IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socres/v29y2024i1p221-232.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Using a Range of Communication Tools to Interview a Hard-to-Reach Population

Author

Listed:
  • Orlanda Harvey

    (Bournemouth University, UK)

  • Edwin van Teijlingen

    (Bournemouth University, UK)

  • Margarete Parrish

    (Bournemouth University, UK)

Abstract

Online communication tools are increasingly being used by qualitative researchers; hence it is timely to reflect on the differences when using a broad range of data collection methods. Using a case study with a potentially hard-to-reach substance-using population who are often distrustful of researchers, this article explores the use of a variety of different platforms for interviews. It highlights both the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Face-to-face interviews and online videos offer more opportunity to build rapport, but lack anonymity. Live Webchat and audio-only interviews offer a high level of anonymity, but both may incur a loss of non-verbal communication, and in the Webchat a potential loss of personal narrative. This article is intended for sociologists who wish to broaden their methods for conducting research interviews.

Suggested Citation

  • Orlanda Harvey & Edwin van Teijlingen & Margarete Parrish, 2024. "Using a Range of Communication Tools to Interview a Hard-to-Reach Population," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 29(1), pages 221-232, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:29:y:2024:i:1:p:221-232
    DOI: 10.1177/13607804221142212
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13607804221142212
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/13607804221142212?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Valeria Lo Iacono & Paul Symonds & David H.K. Brown, 2016. "Skype as a Tool for Qualitative Research Interviews," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 21(2), pages 103-117, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mary Ryder & Elisabeth Jacob & Joyce Hendricks, 2019. "An inductive qualitative approach to explore Nurse Practitioners views on leadership and research: An international perspective," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(13-14), pages 2644-2658, July.
    2. Tariq Umar, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on the GCC Construction Industry," International Journal of Service Science, Management, Engineering, and Technology (IJSSMET), IGI Global, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Orelj, Ana & Torfason, Magnus Thor, 2022. "They didn't ask: Online innovation communities as a latent dynamic capability," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    4. Xiujie Ma & George Jennings, 2021. "“Hang the Flesh off the Bones”: Cultivating an “Ideal Body” in Taijiquan and Neigong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Prabath Chaminda Abeysiriwardana & Udith K. Jayasinghe-Mudalige & Saluka R. Kodituwakku, 2023. "Qualitative Inquiries by Transitioning to ‘Digital Methods’: A Case Study on Leaders’ Perspectives of Agriculture Research Management by Key Performance Indicators," Metamorphosis: A Journal of Management Research, , vol. 22(2), pages 178-192, December.
    6. Gabriele Torma, 2020. "How to Cope with Perceived Tension towards Sustainable Consumption? Exploring Pro-Environmental Behavior Experts’ Coping Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-27, October.
    7. Dassel, Katharina Sophie & Klein, Stefan, 2023. "To Zoom or not: Diverging responses to privacy and security risks," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    8. Claudiu Coman & Maria Cristina Bularca & Angela Repanovici, 2021. "Constructing and Communicating the Visual Identity of a University. Case Study: Visual Identity of Transilvania University of Brasov," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Angela Dettori & Michela Floris, 2023. "Improving continuity by simplifying the structure of family firms: a replication study," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 635-660, June.
    10. Issaka Sule Ayannor, 2021. "Setbacks to the Implementation of the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions: Case Studies of the Namas of Ethiopia, Georgia and Indonesia," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 40(3), pages 33-44, September.
    11. Yuly Hilario-Pizarro & Mónica Elis Meneses-La-Riva & María Teresa Cabanillas-Chávez & Wilter C. Morales García & Nora Hilda González-Quirarte, 2023. "Professional Training in Nursing and its Intercultural Implications in Times of Social Transformation: A Qualitative Study," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 12, July.
    12. Christian Rainero & Giuseppe Modarelli, 2020. "The Attractive Power of Rural Destinations and a Synergistic Community Cooperative Approach: A “Tourismability” Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-41, September.
    13. Lovell, Jane & Griffin, Howard, 2022. "Unfamiliar light: the production of enchantment," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    14. Inês Maia, 2024. "How to Overcome the Secretiveness of a Group: Opportunities of Online Interviews," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 29(1), pages 171-183, March.
    15. Riedmeier, Julia & Kreuzer, Maria, 2022. "Me versus we: The role of luxury brand managers in times of co-creation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 240-252.
    16. Brownstone, David & McBride, Michael & Kong, Si-Yuan & Mahmassani, Amine, 2017. "Experimental Studies for Traffic Incident Management," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt6kx670mv, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    17. Aswathi Surendran & Jennifer McSharry & Oonagh Meade & Francis Bligh & John McNamara & David Meredith & Denis O’Hora, 2023. "Increasing Machine-Related Safety on Farms: Development of an Intervention Using the Behaviour Change Wheel Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-28, April.
    18. Victoria Moreno-Gil & Xavier Ramon & Ruth Rodríguez-Martínez, 2021. "Fact-Checking Interventions as Counteroffensives to Disinformation Growth: Standards, Values, and Practices in Latin America and Spain," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 251-263.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:29:y:2024:i:1:p:221-232. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.