The location chosen for the assignment is an outlet mall, specifically- San Francisco Premium Outlet. This location is very diverse and we can observe social interaction, behaviors, cultural norms, shopping trends, etc For Area IV- Chosen Photos Use the internet for the data Not more than 10 pages, APA/n Name: Sociology 17 Date: Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology Field Observation Assignment Due Date: Last day of class during finals week Instructions: For this exercise, you plan and carry out a structured field observation at a Local Sporting Event, Music Concert, or Shopping Area (in/out door shopping area). You first will do an unstructured observation for 30-60 minutes in order to develop a hypothesis based on one of the three theorists (Marx, Durkheim, & Weber). In this first part, your task is to train yourself to see as many concrete behaviors as you can without filtering them through any interpretive process. You will discover that this is very difficult to do. Have fun deciding which paradigm fits your hypothesis best. Area I: Location and theory for field observation Describe the location of your Observation. What are the variables of your Observation experience? Please describe the conditions you encountered in 3-5 sentences. In addition, please address the following five questions: 1. What are the goals of your Observation? 2. What section of population do you plan to observe? 3. How do you plan to control your biases? 4. How much time did you spend on location? 5. How did you record your data? Area II: Field Observation instruction (10 points) Please provide the following information with section titles in bold headings. Your observation activity must include these four elements: 1) Systematically observe and accurately record the varying aspects of a situation: Always approach your field study with a detailed protocol about what you will observe, where you should conduct your observations, and the method by which you will collect and record your data. 2) Continuously analyze your observations and record your findings in writing: Always look for the meaning underlying the actions you observe. Ask yourself: What's going on here? What does this observed activity mean? What else does this relate to? Note that this is an on-going process of reflection and analysis taking place for the duration of your field research. 3) Provide a clear plan of how you intend to pursue the goals of your Observation: Keep your Observation Goals in mind while conducting the Observation. Recording what you observe should not be done randomly or haphazardly; you must be focused and pay attention to details. Enter the observation site [i.e., "field"] with a clear plan about what you are intending to observe and record while, at the same time, being prepared to adapt to changing circumstances as they may arise. 4) Consciously observe, record, and analyze what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical framework: This is what separates data gatherings from simple reporting. The theoretical framework guiding your field research should determine what, when, and how you observe and act as the foundation from which you interpret your findings. Area III: Note Taking This method must be utilized for your Observation Please provide the following information with section titles in bold headings (10 points) Note Taking: This is the most commonly used and easiest method of recording your observations. Tips for taking notes include: organizing some shorthand symbols beforehand so that recording basic or repeated actions does not impede your ability to observe, using many small paragraphs which reflect changes in activities, who is talking, etc., and leaving space on the page so you can write down additional thoughts and ideas about what's being observed, any theoretical insights, and notes to yourself that are set aside for further investigation. Please provide a code book for the instructor or an mp3 of your notes. Area IV: : Techniques to Record Your Observations: Choose at least one out of three methods for your Observation (5 points) Please choose your observation methods and indicate section titles in bold headings Photography: With the advent of smart phones, high quality photographs can be taken of the objects, events, and people observed during a field study. Photographs can help capture an important moment in time as well as document details about the space where your observation takes place. Taking a photograph can save you time in documenting the details of a space that would otherwise require extensive note taking. However, be aware that flash photography could undermine your ability to observe unobtrusively so assess the lighting in your observation space; if it's too dark, you may need to rely on taking notes. Also, you should reject the idea that photographs are some sort of "window into the world" because this assumption creates the risk of over-interpreting what they show. As with any product of data gathering, you are the sole instrument of interpretation and meaning-making, not the object itself. Video and Audio recordings Video or audio recording your observations has the positive effect of giving you an unfiltered record of the observation event. It also facilitates repeated analysis of your observations. This can be particularly helpful as you gather additional information or insights during your research. However, these techniques have the negative effect of increasing how intrusive you are as an observer and will often not be practical or even allowed under certain circumstances [e.g., interaction with shopping area or a die-hard fan in a sporting event] and in certain organizational settings Illustration/Drawings: This does not refer to an artistic endeavor but, rather, refers to the possible need, for example, to draw a map of the observation setting or illustrating objects in relation to people's behavior. This can also take the form of rough tables or graphs documenting the frequency and type of activities observed. These can be subsequently placed in a more readable format when you write your field report. To save time, draft a table [i.e., columns and rows] on a separate piece of paper before an observation if you know you will be entering data in that way. Area V: Summary of your observation with your theory (10 points) Please introduce the theory (Marx, Durkheim, or Weber) which is being utilized during the field research, and explain how your observation fits this particular theory. Please provide five or ten sentences describing the theory you used for your particular observation. Instructor's initials: (Points) -