researcher)

Notebooks + pens (to think about: size of notebooks)

Camera/Pictures*

Cellphone

Audio-recorder

Video-recorder

Other…



+Observation Calendar

Useful for both researcher and subject being observed.



+Note-Taking

The most essential component of ethnographic research:

“The ethnographer PARTICIPATES in the daily routines of this

setting, develops ongoing relations with the people in it, and

OBSERVES all the while what is going on... But, second, the

ETHNOGRAPHER WRITES DOWN in regular, systematic ways

what she observes and learns while participating in the daily rounds

of life of others. Thus, the researcher creates an accumulating

written record of these observations and experiences.”

= in contemporary ethnography the type of observation that is

conducted is called PARTICIPANT-OBSERVATION. Traditional

ethnography favored a more detached form of observation.



+On note-taking (Hand-out)

PRACTICE: Observe meticulously a social situation, describe it in a social matter, and then reflect on what you saw.

There are some lists out there which suggest what to look out for in observational studies, one example is this list suggested by Chiseri and Sunstein (1997):

1 - date, time, and place of observation

2 - specific facts, numbers, details of what happens at the site.

3 - sensory impressions: sights, sounds, textures, smells, taste.

4 - personal responses to the fact of recording field notes.

5 - specific words, phrases, summaries of conversations, and insider language.

6 - questions about people or behaviors at the site for future investigation.

7 - page numbers to help keep observations in order.



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In the end, these lists are good guidelines for things to watch

out for when data collecting, but when your study starts you

might find yourself overwhelmed by everything going on around

you.

You might also find other things that are more socially relevant,

beyond the note-taking guidelines you’ve set for yourself.

REMEMBER: the best way to practice doing observational

research is by actually doing it!



+Two ways of note-taking

Live note-taking: note-taking while observing.

Note-taking from memory.

= Two very different results!

• The sooner you take note of the events that happened the

better! (Although not always possible…)



+Example 1: Note-taking from

memory



+Example 2: Live Note-taking



+Reflections



+When note-taking is not possible…

Texting.



+Pictures as tools for observation



+Recordings

Participant recordings (when possible/permitted)

Self-recordings (recording of experiences, reflections,

observations).



+Alternative ways of observing:

Social media (?) Nowadays technology plays a crucial world of our everyday

interactions, social media can provide a window to help interpret our social world and the linguistic behavior we observe in it.

Adrian Blackledge and Angela Creese (2015) incorporate Facebook data in their analysis of multi-ethnic speech among adolescents in Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands and the UK (pg. 167).

Potential online sources (rich in linguistic interactions):

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Snapchat*

Other



+References Copland, F., Creese, A., Rock, F., Shaw, S. 2015. Linguistic Ethnography: Collecting,

Analysing, and Presenting Data. London, UK: SAGE Publications Ltd. pp. 37 – 45.

Blackledge, A., & Creese, A. 2015. Emblems of identities in four European urban settings. In J. Nortier & B. Svendsen (Eds) Language, Youth and Identity in the 21st

Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dornyei, Z. 2007. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methodologies. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Eckert, P. 2000. Linguistic variation as social practice. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers.

Emerson, R. M., Fretz, R.I., and Shaw, L. L. 2011. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. Chicago, U.S.: The University of Chicago Press.

Erickson, Frederick. 1984. What Makes School Ethnography ‘Ethnographic’? Anthropology and Education Quarterly, Vol. 15, 51 – 66.

Podesva, R.J., & Sharma, D. 2013. Research Methods in Linguistics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Tracy, S.J. 2013. Qualitative Research Methods: Collecting Evidence, Crafting Analysis, Communicating Impact. Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.


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