Practical issues in research

Overview

Gaining access and gatekeepers, the practical problems faced by James Patrick and Simon Holdaway, and how long a method takes, its cost, funding and the researcher's own characteristics.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What does gaining access mean in sociological research?

   Model answer

   Access means being able to reach and study the people or setting a researcher is interested in. A study cannot begin until access is gained.

2. 2

   Why can some groups be hard to access?

   Model answer

   Closed or secretive groups, such as gangs or religious sects, are suspicious of outsiders. Powerful groups, such as company boards, can simply refuse to take part.

3. 3

   What is a gatekeeper in research?

   Model answer

   A gatekeeper is a person who controls whether a researcher can enter a group or setting. A headteacher, for example, decides whether a sociologist may study a school.

4. 4

   How can a gatekeeper reduce the validity of a study?

   Model answer

   A gatekeeper may let the researcher see only the parts of a setting that look good. A headteacher might steer an observer towards well-behaved classes.

5. 5

   Why might a gatekeeper refuse a researcher access?

   Model answer

   A gatekeeper may fear the research will damage the organisation's reputation. Protecting vulnerable members, such as pupils or patients, is another common reason.

6. 6

   How did James Patrick gain access to a Glasgow gang?

   Model answer

   A boy James Patrick taught at an approved school, a residential school for young offenders, invited him to join his gang. The boy acted as Patrick's gatekeeper and vouched for him.

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