Non-Participant Observation - Take notes on what you observe

Non-Participant Observation

For this exercise, you will complete a non-participant observation study. For this exercise, you will complete a non-participant observation study. Choose a public area—the LSC plaza, a store, etc.—and observe as much detail as possible for about 30 minutes. Before you do your fieldwork, jot down some hypotheses (expectations) regarding what you think you will see. 2-3 pages, double spaced

1. Take notes on what you observe. Make notes on how people interact, if the interaction changes over time, if there are certain norms or rules to the interaction, and what happens if those rules are broken. You might include notes on whether COVID-19 affects interaction.

2. From observing the interactions, what can you tell about these people? Are there any noticeable groupings or patterns? Are there any differences in age, gender, race within groups or do people with the same apparent demographic characteristics only interact with each other?

3. When you complete your observations, organize them into meaningful categories. Your categories should emerge out of your notes and observations. For example, you might have a category entitled “non-verbal communication” and another category titled “rules for interaction,” etc.

4. Write up your observations in an essay that conveys what you observed and what categories you identified. Your essay will probably not use all of your notes, but you should include a thorough description with examples for your categories. You should also include details on when and where you completed your observations.