Day Fifteen: Participant Observation

SDS 237: Data Ethnography

Lindsay Poirier
Statistical & Data Sciences, Smith College

Spring 2023

Jot down some ideas of what this means to you:

This chapter makes one basic point: the work of producing, preserving, and sharing data reshapes the organizational, technological, and cultural worlds around them. - Jackson and Ribes, 2013

Reading Review: What are rituals?

  • Stylized repetitive activities engaged in different cultural contexts
  • May involve words, gestures, movements, exchanges
  • Can sometimes be taken-for-granted and other times front and center
  • Mark the shared beliefs of a social group and membership in a community

What are some examples of rituals in communities that you identify with?

Turn to a neighbor and discuss:

  • How might this ritual be taken for granted by different social groups?
  • What are some of the shared beliefs that shape the rationale for engaging this ritual?

What were the shared beliefs about data discussed in today’s reading? What did data collectors care about?

Turn to your neighbor and discuss:

  • Why do people try to do this?
  • What meaning does it have for the data?
  • How does it shape the environments/social worlds for the people that engage in this “ritual”?

What is participant observation?

  • An ethnographic method that involves embedding oneself in a community’s day-to-day activities
  • Ethnographer observes how people behave and interact through participation
  • Ethnographer takes written notes on what they observe which are later elaborated

Reflection Question: Is an participant observer an “insider”?

How does participant observation enrich interviewing and vice versa?

When do ethnographers do participant observation?

  • To figure out what kinds of interview questions to ask
  • To place checks on what people say during interviews
  • To gather details about the physical and social environments in which individuals engage
  • To deepen the ethnographer’s understanding of social contexts

What gets recorded in participant observation?

  • Details about:
    • The physical setting
    • The quantity and demographics of participants
    • Their physical appearance (such as attire)
    • Their traffic
    • The tools they use and/or exchange
    • Their physical movements
    • The way they communicate with one another
    • …and more.

What might be some disadvantages to this method?

Ethical Guidelines

  • When should you announce yourself?
  • Do you need informed consent?
  • When is it advisable to identify participants?
  • How should I behave in the space?

Tips for Taking Field Notes

  • Record the date, time, and place of data collection
  • Record as much detail as you can about what you observe
  • Leave space in notes to expand later
  • Use abbreviations and shorthand when possible
  • Create maps and graphics to help you remember details

Expanding Field Notes

  • Schedule a time to do it shortly after observation
  • Convert your notes into a descriptive narrative
  • Layer interpretations of your observations