Informants or ‘Others’
Informants are people within the research setting who can shed light on the
phenomena under investigation. Many informants are approached informally and
information is gathered by asking them a specific question or two, which helps
interpret what you have observed and validates or clarifies emerging themes and
ideas. It gives the researcher an insider’s view of the situation and clarifies value
patterns, concepts and beliefs which cannot be directly observed. Informants also
fill in a lot of gaps, since the researcher cannot be in all places at all times. Data
from these people is collected from interviews and focus groups.