Campus CC

Observe: Visit a public place where people interact (i.e. a coffee shop, a park) and spend 15 minutes observing people interacting. The observations must take place in a place that everyone has access to, and you cannot observe private places (i.e. a classroom or a dorm room). Try to be as discreet as possible. Choose a specific behavior or pattern to focus on (i.e. how children play together, who talks to each other).
Take Notes: Write down exactly when and where you conducted your observations. Take notes about what you observed. Write down what happened without interpreting or judging your observations. For example, you could count how many people are doing an activity or what people are talking about. Make sure these notes have specific details because you will be submitting them.
Look for Patterns and Create a Theory. Based on your observations, what patterns did you observe? Formulate a theory about what you observed (i.e. when people are waiting in a line alone, they are more likely to look around). U
Role of the Researcher. Describe the notetaking process. Did taking notes impact your observations? Were you more or less aware of certain things? Did you have any bias? Did anything in your data surprise you?
Future Research: If you were a sociologist, what would you do next to study this phenomenon. What research method would you use? What are the benefits of the research method you would choose?

(Two or Three paragraphs) Describe the interactions you observed. Be sure to describe the location, time of day, and people you observed. Discuss the patterns that you observed and create a theory. Why did you create this theory? Provide specific examples.
(One paragraph) Describe the process of taking notes. How did taking notes change what you observed? Were you more or less aware of certain things? Did anything surprise you in your data?
(One or two paragraphs) If you were a sociologist, what would you do next to study this phenomenon. What research method would you use? What are the benefits of the research method you would choose?

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