ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we explore the use of the observation method in emergency management. Observation allows the researcher not only to produce a direct account of the venue and the experience of its participants but also to make the research audience feel like they were “there.” Our critical review of the interdisciplinary emergency management literature suggests that researchers find uniquely creative and context-specific ways of accessing the field and its participants. Yet, the observation method remains under-explained in the literature, in most cases with missing details on the nature of observation (e.g., structured vs unstructured). It is also under-utilized in preparedness and response research. We urge researchers to tap more into the observation method’s potential for (1) theory and model building; (2) collecting numerical data through structured observation; and (3) exploring the promise of the virtual world to collect data in emergency contexts.
