Observation Data Collection Methods

carefully. Field 1979 as quoted in Moustakas 1990 argues that “…that will reveal the meanings and essences of a particular human experience in an accurate, comprehensive, and vivid way, it is essential that the question be stated in simple, clear, and concrete terms.” It was very necessary not to create questions which could cause multi interpretation as participants may give different answer from what was actually expected. Long questions would also be avoided as it may be confusing for the participants. There were some steps of conducting in depth interviews. The steps include 1 planning, 2 developing instruments for the interviews, 3 collecting data, 4 analyzing data, and 5 presenting data Boyce Neale: 2006. The planning step included selecting participants and what reasons underlying the selection of participants. In the second step, according to Boyce Neale 2006 the researcher should prepare what to say to the participants at the beginning and at the end of the interviews, obtain consent from them, and tell them how they will record the results of the interviews. In the third step, it was important to ensure that the participants were willing to be interviewed. Once, they agree, the interview could be conducted. Next, in analyzing data step, Boyce Neale give two tips. They mention, Read through the interview responses and look for patterns or themes among the participants…You can also identify the responses that seem to have been given with enthusiasm, as opposed to those that the participants answered in only a few words. Boyce Neale: 2006. What they suggested was in line with Manen 1990 states. According to Manen 1990 themes of the interview results should be figured out to know in which parts the lived experience were structured. In the last step, it was necessary to know the nature of data. The interviewer should understand that in-depth interviews were used in qualitative research. Hence presenting numbers or percentage is not appropriate. Boyce and Neale 2006 stated that “Numbers and percentage sometimes convey the impression that results can be projected to a population and this is not within the capabilities of this qualitative research procedure.” In-depth interviews were meant to help obtain detailed information from a person. In relation with this study, it was to gain deeper understanding about each participant and thus, it was the participants’ lived experience which were unique, different from that of somebody else’s.

3. Data Source

The data or text source could not be separated from the choice of text collection methods. It was what was yielded from the text collection methods which became the source of information to answer research questions. As observations, document collection, and interviews were chosen, then the source would be field notes, documents, and participants. All of the sources were useful to obtain as much and as deep information as possible about the empirical and transcendent meaning which this research aimed to answer.

a. Field Notes

Everything which happened during the observations was jotted down in the field notes. Cresswell 2012: p.216 stated that field notes were “The data recorded during an observation...fieldnotes are text words recorded by the