Including Hard-to-Access Populations Using Mobile Phone Surveys and Participatory Indicators

Firchow, Pamina; Mac Ginty, Roger

Abstract

One of the main obstacles for survey researchers—especially those conducting surveys in difficult contexts such as postconflict areas—is accessing respondents. In order to address this problem, this article draws on an ongoing research project to reflect on the utility of mobile phones to connect with hard-to-access populations in conflict affected, low-income countries. It considers the strengths and weaknesses of a number of different mobile phone survey modes. The article goes a step further and discusses how (potential) survey respondents can be included in the survey design process thereby increasing the relevance of the research to them and hopefully encouraging them to participate. We conclude by considering the issue of “good enough” methodologies, or the need to balance methodological rigor with an understanding of the exigencies of suboptimal research contexts.

Citation

Firchow, P., & Mac Ginty, R. (2020). Including Hard-to-Access Populations Using Mobile Phone Surveys and Participatory Indicators. Sociological Methods and Research, 49(1), 133-160. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124117729702

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Oct 3, 2017
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Sep 10, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 10, 2018
• Journal: Sociological Methods and Research
• Print ISSN: 0049-1241
• Electronic ISSN: 1552-8294
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 133-160
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124117729702
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1315297
• Related Public URLs: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/including-hardto-access-population-using-mobile-phone-surveys-and-participatory-indicators(3935f7eb-6eb5-4986-9092-e9c6d86e0239).html