Your report will describe and interpret the observations that you have made in the context of theories of child development.
Turn to the marking matrix for topic 1, which is found at the end of these instructions. This matrix outlines the structure of your report; that is, the sequence of sections that will make up the report, the details required in each section, and the breakdown of marks per section and subsection. Use this matrix as a guide to developing your report.
Your report, exclusive of the observation sheets, title page, and reference list, should be about 10 pages long (2500 words). The page length guidelines given below vary from about seven pages to about 14 pages (1750–3500 words). Please use 12-point font for this assignment.
Content
Introduction: Briefly describe the nature of the naturalistic observation method, identify who conducts such studies, discuss why they are conducted, and explain how the method can be useful. Be sure to mention how such an approach differs from the experimental approach, and outline its comparative advantages and disadvantages in contrast to the experimental approach. Let the reader know what will follow in the report in terms of what you are doing and why. The introduction should be one to two pages long. The introduction is worth 10 percent of your mark.
Setting: Describe the background and the setting of each of your observation sessions. Include how you made the arrangements and with whom. Detail your own behaviour during the sessions, including where you were in relation to the child and how your presence seemed to affect the child. There should be a “setting” section preceding each set of observations. The setting section should be one to two pages long. Point form is acceptable for this section. This section is worth 5 percent of your mark.
Observations: Include your observations, which you have recorded on observation sheets using the sample format provided. The observation sheets are worth 20 percent of your mark.
Results: Description of Behaviours: In this section, describe each child’s behaviour after you have organized your observations into behavioural categories. The purpose of this section is to translate your raw data from the observation sessions into an account of each child’s behaviour that will be meaningful to your reader. The observation sheets provide an objective chronological description of the behaviours observed; this section provides an objective categorical description of those behaviours. You might want to make subcategories such as gross motor behaviour, fine motor control, and eye-hand coordination. Write descriptions for vocal behaviour, social behaviour, and any other categories that are relevant for your observations. You will be interpreting the behaviours in these categories in the next section. The description section of your report should be two to four pages long. This section is worth 15 percent of your mark.
Discussion: Integration of Behaviour with Theory: This section discusses the behaviour of the children with reference to relevant theory and research findings. Remember to support your discussion and your ideas by citing the sources of your information. For example, if you think that a behaviour is a good example of Piaget’s preconceptual thought, briefly explain what preconceptual thought is, and cite the source of this concept (e.g., Santrock 2014). Look for sources that are relevant to your observations. For example, if you discuss language development, look for outside sources that discuss the developmental milestones and theoretical aspects of language development. In addition to considering your opinions, the marker will look for your use of material from the textbook, other books, and journal articles, and the inclusion of references to theories, studies, research, and other source materials. Attempt to integrate only noteworthy observations―not every observation. If certain observations conflict with a particular theory, this too can be discussed.
Your discussion will lead to generalizations and conclusions about whether the behaviours you observed were typical and representative of all children in that age group. You may wish to communicate something of the milestones that the child has reached in various behavioural domains. In generalizing about the child’s behaviour compared to that of other children of the same age, you might wish to consider such factors as sex, ethnic origin, socioeconomic background, family environment, present state of health and health history, birth order, and your presence. Be as resourceful and comprehensive as you can, but remember that you must back up your ideas with reference to actual observations and with the theories presented in the course materials. This section of your report should be two to four pages long. This section is worth 25 percent of your mark.
Conclusion: In your conclusion, describe what you did and why; what could have been done differently to improve the exercise; and what you learned from the project, not only about children and development, but also about this method (observational) of doing research. Include any other comments pertinent to the project, the observation sessions, your collection of data, or the interpretations you have made based on the data. Your conclusions evaluate the assignment, the method, the theories, and the behaviour of the children. The conclusion of your report should be one to two pages long. This section is worth 15 percent of your mark.
Reference List: Note that the use of outside source materials is expected for this assignment, and you must acknowledge your sources in a scholarly manner throughout your paper. List all the materials that you read and used in the assignment and report them in APA Style (6th ed.). You are expected to use APA format for the title page, in-text citations, and the reference list.
****PLEASE NOTE- I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH DATA FROM OBSERVATION OF CHILDREN****
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