ABSTRACT
A researcher who engages himself or herself in direct observation and/or participation and observation of the people or group being researched gathers participant-observational data. Essentially, this is when the researcher becomes a part of the group or event in some way, through observation, membership and/or participation in the group's activities. This type of research, as with other methods employed by researchers, is advantageous in certain settings where gathering information may not be accessible by other, more common methods. Furthermore, observational data allows researchers to obtain information that may not be known already or as readily available through interviews or surveys of the group's members due to the secretive nature of the group.
