Gathering Data-Interviews or Observations Essays

Gathering Data-Interviews or Observations Essays Gathering Data-Interviews or Observations Essay Gathering Data-Interviews or Observations Essay Gathering Data-Interviews or Observations Name: Institution: Gathering Data-Interviews or Observations : Introduction Interviews and direct observations are methods of collecting qualitative data, which is useful in conducting research. There are various ways of conducting an interview. According to ‘The ethnographic interview’, the author, Spradley says that an interview could start by taking a physical or verbal tour and asking about important places along the way. Another way is by simply preparing a questionnaire with questions relating to the data, which the researcher intends to collect. Observation could be done by watching of certain behaviors from a distance while taking notes of all the changes that are occurring with that particular child or environment. Responses to the Questions Asked Relationships That Researchers Should Have With Children Researchers should establish a friendly relationship with the participants to make the data collection process easy. They must ensure that the participant is in a safe environment, and should be friendly to them to reduce fear in them because children tend to feel frightened in an unfamiliar environment or with unfamiliar people. General Knowledge Required Before Research There are numerous facts that researchers should have about children prior to conducting a research on them. Family background, likes, dislikes disabilities either physically or mentally, and ages of the children are some of the details that should be noted. Age, for example, is a very important fact to note because it enables the researcher to know how to address a specific participant and the language to be used. Additional Skills Required Observers and interviewers should be extremely efficient in order to conduct a good research. Additional skills like organization and neatness when collecting data, increases the efficiency of a researcher. This allows easy retrieval of information when needed. A research process is a method of collecting and analyzing raw data to deduce useful information in solving a problem. Researchers should also be keen to detail, especially when using the observation method because observed details are more accurate than recorded results, in terms of time. Useful Knowledge and Dispositions Researchers should have some form of knowledge when it comes to observing and listening to children. It is crucial for researchers to possess attitudinal knowledge, which is the knowledge gained because of previous experience by researchers. A disposition is ‘a pattern of behavior exhibited frequently’ (Katz 1993 pg16). They should also have desirable dispositions to improve children’s understanding of various concepts. Relevance of Interviews and Direct Observation to Other Topics Employing the use of interviews and direct observation is useful when handling certain topics in early childhood. Most children, in early childhood, are unable to distinguish clearly good from bad. As a researcher, observing their behavior is essential, correct them if wrong and educate them on the importance of doing good. It is also crucial to engage them in interviews, which create a forum for them to discuss topics, which require adult mentorship. Evaluation of Using Interviews and Direct Observation Using interviews and direct observation methods are both useful in doing early childhood research. As much as both have their advantages and disadvantages, observing is a more suitable approach to the topic in question. This is because observation takes an account of events as they happen, therefore, the data collected is more accurate. Interviews rely mostly on spoken word, and it is difficult to trust that a participant is being entirely honest. This, in turn, deems observation more efficient. References MacNaughton, G., R., S. Siraj-Blutchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Spradley, J. P. (2011). The ethnographic interview. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth. (86)