Evaluate+participant,+non-participant,+naturalistic,+overt+and+covert+observations.

Participant Observation: the researcher is part, as well, of the group that`s being observed.
 * researcher can feel what is like to be in the group, this provides deeper look at the study.
 * gives the chance of using overt or cover observation as well.
 * a balance should be achieved between participation and observation.
 * difficult when dealing with emotionally charged subjects
 * Notes about whats being observed should be done as fast as possible for the to be fresh.
 * Combines subjective with objective perspectives
 * provides detailed and in-depth knowledge
 * the best method to avoid researcher bias, as he will be living it, instead of trying to fit in his beliefs.
 * provides a holistic interpretation of the topic because researcher takes into consideration many aspects to synthesize observations
 * Nevertheless, its time consuming and demanding and the researcher needs to be physically there
 * not possible in short-term projects
 * and the researcher could lose objectivity, as they might get immerse.
 * take into balance involvement and detachment

Non-participant observation:the researcher is not part of the group being observed.
 * Participants could demonstrate reactivity.
 * Participants could try to guess what the research is about and what the researcher wants them to do.
 * Bias in behavior of the participants
 * researcher does not take an active part in the observation
 * people being observed might not act as they usually do in real situations
 * deception is generally used
 * is an observation method easier and faster to make observations from, researcher does not get as attached as during participant observation

Naturalist observation: Observation that take place in natural settings
 * the research has to be careful not to interfere with the naturally occurring event
 * if researcher spend too much time before the observation with the participants, they will get used to him.
 * researcher is also able to use other methods of observation, such as cameras
 * is also time consuming, as in order to understand better a kids behavior for instance, the researcher should spend more time looking at kids in the kindergarten.
 * researcher has less control over variables
 * nevertheless, the observations have more ecological validity
 * still its important to keep in mind, that the observations do not become invasive regarding privacy, such as observing someone assist to AAA meetings.
 * researcher may also be inclined more towards researcher bias or confirmation bias to a greater extent than in participation observation for instance.
 * data can be collected, than otherwise, might be impossible or unethical to.
 * risk of people react to the fact of being observed

Overt observation: the participants know that the observer is a researcher.
 * participants know they are being observed and could change their behavior
 * this is a strength for ethical considerations involved
 * however the researcher usually tell the participants he is the researcher, even when participants might not know the real aim of the research
 * researcher could let the participants the aim of the study, without drastically affecting the results
 * no informed consent is obligatory as participants know they are part of the observation
 * however there is always an involvement with the participants in order to set a good relationship with them
 * quality of data depends on the relationship of researched researcher

Covert observation:the participant does not know that they are being observed in order to ensure that the participant behave in a natural way.
 * participants not always aware they are being observed
 * a story has to be made up, to justify the participants presence in the settings and to mask the real purpose of the experiment
 * this method is used when the presence of the researcher could affect the results
 * it is a widely used method
 * used in settings where otherwise it would be difficult to gain access to
 * there are ethical issues involved
 * the participants are not asked at the beginning.
 * and it could be dangerous to the researcher to observe a group known to be violent, such as gang bands
 * its more probable for the participants to act more normal that if they know they are being observed

Every method, as seen before has its pros and cons, still it is necessary to look at the and evaluate them in order to chose the most appropriate, regarding what kind of data and information we are looking for. Besides, different ethical considerations are related to each of the observation methods, which should be kept in mind to make an effective research with no further problem when being published or used for further research.