Data Collection Tools:

Observation Method
Definition of Observation Method
Observation is a data collection method which often offers the an investigator the opportunity to gather ‘live’ dada
from naturally occurring social situations. It is basically descriptive. Although it can provide a somewhat detailed
description of a phenomenon, it cannot tell us why the phenomenon occurred. Determining causation is left to
experimental designs.
Planning and Process
How do you plan for observations?
 Determine the focus.
Think about the evaluation question(s) you want to answer through observation and select a few areas of focus for
your data collection. For example,
The observer should examine the following questions well in advance to enable to have effective plan of action. They
are:
What should be observed
How the observation should be recorded
What type of tools and techniques need to be used
How to ensure accuracy of observation and
What type of relationship should be there between the observers and observed how the desired relationship should be
established?
 Design a system for data collection.
Once you have focused your evaluation think about the specific items for which you want to collect data and then
determine how you will collect the information you need. There are three primary ways of collecting observation data.
These three methods can be combined to meet your data collection needs.
 Recording sheets and checklists: are the most standardized way of collecting observation data and
include both preset questions and responses. These forms are typically used for collecting data that
can be easily described in advance (e.g., topics that might be covered in an HIV prevention lesson).
 Observation guides: list the interactions, processes, or behaviors to be observed with space to record
open-ended narrative data.
 Select the sites.
Select an adequate number of sites to help ensure they are representative of the larger population and will provide an
understanding of the situation you are observing.
 Select the observers.
You may choose to be the only observer or you may want to include others in conducting observations.
 Train the observers.
It is critical that the observers are well trained in your data collection process to ensure high quality and consistent
data. The level of training will vary based on the complexity of the data collection and the individual capabilities of
the observers.
 Time your observations appropriately.
Programs and processes typically follow a sequence of events. It is critical that you schedule your observations so you
are observing the components of the activity that will answer your evaluation questions.
Advantages Disadvantages
Easiest method: The simplest method of data collection Susceptible to the “hawthorne effect,” that is, people
is the method of observation. Very minimal technical usually perform better when they know they are
knowledge is required, and even though scientifically being observed, although indirect observation may
controlled observations require some technical skills, it decrease this problem. Therefore, everything is not
is still more accessible and more straightforward than observed: There are various personal behaviors and
other methods. It is easier because every day, everyone secrets which the researcher does not observe. Many
observes different things in their lives. If little training is respondents refuse to let researchers observe their
given, then it can make a person perfect for observing activities, and due to this reason, not everything is
their surroundings observed by the researcher. It also becomes difficult to
gather information about an individual’s personal
opinions and preferences.
Natural surroundings: The observation method of data Past life remains unknown: The observation method has
collection describes the observed phenomenon precisely no technique to study the subject’s past life. It is tough
and does not introduce any artificiality like other to gather information about past life if the subject is not
methods. They describe the phenomenon precisely as it cooperative enough. Since no other option is available,
occurs in the natural research environment. The researchers have to rely on documents that are not
observation method is not as restricted as the always accurate.
experiment.
High accuracy: Does not rely on people’s willingness or Time-consuming: Observation is a prolonged and time-
ability to provide information. Allows you to directly consuming method. If one wants their observation to be
see what people do rather than relying on what people precise and accurate, they must give it enough time and
say they did. In interview methods and questionnaire not hurry the process. Since it is a time-consuming
methods, the respondents’ information provides us the process, there are chances that the observer and the
information with which the researchers have to work. observed both lose their interests and deny continuing
These are all indirect methods, and there is no means to the process
investigate the accuracy. But in the observation method,
the information accuracy can be checked by various
testing. So, the data collected by observation is much
more reliable.
Appropriate tool: There is a particular phenomenon that Expensive: Observation is a very costly affair. It
cannot provide information verbally regarding their requires plenty of time, strict and detailed work, and
behavior, activities, feelings, etc. For this phenomenon, high cost. Observation consists of traveling to various
observations are the best method. The observation places, staying at the place where the phenomenon
method is essential for studies on infants who are unable occurred. Due to the reasons mentioned above, the
to understand the details of research work and cannot observation method is known as one of the most
express themselves clearly. expensive data collection methods.

