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Chapter 3 Research Framework
qualitative researcher systematically watches people and events to find out about
behaviours and interactions in natural settings. Yin (2009) stated that the case study
approach, which requires the research to take place in its natural setting, creates an
ideal opportunity for observations to be used as a data collection tool.
Burns and Grove (2001) discussed the level of structure to observing and explained
the key differences between unstructured observations and structured observations.
Unstructured observations involve spontaneously observing and recording what is
seen with a minimum of prior planning, while structured observation defines
carefully what is to be observed. Structured observations may use category systems
whereby only the behaviour that is of interest is recorded. Burns and Grove (2001)
stated that this approach can prove challenging for the researcher as they need to
make decisions about what observations belong to which categories. Casey (2006)
summarises from other researchers that the degree of structure may be described as
molar or molecular. Molar categories are broad based and used when the category is
not well defined, and molecular is used when the categories are detailed and precise
(Casey, 2006). Another approach is the checklist approach, which uses techniques to
indicate whether or not a behaviour has occurred. This requires the researcher to
have a clear idea about what they are looking for in their observations.
Casey (2006) stated that observational data need to obtain a representative example
of the phenomenon being examined. For example, if the researcher wishes to look at
the approach to caregiving during a morning shift then they will need to observe the
morning shift over a period of several days in order to observe if staff determine the
routine or if the routine exists regardless of what staff are on duty. The observer may
choose to use time or event sampling in order to observe this phenomenon. Time
sampling observes for a certain time period and this may be randomly or
systematically chosen, whereas event sampling observes a particular event or
interaction (Casey, 2006). Casey (2006) advised that in determining the observation
period the researcher must choose a long enough period in order to capture what is
happening, but a short enough period in order to prevent observer exhaustion. She
thus advised from her work that a maximum of two-hour observation periods at any
one time is sufficient. Further to these decisions, the researcher must also consider
what position they will take up in order to observe. The options include multiple