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Covert participant observation is a method in social science research. Participant observation involves a researcher joining the group they are studying, and in the case of covert observation, the researcher's status is not made known to the group.Covert participant observation involves the researcher's identity not being revealed in a research for instance a secret agent can perform his/her drug abuse investigation on drug abuse suspects by becoming part of them in order to catch the culprits whilst being under cover
Observation involves participating in activities over a period of time and therefore becoming an accepted part of the group. An example is the research for A Glasgow Gang Observed. A 26-year-old schoolmaster at a Scottish Reformatory school, who called himself James Patrick, went undercover with the help of one of his pupils to study the often violent behaviour of the teenagers in a gang in Glasgow. He concealed all his personal information for his own safety.