Personal Bias: The personal bias of the researchers

affects their observation in many ways. This also creates
issues for making valid generalizations. The observer or
researcher may have their insight of right and wrong
regarding specific events. They may also have different
preconceptions related to a particular event which
jeopardizes the objectivity of social research.

An Example: The following are extracts from an article entitled: “How Students Use their Libraries: A Case
Study of Four Libraries” by Irene Lopatovska
Methods used in the Study:
« The main goals of the study were to identify general trends in the student use of academic
libraries and compare the uses of library spaces by four different student populations. The The primary data
for the study were collected through naturalistic observations of a public access area in each library. The primary
study data were supplemented by secondary data collected through the semi-structured interviews with students of the
participating institutions. In consultation with the partner libraries, we chose to collect data during one week in
November 2013, when it was determined that the library spaces were likely to be neither under- nor overutilized. The
choice of collecting data over the period of one week allowed researchers to minimize the effects of the external
factors (e.g. exams and holidays schedules) on the observed spaces and describe these spaces during their “average”
and most representative uses. Data were collected during multiple visits to the four partner libraries. During the
selected times, each library was observed by two researchers during two separate 2-hour visits on different days of the
weeks and times of the day, resulting in the four observation hours for each library and the total of sixteen hours of
observation data. Overly busy or quiet times were avoided. » (Lopatovska, 7)
Conclusion of the Study:
We investigated how students use library spaces by conducting naturalistic observations and onsite interviews
in four academic libraries in New York City. The findings suggest that physical library spaces are actively utilized by
students on different days of the week and at different times of the day. Within the library spaces, most of the students
engaged in academic activities, including writing and reading for their school projects. In some instances we observed
students working with their notes or sketching, which suggests that students are using the library as a work space,
even if their academic tasks do not require access to library collections. The importance of the library to student
learning behavior, and, by extension, student engagement and success, has been documented and discussed by
Haddow (2013), Kuh and Gonyea (2003), and Braxton et al. (2014). Thus, providing students with sufficient study
spaces to not only access library collections but also to work on diverse types of projects should be considered in the
design of library spaces.
In pursuing their academic endeavors, students use a wide variety of print and digital resources and tools,
often simultaneously. In addition to exhibiting academic behaviors that would be expected in the library, students eat,
drink, rest, and socialize. This finding suggests that students are spending considerable amounts of time in their
libraries and use it as any public space, satisfying their scholarly, physiological and social needs.
The study findings point to the need for versatile library spaces, with their uses influenced by students’
academic and non-academic needs, available resources and tools, and student demographics. Since all of these factors
affecting student behavior are constantly changing, one
of the most salient conclusions of our study is the importance of continuously monitoring student needs and
preferences and questioning assumptions about the role of the library in academia. For example, despite librarians’
constant struggle with food and drinks in the library, about ten percent of all observed behaviors were eating, pointing
to the importance of accommodating students’ physiological as well as academic needs in the design of library spaces.
Due to the proliferation and high usage of digital tools by students, we also recommend that libraries install a
sufficient number of power outlets where students could charge their personal devices. Based on our findings, we
would also advise librarians to continue supporting their print collections as we saw students actively using and
expressing preferences for print media. Student use of the librarians’ help also suggests that libraries should continue
providing students with an easy access to staff, and consider how best to do so locally.
Our study had a number of limitations, including a limited number of observations and a small number of
interviews. Despite the relatively small size of the study, our findings follow the general trends identified in the
literature, and provide sufficient details on the observed spaces to help readers transfer the findings to other contexts
or settings. (Guba and Lincoln, 1994). In order to confirm the finding, we plan to conduct the next phase of the study
on a larger scale, involving more participants and more institutional partners. We think it would also be interesting to
investigate librarians’ views on the current uses of the physical libraries, challenges, and opportunities they face in
tracking student academic needs and preferences for resources and tools. The goal, of course, is to design library
offerings around these needs and preferences.
Academic libraries will continue to evolve in response to changes in technology and user needs.
Ongoing study of how academic library spaces are used can usefully inform strategic planning and resource
deployment.

Topics for Practice:

 Humans using technology
 Human behavior in a particular setting, such as a coffee shop or religious gathering
 Algerian consumption habits in the Holy month of Ramadan
 Human behavior when taking the bus
 Human behavior in a library