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A few things that I wished I learned in a Qualitative Class that I am now teaching my students. All are practical and executional. Not theoretical:
1) Roadblocks, cancelled interviews, and dead ends are part of the process. Normal. Resilience and perseverance is key.
1) Roadblocks, cancelled interviews, and dead ends are part of the process. Normal. Resilience and perseverance is key.
2) Corresponding with a person to set up an interview is time consuming. Rarely is it easy. You have to spend time crafting an email, building trust and managing bureaucracy. It takes time. Lots of time. And they can still cancel on you!
3) Never underestimate the power of picking up the phone and calling someone like a human being. Tell them about your research in plain-speak and make a pitch for why their story is important and valued. Earn their trust and set up another time to talk.
4) Consent forms can be awkward. Do a dry run and practice how to gain consent. You should not sound like a lawyer. You should sound like "you" -explaining the consent form clearly but like a human being. You should be reassuring and listen to their questions.
5) IF you finally get that interview, continue to do the work to help your respondent feel affirmed and comfortable. This is emotion work. It is often hard. If people share stories of trauma, thank them for sharing their story. Show that you have heard AND seen them.
Any other practical tips that you share with your students? ie. the stuff not in the methods classes?
