Sociologists use observation as a research method where they watch people in a social situation and record what is said and done. There are a number of different kinds of observation, for example they can be overt or covert (the people may or may not know that they are being observed) and they can be participant or non-participant (the researcher may or may not play an active part in what is being observed). The different types of observation all have their own strengths and limitations.