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Researching Hidden and Hard-to-reach Populations (574X8)

Level 7 (Masters)

Summer teaching

Hard-to-reach, ‘rare’ and ‘hidden’ populations offer valuable insights for social science research, but it can be difficult to engage them in research. These groups often include people who face stigmatisation and may not wish to be publicly identified.

In this workshop, you’ll explore why researchers engage with these populations in research. You’ll evaluate different methods used to reach them, including:

• various chain referral methods
• respondent driven sampling
• privileged access interviews
• engaged or activist research
• applications of internet research.

You’ll assess how established methods, such as snowball sampling, compare with newer, often experimental, approaches. You’ll also cover ethical concerns that are prevalent in this research.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.