Fieldwork: The Two Approaches

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[Your Name]
[Instructor Name]
[Course Number]
[Date]

Describe the two approaches to fieldwork – observation and participant-observer. Then explain which approach you would use and why.

The first approach is OBSERVATION the action or process of observing something or someone carefully or to gain information.
The second approach is PARTICIPANT-OBSERVER: a technique of field research, used in anthropology and sociology, by which an investigator (participant observer) studies the life of a group by sharing in its activities.

These are the technical definitions of each type, but this is what they mean to an everyday person. To me, when you observe something or someone you are watching to see what they do, how they act or who they are meeting
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He had told me he was being bullied and his teacher stated that he was doing the bullying. So, being the protective grandmother, I am I called a friend and set a camera up to watch him at recess. To mine and the school surprise, he was being bullied by two boys. The same two boys who would run to the teacher the minute my grandson defended himself and tell the teacher that he hit them. So, as soon as recess was over I received a call that my grandson had hit a child. I said I know I will be there in about two minutes. I walk into the school with the camera and notes. Ask my grandson what happened at recess, he said boy A and boy B were picking on him pushing him and he punched one after he hit him in the head. The principal said that is not the story boy B told the teacher and she believed him (her Son). That’s when I presented her with the evidence (video of recess) along with my notes with times on them. Boy B was called to the office and ask to tell the story of what happened at recess he told that my grandson just hit him for no reason. Then he was presented with the video and was forced to tell the truth and face the consequences of his