Abstract
Most primary care researchers lack a practical approach for including field observations in their studies, even though observations can offer important qualitative insights and provide a mechanism for documenting behaviors, events, and unexpected occurrences. We present an overview of unstructured field observations as a qualitative research method for analyzing material surroundings and social interactions. We then detail a practical approach to collecting and recording observational data through a “3 Cs” template of content, context, and concepts. To demonstrate how this method works in practice, we provide an example of a completed template and discuss the analytical approach used during a study on informed consent for research participation in the primary care setting of Qatar.
- primary care
- family medicine
- general medicine
- research methodology
- qualitative research
- mixed methods: participatory/action research
- field observations
- field notes
- Hawthorne effect
- communication
- behavioral research
- informed consent
- Received for publication November 4, 2018.
- Revision received April 12, 2019.
- Accepted for publication May 7, 2019.
- © 2019 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.