M5:1 Response to Readings
Question one: which of the ten thinking do you think will help you explore your observational study?
Participant observation as a qualitative research method involves the direct observation of the communication phenomena in the natural setting. In my observational study, I believe that encounters as a topic of thinking will help me explore more about the subject. According to Baxter and Babbie, encounters involves meeting and interactions in the immediate proximity with one another (Baxter & Babbie, 2003). Through the small idle talks while waiting to board a bus, during job interviews, in a café, or anywhere else is of much interest, as it will help me capture the livelihood of the people in their natural setting. Furthermore, conducting a study in such an environment when the respondents were not anticipating comes with a level of openness and honesty, therefore, leading to accurate data (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2008).
Question 2: which form of participant observation will you chose for your study?
I will choose a complete observer participant, where I am not noticed by the participants, to make them act more natural, as opposed to when they know they are being observed. It is a more objective role, though I know it is open to more ethical questions (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2008). I will stick to public places such as subway stations, coffee shops, and other public places to support this remote observation.
Question 3: which type of sampling procedure will you choose?
In this study, I would adopt systematic random sampling from the sample frame because it is easy to administer and more effective. Moreover, its biases are easier to locate and correct in the course of the study (Baxter & Babbie,2003).
Question 4 Strengths and weaknesses of participant observational research
The strengths of participant observation research include the depth of information that it allows the researcher to acquire from the respondents, as well as the perspective of the social problem as well as the phenomena derived from the everyday lives of the people experiencing them (Baxter & Babbie,2003). The approach is egalitarian because it revolves around the experiences, knowledge, and perspective of the people under study. Its drawbacks are that it is time-consuming, especially when the researcher has to spend months living in the area of study. Though living among the community can yield more data, it can be enormous, presenting a challenge of combing through to make it manageable for analysis (Baxter & Babbie,2003). Also, this process requires integration into the community for studies. As time passes, the researchers become part of the community, losing their objectivity and sometime contravening the ethical codes of research.
Question 5: Will you conduct a structured or unstructured interview, and what are the benefits of each method?
I will conduct a structured interview because it outlines events, behaviors, procedures, as well as guidelines for the interview. Structured interviews have the following benefits; The data gathered through the method is more objective and easier to analyze because the answers are brief and relevant. Also, the interview can be used to collect large data from the sample population (Baxter & Babbie,2003). The interview process is structured; therefore, easier to administer. The unstructured interview also has benefits. For example, it can be used to collect information about complex issues because it adopts a conversational approach, therefore, creating a rapport that could support the opening up of the interviewee (Baxter & Babbie,2003). Furthermore, an unstructured interview is also more comfortable and flexible. Therefore, the researcher can formulate more new questions as well as develop a new hypothesis based on the existing data.
Question six: What are the advantages and disadvantages of focus group interviewing as a methodology?
The advantages of using focus groups are numerous. The group is useful in obtaining useful information about the group’s feelings, opinions, and perception, therefore, saves money compared to individual interviews. Moreover, they provide a border range of information and offer an opportunity for clarification. Its disadvantages include the existence of disagreements and distractions, which withdraws the team from the interviews (Baxter & Babbie,2003). The larger the group, the difficult it is to manage them, and can be so challenging to analyze because of differences they exhibit amongst themselves. Similarly, it might be not easy to encourage many people to contribute, when the discussion is not organized. Finally, some people might fight group intimidating, while others might be under pressure to agree with the dominant view.
Question seven: What are the interview as a minor or as traveler metaphors? How do they relate to the different paradigms in communication research from chapter three of the course textbook?
Research as a minor or traveler metaphors gives insight into the research paradigms. As a minor, the researcher digs into the information from the assumption that it exists. Therefore, seeking to establish the truth. Also, as a traveler, who set out on a journey usually learn through the journey. I like the travel metaphor because I have a few travel experiences that were quite educative. Mining is associated with positivism as a paradigm, where the researcher remains objective that they will finalize their research to establish the truth they are seeking (Baxter & Babbie,2003). The plight of a miner when applied to search, explains the pressure of the researcher to report positive feedback from their research, even if there was none.
References
Baxter, L. A., & Babbie, E. R. (2003). The basics of communication research. Cengage Learning.
Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2008). Ethics in qualitative psychological research. The Sage handbook of qualitative research in psychology, 24(2), 263-279.