Access

Definition

The process of gaining and maintaining entry to a setting or social group, or of establishing working relations with individuals, in order that social research can be undertaken.

Distinctive Features

Access is part of the initial phase of social research, and is usually negotiated at the start of the research project. Access can also be conceptualized as a continuous process (Lee, 1993). Relationships may need to be renegotiated throughout the course of research. It is sometimes unclear exactly what access is required once research is under way.

There are a variety of practical and theoretical matters associated with ensuring research access. There are certainly practical issues involved in gaining entry to settings or data, and to establishing rapport with research participants. These might include formal approaches or applications (by letter or direct contact), arranging initial meetings and providing descriptions of the research for potential settings and participants. It is usually appropriate to offer reassurances of confidentiality and trust as part of initial access negotiations.

Identifying and establishing rapport with key gatekeepers or (informal) sponsors within a setting can be important to gaining and maintaining access (Hammersley and Atkinson, 1995). This can entail developing a theoretical or analytical appreciation of the setting or social group, and the relative standing of different social actors within the field. There are also occasions when access will need to be negotiated with a variety of different social actors within the setting. This can mean paying particular attention to the role(s) that the researcher adopts during social research, and the ways in which these roles are managed throughout the research encounter. This role management can include adopting certain styles of dress or personae in order to fit into the setting.

Complex and protracted access negotiations are most often associated with qualitative or ethnographic work (de Laine, 2000). However, there may be similar processes involved in gaining access to secondary data, documentary sources, or large research samples. Establishing trust and gaining a working familiarity of the research field are essential components of undertaking social research of all kinds.

Evaluation

Access is not a single event to be undertaken only at the beginning of the research process. However, advice tends to focus on the initial negotiation of access, rather than on the maintenance and renegotiation of access over time. Access is more than seeking formal permission or gaining informed consent. It is also part of a more general process of active engagement with settings and social actors, and of recognizing the need to work at ethical research relationships (Denscombe, 2002).

How much information to disclose during access negotiations is a matter for careful [Page 2]consideration. It may not be possible to inform potential research participants about the full extent of the research, particularly if an exploratory study is envisaged, with new research questions emerging over time. Equally, full disclosure may not be desirable, perhaps because this may jeopardize access, or potentially change the behaviour of informants. Sometimes it is easier to give a fuller account of the aims of the research once initial access has been secured and a level of rapport and trust established. However, where possible, those concerned should be told about any implications of the research from the outset. Deception should certainly be avoided.

...