social work observation essay

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Effective Observation in Social Work Practice, Maureen O’Loughlin and Steve O’Loughlin (eds)

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Jon Old, Effective Observation in Social Work Practice, Maureen O’Loughlin and Steve O’Loughlin (eds), The British Journal of Social Work , Volume 47, Issue 3, April 2017, Pages 959–961, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcw068

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The purpose of this book is not only to discuss the theories and concepts underpinning social work observation and examine how these are effectively put into practice, but it also situates the reader in the context that observations take place by giving an excellent snapshot of the experience of service users and the skills that enable effective interventions. Beginning with Ryden and O’Louhglin’s (editors) overview of relevant theories, taking into account professional responsibility, ethical considerations and information sharing, it unpacks how these inform practical approaches to observation. Ryden develops this further with insightful thoughts on preparation, aspects of participation and well-considered structured approaches to observation. Initially, one might expect that this would be the sole focus of the book but the writers have captured the wider literature extremely well and paved the way for the rest of the work to explore observation in a variety of settings. This makes for a concise yet meaningful book—a crucial skill in the context of real practice that deserves more attention in the literature.

In the demanding social work practice context, this book offers the reader efficient access to succinct and clear information, so audience appeal will be wide. Whether this is to refresh knowledge or engage with it anew, this book provides solid information as well as being a good springboard for further reading. Each chapter begins by identifying the relevant domains within the Professional Capabilities Framework, the professional framework for students and social work practitioners in England. All of these domains are addressed in the book, being relevant to all stages of an individual’s social work career. The case studies provide the opportunity to develop critical thinking in regard to observation in practice. These are also a useful tool for practice educators and lecturers to work through with students individually. Similarly, a consistent feature throughout the book are the Research Summaries—easily identified blocks of text that summarise relevant research to help the reader consider a myriad of factors that need to be considered when thinking about observation.

Each chapter aims to achieve a great deal and initially this may appear to be a shortcoming: that there is too much breadth and not enough depth. Readers will be forgiven for thinking that at times chapters lose focus and meander outside of the remit of the book’s purpose. For example, Chapter 4, ‘Observation with disabled children and adults with learning disabilities’, has a brief section on ‘Tuning in’, paraphrasing Nind and Hewett’s (2001) explanation as ‘almost the need to tune in to each person’s wavelength’. Following this is a bullet-point list of how this is done in practice that initially felt as if the writers had entered textbook territory. However, this is the real strength of the book. It encourages the reader to consider what is key in practice, enabling them to question how and whether this is a skill they possess, and then observe how, when, where, if and with whom this is something they observe. The depth of reflection this offers is undeniably substantial.

This is further complimented by another great feature of the book: an activity for the reader to undertake to develop their reflective thinking followed by insightful comments by each author. This gives the reader open access to the knowledge and practice wisdom that has been developed over years of experience by the authors. Couple this with moments of poignancy reinforcing these such as Hughes and Roberts’s quote from Phoebe Caldwell (2005) that is both extremely emotive and highlights the necessity of the skills they describe.

What is really striking about this book is its ability to consider what might not seem apparent when we think of observation. This is best seen in Chapter 6, ‘Groups and observations’, in which the writing is aimed at registered social workers focusing on local authority secure children’s homes and consider the issue of CCTV. An excellent opportunity is given for the reader to think about the use of observation within this setting and consider how preceding discussions could be transposed elsewhere—a refreshing approach that educates the reader about different social work roles and trains them to think about what might not seem apparent to them. This should encourage the target audience to think about how they can take their skills and knowledge into areas they have had little experience in in the past.

There’s a real sense that this book was written by authors who are not only informed and experienced, but also passionate about observation, making this accessible through straightforward language and terminology. This is not just for the benefit of service users; observation undertaken through the approaches they describe will benefit practitioners by encouraging them to think holistically about what it means to critically observe practice. Ultimately, it is argued that this will make practitioners and students both effective and resilient. This is no mean feat in only ninety-five pages: a real Pandora’s Box.

Caldwell P. ( 2005 ) Creative Conversations , Brighton , Pavilion Publishers .

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Nind M. , Hewett D. ( 2001 ) A Practical Guide to Intensive Interaction , Kidderminster , BILD Publications .

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17.6 Observations

Learning objectives.

