Which of the following are types of notes maintained by a participant observer? Select all that apply

Question

A) Descriptive notes
B) Participatory action notes
C) Reflective notes
D) Methodologic notes

Answer 1

A, C, D
Feedback:
Participatory action notes are not a type of note maintained by a participant observer. The most common forms of record keeping for participant observation are logs and field notes, but photographs and videotapes may also be used. A log (or field diary) is a daily record of events and conversations. Field notes are broader and more interpretive. Field notes represent the observer's efforts to record information and to synthesize and understand the data. Field notes can be categorized according to their purpose. Descriptive notes (or observational notes) are objective descriptions of events and conversations, and the contexts in which they occurred. The goal of participant observers' descriptive notes is thick description. Reflective notes document researchers' personal experiences, reflections, and progress in the field, and can serve different purposes. Theoretical notes document interpretive efforts to attach meaning to observations. Methodologic notes are reminders about how subsequent observations should be made. Personal notes are comments about the researcher's own feelings during the research process.