A note on the straightforward steps involved in the conduct of participant observation: for Housing Studies students

A note on the straightforward steps involved in the conduct of participant observation: for Housing Studies students (information from perplexity.ai)

My question: "As a part-time Housing Studies student doing my 4-month dissertation project, I have a query about the role played by academic theories in the design and analysis of participant observation research. Specifically, to help clarifying your suggestions on this topic, how does my choice of about 2 main academic theories in Housing Studies affect my data gathering and data analysis (notably, analysis steps involved) in the context of my participant observation, as a public estate resident in Tsuen Wan, on the quality of residential life experience of the public estate elderly residents in Tsuen Wan in 2025."

The reply: "Let's explore how your choice of 2 main academic theories in Housing Studies can shape your participant observation research, especially regarding your data gathering and analysis steps as a public estate resident observing elderly residents in Tsuen Wan.

Academic theories act as lenses that guide what you focus on during observations and help you interpret what you see. They influence both what data you gather and how you analyze it.

To start, could you share what two theories you are considering or interested in? This will help tailor how those theories might impact your observation focus, note-taking priorities, and analysis methods.

In general, theories can define key concepts to look for, suggest patterns or relationships to identify, and frame your coding or thematic analysis after data collection. They also structure your interpretation to connect your findings to broader housing or social science debates.

Understanding your familiarity with theoretical frameworks in Housing Studies will help me guide you better on applying them practically in your research.

The question from the system: What's your current experience level with applying academic theories in Housing Studies research?

My reply: I have some basic knowledge on how to apply Housing Academic theories for analysis purpose as well as some basic knowledge on the subject of Research Methods, notably for Housing Studies research.

Your basic knowledge in applying Housing Academic theories and research methods aligns well with using participant observation effectively.

From the detailed resource on participant observation research, here is how your choice of academic theories in Housing Studies would influence the key stages of your research with elderly residents in a Tsuen Wan public estate:

• Data Gathering (Observation Focus & Notes): Your theories will guide what aspects of residential life quality you prioritize during observation. For example, if you use a social exclusion theory, you'd focus on social interactions and community inclusion/exclusion patterns, whereas a housing adequacy theory might make you observe living environment conditions more closely. Your notes will selectively emphasize events, behaviors, and conversations relevant to your theoretical focus. You'll also reflect on your interpretations of these observations.

• Data Analysis (Coding & Theming): Theories help you develop analytic categories or codes to organize your field notes. You form these categories inductively but aligned with your chosen theoretical lenses. For instance, if your theory highlights social participation, you develop codes around community engagement, support networks, or exclusion. You seek patterns or themes within these categories to interpret and explain the quality of residential life.

• Interpretation & Reporting: You will use your theories as frameworks to explain your findings and connect observed patterns to broader academic debates and policy implications in Housing Studies.

From the Tsuen Wan district research example, thematic analysis involved organizing views on key housing and community domains and exploring patterns linked to residents' age, housing type, and social factors. Your participant observation data can be similarly analyzed with theory-led categories addressing quality of life dimensions like social participation, housing adequacy, and community support.

In summary, your academic theories shape the direction and depth of both what you observe and how you interpret the data in your dissertation on elderly public estate residents' residential life quality in Tsuen Wan."

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.