Learners will be able to…

• Identify key considerations when planning to use observations as a strategy for qualitative data gathering, including preparations, tools, and skills to support it
• Assess whether observations are an effective approach to gather data for your qualitative research proposal

Observational data can also be very important to the qualitative researcher. As discussed in Chapter 17, observations can provide important information about context, reactions, behaviors, exchanges, and expressions. The focus of observations may be individuals, interactions between people or within groups, environments or settings, or events like artistic expressions (e.g. plays, poetry readings, art shows), public forums (e.g. town hall meetings, community festivals), private forums (e.g. board meetings, family reunions), and finally, your reactions or responses as the researcher to any and all of these. We will be discussing a variety of different types of qualitative designs in Chapter 22 , including ethnography. Observational data is especially important for ethnographic research designs.

Researcher engagement

Observational data gathering is a more indirect form of data collection when compared with previous methods we have discussed. With both interviews and focus groups, you are gathering data directly from participants. When making observations, we are relying on our interpretation of what is going on. Even though we are often not directly interacting with people, we generally have an ethical responsibility to disclose that we are gathering data by making observations and gain consent to do so. That being said, there are some instances where we are making observations in public spaces, and in these instances disclosure may not be necessary because we are not gathering any identifiable information about specific people. These instances are rare, but if you are in doubt, consult with your IRB.

Even though I just suggested that making observations is often a more indirect form of data gathering, it does exist on a continuum. If utilizing observational data, you will need to consider where you fall on this continuum. Some research designs situate the researcher as an active participant in the community or group that they are studying, while other designs have the researcher as an independent and detached onlooker. In either case, you need to consider how your presence, either involved or detached, may influence the data you are gathering. This requires us to think of this on a more individual or micro level (how do the individuals we are directly observing perceive us) and a more meso or even macro level (how does the community or group of people we are studying collectively feel about our presence and our research)? Are people changing their behavior because of your presence? Are people monitoring or censoring what they say? We can’t always know the answers to these questions, but we can try to reduce these concerns by making repeated observations over time, rather than using a one-time, in-and-out data gathering mission. This means actually spending time within the community that is the focus of your observation. Taking the time to make repeated observations will allow you to develop a reasonable framework of understanding, which in turn will empower you to better interpret what you see and help you determine whether your observations and interpretation are consistent.

Observational skills

When gathering observational data, you are often attending to or taking in many different dimensions. You are potentially observing:

• the context of the environment
• the content of what is being said
• behaviors of people
• affective or emotional aspects of interactions
• sequences of events
• your own reactions to what is being observed

To capture this information, you will need to be keenly aware, focused, and organized. Additionally, you need to make sure you are capturing clear descriptions of what is going on. Remember, notes that seem completely logical and easy to understand at the time you are taking them can become vague and confusing with the passage of time and as you gather more and more data. Part of the clarity of your description often involves taking a non-judgmental approach to documenting your observations. While this may seem easy, judgments or biases frequently slip into our thinking and writing (unbeknownst to us). Along with a non-judgmental stance, researchers making observations also attempt to be as unobtrusive as possible. This means being conscious of your behaviors, your dress and overall appearance. If you show up wearing a suit and tie, and carrying a clipboard while everyone else is wearing jeans and t-shirts, you are likely to stick out like a sore thumb. This is also likely to influence how participants respond and interact with you. Know the environment that you are making your observations in, with a goal of blending in as much as possible.

Capturing your data

Observational data is most often captured using field notes. Using recordings for observational data is infrequently used in social work research. This is especially true because of the potential for violations of privacy and threats to confidentiality that recordings (video or audio) may pose to participants. Mirroring our discussion above, when taking field notes, make sure to be organized and have a plan for how you will structure your notes so they are easy to interpret and make sense to you. Creswell (2013) [1] suggests capturing ‘descriptive’ and ‘reflective’ aspects in your observational field notes. Table 18.3 offers some more detailed description of what to include as you capture your data and corresponding examples.

For the purposes of qualitative research, our observations are generally unstructured or more naturalistic . However, you may also see mention of more systematic or structured observations. This is more common for quantitative data collection, where we may be attempting to capture or count the frequency with which a specific behavior or event occurs.

Key Takeaways

• Observational data collection can be an effective tool for gathering information about settings, interactions, and general human behavior. However, since this is gathered strictly through the researchers own direct observation, it is not a source of data on people’s thoughts, perceptions, values, opinions, beliefs or interpretations.
• There are a range of aspects that we may want to take note of while we are observing (e.g. the setting, interactions, descriptions of people, etc.).
• While we are making our observations, we generally want to do so as inconspicuously and non-judgmentally as possible.

