Research Methods

1)The researcher says that “[i]ntense observations in the classroom and playground area were completed … [and] detailed observations were conducted in … lessons” (p.184). What can you infer about the things she observed and the methods she used to record her observations?

A trust relationship has to be build between the researcher and the one being researched. The participants give information about their lives and the researcher shares a part of their life with the participant (Troman, 2000). The students were observed in the classroom as well as the playground. Semi structured interviews were conducted with students and teachers. Students attendance sheet and their grades were also taken, they were observed during their lessons also. Russel gave general information about her personal life when asked by other girls about her boyfriends ,she sometimes gave extra details in order to relate and gain extra trust. In one instance a student had an alcholic mother ,so the researcher shared experiences about someone who had an alcoholic relative ,in order to make the student comfortable. Russel used semi structured interviews and shadowingas her methods and kept detailed records of how her presence influenced the participants.Interviews remain the most common method till date in conducting qualitative research (Cassell, Symon) The students were free to read the logbook if it had any data which referred to them ,even though this might influence the data that has been collected (Carspecken, 1996) .Letting student see the logbook helped gain their trust. A delicate balance of trust has to be developed otherwise essential data could remain hidden (Thorpe and Holte, 2008) . Students were interviewed after gaining their trust.

Russel was observing students resistance to schooling. She came acroos various instance where students would freely break rules and resort to illegal activites ,she came acroos students smoking in the premises ,she saw a student bash up a vending...