Participant Observation Can, for Purposes of Simplicity,

Participant observation can, for purposes of simplicity, "be placed on a continuum with 'passive' participant observation at one end of the continuum, and 'active' participant observation at the other" (Burgess, 2003, p.69). These two forms of observer participation give rise to four strategies; complete participant, complete observer, participant-as-observer, and observer-as-participant, which have been better-explained through the scenarios below (Burgess, 2003).

Observations of professional conduct in the classroom by the student author of a course evaluation guide

The complete participant strategy works best in this case; the observer ought to act like a full member of the group and not reveal his research intentions because any suspicions by members of the observed group could lead them to display bias in an attempt to make the evaluation go a certain way.

Observation of retail shoppers by a researcher who is interested in determining customer purchase time by type of goods purchased

The participant-as-observer technique; the investigator reveals his research intentions from the onset, and is therefore, not regarded as a member of the group (Biggemann, 2010). However, as he or she continues to interact with the observed group, his status evolves from being a total stranger to being an accepted categorical member (Biggemann, 2010). This strategy works best in this scenario; first, because the revelation of intentions would not in any way alter the observed group's purchase decisions; and secondly, because such a study would take some period of time and it would be crucial for the investigator to build positive relations with the observed group, because then, the latter would be more willing to open up and probably give the rationale behind their purchase decisions.

Observation of a focus group interview by a client

The observer-as-participant technique would work best, given that this is a rather formal scenario that calls for brevity and is unaccompanied by attempts to build lasting relationships. The investigator would probably pay only one visit to the study group, and gather information using a questionnaire.

Effectiveness of individual farm worker organizers in their efforts to organize employees of grape growers

The complete observer strategy would be the best in this case. The organization's management is made aware of the investigator's presence, but individual farm worker organizers are not informed. In order to ensure that normal activities are not disrupted, and that the organizers carry out their duties 'normally', and without pretense, the investigator is removed, completely, from interaction and only watches from a distance, completely unobtrusive (Biggemann, 2010).

Question Two: Presentation Critique

The presentation whose link I have attached in the references section of this text can be criticized on a number of grounds. To begin with, it fails to capture the audience's interest from the get-go. A reader who is not conversant with the concept of participant observation would make very little of the first seven slides; and only in the eighth slide would they realize that the presentation is more or less a guideline to conducting effective qualitative research.