Question
Why does observation journal fail?
Quick Answer
Believing you're recording observations when you're actually recording conclusions wearing observational clothing. 'He was defensive' feels like an observation but it's an interpretation of specific behaviors (crossed arms, raised voice, deflection) that you skipped recording. The test: could a.
The most common reason observation journal fails: Believing you're recording observations when you're actually recording conclusions wearing observational clothing. 'He was defensive' feels like an observation but it's an interpretation of specific behaviors (crossed arms, raised voice, deflection) that you skipped recording. The test: could a camera capture it? If not, it's not observation yet.
The fix: Choose one event from today — a conversation, a meeting, something you read. Open a blank page and draw a vertical line down the middle. Label the left column 'I observed' and the right column 'I interpreted.' Fill the left column first, writing only sensory-level facts: what was said, what happened, what you saw. Only after exhausting the left column, move to the right. Notice how many different interpretations the same observations can support.
The underlying principle is straightforward: Write down what you observed before writing what you think it means.
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