Constanze, I guess snowball sampling is appropriate. It is not the research methodology that is the issue here. It is how you can apply that kind of methodology in a situation like yours that is the issue. You must get the assistance of people or authorities that will ascertain your safety and not put you in trouble with the law. As I read from newspapers and see from televisions, the re are journalists who were able to "penetrate" respondents of the same nature, at the journalists' risk.

Constanze - the way that I see it, 'snowballing' would seem like a good option but, that said, how many killers or survivors will know similar others - or even their families etc? You can't put a 'convenience' sample call out to the 'general' population for ethical reasons - as stated. While Eddie and I don't always agree - I certainly agree with him here. You really have to nail this one 'ethically' - and that would be very tricky. Personally, the only solution that I can think of is a 'purposive' sample using an observational (most likely ethnographic) methodology - with you as a 'hidden' or 'covert' observer (using video-recording or two-way mirrors) - and that requires ethical approval of the highest order i.e. interviewing parents and children in abusive relationships together with no researchers known or identified.

By the way - I did my BEd. at the University of Huddersfield - and was an external examiner there as well. It's not everyones's favourite place - but I had fun there - albeit what seems like a very long time ago now.

Dean and Eddie - thank you for your reply and assistance. Yes, its seems like that I really face some major problems here, but I am not willing to give up - as yet. I still rely on my networking skills which extends to other countries as well. So I hope that very soon I'll be able to start collecting my data.

In terms of nailing the ethical - would you have some advice here as I feel pretty lost in terms of my supervision. I'd really appreciate any support.

Dean - you studied at Uni of Huddersfield…I must admit its not a nice place at all - and I'm Really glad that I don't have to live there.

Hi Constanze,

No problem on the assistance. 'Nailing the ethical' will be dependent on you choosing the right methodology and identifying how you will ensure 'minimum risk' - or the least amount of risk. Your supervisor/s really should be working very closely through that process with you. They have to 'sign-off' your study before it can be sent off for ethical approval.

You don't sound a fan of Huddersfield. I assume that you are not a native of the city. I did study there - but it was mostly just a 'distance course' and just a few 'contact' weekends. Perhaps if I had spent longer there - it might not have been as much fun.

Constanze, before thinking about recruiting or sampling, take a look at your research design. How do you intend to do the study, and specifically where? If in a prison (for one population) and you are trying to get access there, contact researchers who have interviewed people who have killed. That might be a place to start. Draw upon what others have done to get your sampling strategy through ethics (at least for this population). Use the same approach to build an ethics case for contacting survivors.

Thank you for the great advice and -yes - it is my aim to interview offenders in a prison setting. So therefore I will be contacting researchers who have been through such procedures. Its just that my supervision isn't really good and thus I have to find out everything myself.

Constanze - depending on how far you are on in the supervision process - why not change them?

if i were you Constanze I would by all means avoid any research involving children as ethical issues are more complicated

Hi Constanze,

I'm not sure if this will be of interest, but I recently noticed a training course on the NCRM website being run by the University of Essex in July on research methods with hidden, marginal and excluded groups: http://www.ncrm.ac.uk/training/show.php?article=4830

For info, I also know that NCRM have training bursaries available that may be able to assist with the course costs.