Participant Observation in Data Collection

Participant observation is one type of data collection method typically practiced in the qualitative research domain, and is a widely used methodology in varied disciplines, particularly cultural anthropology, sociology, communication studies, and specifically in classroom teaching. It is to gain a close observation with a particular group of individuals and their practices through an involvement with people in their environment, usually over an extended period of time. This paper deals with the definition, the advantages and disadvantages of participant observation.