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

Level 7 (Masters)

Summer teaching

Social science researchers want to study 'hard to reach', 'rare' and 'hidden' populations. These populations can be hard to identify and engage in the research process. 

Individuals from these populations can face stigmatisation and may be unwilling to identify themselves. You'll review why we want to engage these populations in research and the range of methods employed to access them, including: 

  • chain referral methods

  • respondent driven sampling

  • privileged access interviews

  • engaged or activist research 

  • applications of internet research. 

You'll learn about well established applications such as snowball sampling. You'll also cover other applications, widely used in health research, that are at an experimental stage in the social sciences.  

You also consider particular ethical concerns around research with hard to reach and hidden populations. 

Teaching

100%: Practical (Workshop)

Assessment

100%: Coursework (Essay)

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 2022/23. 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.