ABSTRACT
In qualitative research, observations and field notes have been employed by applied linguists as tools to collect data about people, language learning processes, linguistic interactions, non-verbal communications and various activities in settings such as the classroom, the home domain, the workplace and in other social contexts. This chapter discusses key features of the research methods by reviewing recent development in the field of applied linguistics. By examining empirical data from some existing studies, the chapter will also discuss the purpose of using these tools and the stance of the observer, as well as when, what and how to observe. In addition, it will illustrate how observations and field notes are used together with other data collection tools to capture relevant information needed for particular research projects. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of using these tools in the field.
