unobtrusive measures
unobtrusive measuresTechniques for collecting data without the knowledge of respondents. Two types—the covert and the indirect—may be identified. The former include, for example, covert participant observation, undisclosed note-taking, or use of one-way mirrors. The latter involves the use of personal documents and other records which might offer indirect measures of variables such that the need for interaction between the investigator and his or her subjects is obviated. (For example, student satisfaction with new educational practices might be assessed by inspecting records of attendance at classes and rates of switching between course, rather than direct interview or questionnaire.) The justification of such methods is that, because respondents are unaware of their status as research subjects, their activities are unaffected by certain potential biases in the research situation...
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