Review Babbie’s guidelines for recording your observations when doing observation for social research (pp. 331-334). Then practice it yourself. Choose a location or situation in which strangers are put in physical proximity to one another for a period of time. Examples could include a bus stop, a table at the library, a bar, a waiting room, a party, or other such settings. Before you begin your observation, think about how you will apply the field note strategies on pp. 331-334.
Observe at your location for at least 30 minutes. Examine the ways in which strangers interact with one another or work hard not to. Notice the ways in which they communicate, through words, facial expressions, body postures, and so forth. Think about what is communicated, in what situations, with what effect, and by what kinds of people. Pay special attention to any regular patterns that seem to exist. You may want to handwrite your notes while observing, then type them up later for this assignment.
To complete the assignment, explain below in Section A at least three ways that you applied specific strategies from pp. 331-334 while taking field notes, then type your field notes in Section B.
A. Explain at least three ways that you applied specific strategies from pp. 331-334.
B. Type your field notes below. Use extra pages if necessary.
Sources:
Chapter 10 in Earl Babbie, The Basics of Social Research, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2014. ISBN 113359414X