Maintaining good relationships with research participants

Undertaking the data collection phase of a qualitative research project can be met with excitement and trepidation. Despite the extensive preparation of the project’s research aims, questions and method, the ability to extract the richest possible data will often come down to the relationships built and maintained, and the approaches a student takes, in interacting with study participants. While there has been significant research into the typical challenges associated with the data collection phase including establishing rapport, locating a participant, understanding the culture/language and ‘getting into’ a community, this chapter will discuss these issues through the experiences of an insider in the chosen research field. The chapter will highlight the benefits of establishing, building and maintaining the relationship with the study participants. It is demonstrated that the level of rapport a student can build with those study participants is a critical factor in developing an individual’s research and subsequent work in that field in the future.