![]() ![]() The methodological problems associated with observation include the possibility of observer bias while the ethical problem has to do with the violation of the norm of informed consent of the respondents being studied. On the whole, it was argued in the paper that although observational research has the advantage of probing social life in its natural habitat and thus providing a deeper and fuller understanding of social phenomena, the method also has methodological and ethical problems. The classifications are: participant and non-participant observations, structured and unstructured observations and controlled and uncontrolled observations. Based on this, three broad classifications of observation were identified and critically evaluated. This paper argued that a critical analysis of observational research technique would be better done by identifying the various methods of observation and evaluating each of these methods one after the other. The paper also aimed at a critical analysis of the observational research technique. This paper is, therefore aimed at a description of observational research and how it is conducted. ![]() However, in recent times, observational research technique appear to be somewhat discarded, in spite of its comparative advantages. Thus, observational research is used particularly in studies about people, processes, and cultures and have proven to be the most appropriate approach in probing social life in its natural habitat by providing a deeper and fuller understanding of subtle communications and other events or phenomena than other research techniques. ![]() The technique involves systematic observation and recording of the behavior of individuals for the purpose of describing such behavior. Observational research is a qualitative research technique used for over a century in variety of disciplines in the Social Sciences, particularly in anthropological (ethnographic) studies. ![]()
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