On Research Design
Research design in projects – how you collect ‘data’ – is a core consideration. Every method has its pros and cons, by and large on a spectrum of depth versus breadth: large samples (e.g. surveys) can allow you to generalise at a superficial level, while spending a lot of time with fewer people/in a specific place gives you detail but no/less generalisation. The time question is also key in that whatever you find out is only true at the point you ‘caught’ it – people constantly have new experiences and adapt their views accordingly. There is no such thing as the perfect research project – whatever you find out is partial and time-specific.
Ethics
Another crucial element in research is the ethics side of things. Researchers have a duty of care to their participants, as well as to themselves. What this means is ensuring, as much as you can, the physical and emotional safety of everyone involved. You therefore have to think carefully about what you’re looking at in terms of topic, who is involved, and where and when you do it. Some people research on highly sensitive topics, and have to take special care to have support in place. No topic, though, however seemingly bland, is entirely ‘safe’. People can have negative experiences in relation to anything and talking about it can be painful: one person’s everyday nothingness can be someone else’s trauma, and it is important to make sure that people can be directed towards additional support – such as counselling – if necessary.
All of this means that researchers have to be absolutely clear to their participants what it is they’re talking about, who is involved, what the benefits and risks are, as well as what happens to their information and data (anonymity, confidentiality, storage). It is also essential that everyone is voluntarily involved and that they formally grant their permission. Projects involving people therefore have an Information Sheet about the research, and a Consent Form that all participants sign – the ones for this project are down below.
Participant-led Focus Groups
I recruited university students to take part in small (c.4-person) participant-led focus groups. The size is partly to allow everyone to feel more comfortable/less intimidated and can have their say, and also on practical grounds as following the conversation/s within larger groups can be difficult. I was intending to involve students from two universities, but this didn’t work out – it’s a long story but it was partly because of strikes and the pandemic.
The participant-led element involved the students – not me – asking the questions and running the discussions. I was there to set the scene and ground rules, and – if it had been needed – would have stepped in as and when to mediate, keep to time, or seek clarification, but my role was pretty passive. This hopefully allowed the group to interact more naturally; the point of a focus group is as much about what people say as how they relate to each other – when they ask others for clarification, support them, disagree with them, and so on.
Me taking a passive role should also have reduced what are known as ‘power relations’. As in a job interview, research participants can feel uncomfortable at being under the microscope, wondering whether they are giving the ‘right answers’ i.e. what the researcher is looking for. (Spoiler: there are no right or wrong answers in my project!) Secondly, I am not an expert in other people’s views, they’re individual, and particularly if they’re not from the same background as me – I’m white, British/European, male, middle class, straight, and able. Some of what they say might make me uncomfortable if they talk about elements of discrimination by my (or another) social group, but that’s my problem, not theirs. I want them to be honest and feel that they can talk openly – hopefully the participant-led element will make this easier. You can download the questions or prompts/conversation starters by clicking on the link below.
Ethical Approval and Documents
This project was been approved by my university’s Faculty’s Research Ethics Committee and you can click on the buttons below to download the Information Sheet and Consent Form.
the 3dHEI? 