Resources for learning more about conducting Qualitative Observations.

Kawulich, B.B. (2005, May) Participant observation as a data collection method .

Kawulich, B.B. (2012). Collecting data through observation . In C. Wagner, B. Kawulich, & M. Garner (Eds.), Doing social research: A global context ( 150-160). New York: McGraw Hill.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2008). Qualitative Guidelines Project: Observations .

Sliter, M. (2014, June 30). Observational methods: Research methods.

A few exemplars of studies employing qualitative observations:

Avby et al. (2017). Knowledge use and learning in everyday social work practice: A study in child investigation work .

Wilkins et al. (2018). A golden thread? The relationship between supervision, practice, and family engagement in child and family social work .

Wood et al. (2017). The “gray zone” of police work during mental health encounters: Findings from an observational study in Chicago .

• Creswell, J. W. (2013). Chapter 7. Data collection. In J. W. Creswell, Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (3rd ed.), Los Angeles: Sage ↵

Observation is a tool for data gathering where researchers rely on their own senses (e.g. sight, sound) to gather information on a topic.

Ethnography is a qualitative research design that is used when we are attempting to learn about a culture by observing people in their natural environment.

Making qualitative observations that attempt to capture the subjects of the observation as unobtrusively as possible and with limited structure to the observation.

Doctoral Research Methods in Social Work Copyright © by Mavs Open Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Observation Essay

To properly observe something, you need to make use of all your five senses. Paying attention to all the details and being level-headed is a must. That said, a lot of effort goes into the act of observing something. The data gathered in your observation, whatever it may be, is necessary. Therefore you should write an observation essay and share your findings with the readers. 

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What Is an Observation Essay?

An observation essay is a piece of academic essay that incorporates the observer’s perspective over a situation, event, behavior, phenomenon, and even a person. In this document, the writer should state everything he or she directly noticed on the subject. In addition, they can also use first-person narration in this paper.

How to Write a Well-Versed Observation Essay

Whether you are a student writing an essay of your observation for a school assignment or educational research , or maybe a professional conducting a business analysis , you should compose it critically. The findings you present in your observation essay could be necessary to your field or industry. To keep it professional and informative, incorporate appropriate elements and organize it properly. 

1. Follow Guidelines

If there are guidelines provided, ensure to read them beforehand. The list usually includes instructions regarding the format, the length, essential questions, the structure, and the deadline. To avoid forgetting the items to remember, you can secure a checklist beforehand. These details will act as your guide and will set the limits for your essay writing . 

2. Devise an Outline

Considering that you already finished observing, take out your notes, and start constructing your outline. Consider basing its structure on the guidelines. You should decide what information goes on in a particular paragraph and organize it to be comprehensive to the general readers. You can save your energy by researching sample blank outline templates online instead of starting from scratch.

3. Compose Your Thesis Statement

Write your thesis statement in your introduction. After writing your hook and engaging your readers, it is now time to state what the essay will discuss. What did you observe? What are the general idea and nature of your essay? Your thesis statement will act as the central idea of your descriptive writing. Its length must only be one sentence. 

4. Close With a Detailed Conclusion

After presenting the main ideas and supporting your claims, you should provide a conclusion statement that would sum it all up. In the last paragraph, you should restate the thesis statement and explain how all of these ideas are relevant to each other. Your conclusion should link back to the idea in your introduction.

How do you observe something properly?

The practice of observing is necessary for writing field reports of studies, especially in science and psychology. When you do an observation of something, it is advisable to research the subject you are studying. Also, you need to focus on your visual and hearing senses and your thought process. Avoid or get rid of factors that can distract you.

What are the different methods of observing?

The various methods of observing are categorized based on the level of involvement of the observer with the subject. If an observer is not noticed or personally seen by the participants, then he or she is employing the complete observer method. On the other hand, if the subjects recognize and interact with the observer, the implemented method is observer as participant.

How should you note your observations?

The first step in taking field notes of your observation is, write down the necessary details of the subject. Also, you should include the time and place. In writing your findings, you should stay objective and factual. Also, don’t forget to write a description of the setting and the materials involved.

The readers of your observation essay are not present at the time you did your observation. An observation essay is effective if its content is enough to supply information that would make the readers feel as if they are personally present at that time. Secure an observation essay, and earn an award certificate from your school or your work. 

Observation Essay Generator

Text prompt

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Discuss the behavior of animals at a zoo and what it reveals about them in your Observation Essay.

Reflect on the atmosphere of a music concert you attended in your Observation Essay.