think about the ethical and methodological issues of doing participant observations. You do not want to present yourself as someone else. If you are asked about yourself, you can say, "I am a student at [school]. My professor gave us an assignment to visit a religious service and I am interested in learning more about your religion." You must be respectful of the religious practices and rituals while also paying attention to what you see around you. You can take mental notes or, if appropriate, take notes on a small pad of paper. As soon as you leave the service, you should take further notes so that you remember what you observed. Pay careful attention to the following:Were there contradictions between the message conveyed during the service and your observations noted above? For example, what did the service say about women and what did you observe women doing?
What will be an ideal response?