However, there are certain obvious disadvantages to observation too. For example,
o it may be quite time-consuming
o the observer may have to wait for some time to see something happen, which could lead to a waste of the researcher's time
o sometimes it may be difficult to record events, particularly at busy periods
o the person being observed may deviate from his or her normal behaviour
o record-keeping may be inconsistent
o some of the events may not be familiar to the researcher, and therefore they may not understand what is happening
o if more than one observer is involved, the results may be skewed
o the constant attention and involvement of the researcher is needed.
Moreover, it is necessary that the researcher has an understanding of what is going to be recorded and for what purpose, and so on. It would be helpful to have a form prepared for recording data.