======= Date Modified 11 03 2008 21:03:50 =======
Hi all

This is a little urgent as its to do with a proposal. I had asked this earlier as well...nobody responded (and I know its mundane for those accustomed to it)...

In social science research, what is the precise procedure for participant recruitment, for year long projects involving a mixed methods QUALITATIVE study...interviews, focus groups, some creative and unconventional methods anyway...whatever that is, these are my questions (without boring you guys with my research design):

1. Are PhD students able to access recruitment agencies?
2. Are there any university recruitment devices usually?
3. How much does it cost for around 15 people?


The cost is very important, and I would be very grateful if any of you excused my ignorance and responded...

best

hello Phdbug, i wish I could help but I have NO clue. is there noone at your dept you can ask (receptionists/secretaries are very wise and knowledgeable people)

I wish I could answer, and I am in the qualitative field, but surely it depends on your university, the nature what you are doing, who the participants are etc etc. Maybe I'm missing something, but to me a recruitment agency find jobs for people, so why would you use those? People participating in research aren't being employed. And the cost would surely depend on how long you are expecting them to work for, it that is how you are doing it. I really can't understand the question to answer.

I've been interviewed when I worked and was paid nothing, I was recruited by them emailing me as the person that did the job relevant to their research. I have been in a focus group for a company doing some customer research and was given a £10 Boots voucher and was recruited as I once contacted them with a complaint. And I have been employed by a university to do some survey work for them and was paid £12/hr and was recruited by them sending an email to universities asking for people, if any of those help you...

Hi !

thanks for this, and by recruitment agency, i meant market research recruitment agencies, often used by qualitative researchers for sampling and recruiting respondents....yes vouchers are good incentives and given in this field...much of the research I see in journals are pretty rigorous abt method and many of my respected academics have used recruitment instruments...

So I was wondering if theres anyone here, who had experience of this...

I really have no idea as to how you'd recruit - surely this is something your sup or the admin in your dept would help you with? At least they could let you know what the procedure is for your uni. With regard to incentive - we regularly get asked to help out by our psychology dept, I know its different, but they range from £5 for an hour, to entry to a draw to win £25, or even vouchers for the pizza place on campus. I've seen chocolates to be won in a draw - all sorts of things.
Sorry I can' t help more - I guess I'm lucky in a way in that the people I study are all dead and buried long ago ;-)

thanks stressed, yes my sup would and will (belongs to the 'gem' variety of sups), if only I wasnt super eager to get most everything done before I meet her!

What about a mail shot from the university IT administrator to all students asking for volunteers?

That's what your supervisor is there for :-)
I say it as I don't want you to fall into the trap of thinking everything has to be perfect and you can't make mistakes or ask questions. If you develop that mindset that could bite further down the road, and if I remember rightly you're pretty new? Anyway, I'll go back in my box now ;-)

Not done this sort of research myself, but a girl in my office recruited focus group/diary participants by putting up posters in supermarkets (her research is into healthy eating) and round the university. She also had gift tokens for our local shopping centre as incentives. I think she offered £10 for doing a 1hr focus group plus another £50 for keeping a 4-week food diary and an interview at the end. Pretty costly but she had a lot of takers.

I recruited for quant data. I paid 10 pounds per person for about an hour. It was difficult to recruit for this project and I used posters, leaflets, mass emailing and newspaper advertising. A lot depends on who your target group are. The smore pecific the target group is, the more tricky and expensive it is likely to be. You are wise to look into the cost of recruitment - it can be expensive. I recommend testing your recruitment method of choice in a pilot study first asap.

Hey,

I was involved in a foodsafety project that used a recruitment agency. They spoke to members of the public in shopping centres to recruit. The incentives were 60 quid vouchers for Marks or Tescos. But the project did involve them putting in 4 hours in a mock up kitchen cooking food and being scored on their hygiene, and under the watchful eye of some web cams!

I also would echo what was mentioned below about testing out your recruitment in a pilot study. Good advice.

I've recruited for mixed methods before.

I do a project on student health. I e-mailed all students who were on committees of SU groups, put flyers and posters in their GP surgery and SU, put flyers in the student newspapers etc etc etc. I got about 10 people via these means and it was a nightmare to arrange FGs with them so these participants were interviewed. They were not paid/reimbursed etc. I then recruited via the university temp agency (at my university the library, careers service etc etc etc recruit via this agency for FGs so there was no problems getting ethical approval). I did four FGs with groups of 3-10 people and paid each person £7.50 each for the hour.

I'm also currently running a questionnaire and this is via a mail shot to half of the students at the University and I'm offering £100 prize draw for book vouchers. Again, no problems getting ethical approval.

Recruitment, in my experience, is the hardest bit of the PhD (I may change my mind when it comes to hard core writing up time).

A116 - I am writing up now and the recruitment was DEFINITELY the most difficult part!

At least it can't get worse then!!! Recruitment is the only time I've cried because of my PhD = LAME!

A

Thanks you guys!! Very helpful indeed :)