Research often involves developing research questions to answer a known or unknown phenomenon. The purpose of these research questions is to guide the research to through the right course through addressing a research problem that the researchers think is worth providing a solution. In answering a research question various research, methodologies are used to enable a researcher to obtain just the right information to address the potential problem (Creswell pp131-133). This paper will, therefore, address the use of observation as a research method in answering a research question.
While conducting research on people’s beliefs and culture, I decided to attend a Catholic mass in the neighboring community. I was to observe their modes of worship, the symbols of their faith as well as other factors that could be helpful in answering my research question. The research question involves finding out about different modes of worship within religion as portrayed by people’s beliefs, their social setting as well as cultural factors regarding a community. Attending the mass would be helpful since it will enable me to answer the religious and part of the social aspect of this community.
The method used in obtaining data was participant observation, a method entailing observing research participants in their natural state to avoid collecting altered information. While in church, believers treat the place with respect and dignity it deserves since they believe God is in their midst. Besides priests, Catholics have nuns who offer help to the priest while giving out the Holy Communion to legible members. The songs used during the service were quite different from the songs used in other churches with very minimal resemblance. Inside the church are crucifixes showing Jesus Christ on the cross with photos of Him with disciples as well as a statue of Mother Mary which probably symbolized their belief. The worship sessions brought the believers together and made them look like one united community.
While at the service, I observed that there are prayers that people pray while standing and others while kneeling. The priest did not conduct the mass in a usual manner as the other churches do, there were times when he would chant to individual readings and just do the usual reading to others. There was also a session for the Holy Communion where believers that had studied catechism and gone through all Catholic teachings had to go and receive the sacrament. These observations were quite different from my normal worship hence a little bit surprising. Emile Durkheim’s sociology of religion is one theory that could be handy in explaining the observations above (Gane 169-172).
In conclusion, research is essential in our daily lives. Research is also dependent on research questions for direction on what to solve. People should, therefore, embrace research to enable them to find answers to certain unknown issues as well as for additional knowledge. Governments should also invest in research to enable countries to solve emerging issues that seem to lack solutions.
Works cited
Creswell, J. W. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed method approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication. (2009). 131-133.
Gane, M. "Defending the Durkheimian Tradition: Religion, Emotion and Morality; Durkheim's Ghosts: Cultural Logic and Social Things". Sociology 41.1 (2007): 169-172.
