Doing research

Research handbooks:

Regional Working Group on Child Labour in Asia (RWG-CL), 2002

This handbook seeks to be useful to practitioners who research the worst forms of child labour including trafficking. The content of the handbook is largely drawn from existing resource manuals and expert publications on child research. The manual takes readers through  the entire research process step-by-step highlighting common pitfalls and providing researchers with tips and ideas.

Methodological challenges:

Anette Brunovskis and Rebecca Surtees in International Migration, 2010

This article draws from the authors' experience of conducting research with this population outlining some of the methodological and ethical issues to be considered. The authors argue that a better understanding of these issues will lead to the better development of research tools for conducting research in this field and thus generate new perspectives on human trafficking.

Rebecca Surtees and Sarah Craggs: A research cooperation between IOM and NEXUS Institute, 2010

This paper draws on one particular research and data collection approach - the IOM human trafficking database - as a means by which to discuss current data collection and research efforts and draw some lessons and suggestions for future research and data collection initiatives.

Guri Tyldum in International Migration, 2010

This article explores the common pitfalls and particular challenges in research on human trafficking. The author calls for more small-scale, thematically focussed empirical studies on trafficking to enhance our knowledge and understanding of the issue.

IOM, 2009

This volume brings together a selection of papers presented at a meeting organised by IOM of key researchers in the field. The volume covers issues of data collection, regional/national priorities and knowledge gaps in trafficking research as well as two dedicated papers on evaluation and impact assessment.

Anette Brunovskis and Lise Bjerkan, Fafo for the Norweigan Directorate of Immigration, 2008

This paper considers issues surrounding how to study irregular migration including both the methodological and ethical considerations.

IOM, 2006

This resource brings together a collection of articles surrounding research challenges in this field. Key articles include 'Describing the unobserved: Methodological challenges in empirical studies on human trafficking'; 'Methodological challenges in research with trafficked persons: Tales from the field' and "You can find anything you want": A critical reflection on research on trafficking in persons within and into Europe'

Julie Cwikel and Elizabeth Hoban in the Journal of Sex Work, 2005

This article considers the challenges in studying trafficked women highlighting issues of funding and methods, protecting respondents, ethical issues, follow up with respondents and managing media interest

Involving children:

Sophie Laws and Gillian Maan for Save the Children, 2004

This publication aims to encourage meaningful and ethical participation by children in research related to violence against children. It promotes research that sees children as active agents in their own lives. This kit aims to give guidance on ways of approaching this work, on ethical issues to be considered, and on techniques that can be used

John Wilkinson for Save the Children, 2000

This publication is about gathering information in a participatory way with children and young people during research, monitoring and evaluation. Its main purpose is to guide the reader to relevant resources to assist them in the process.

 Ethics:

Katie Schenk and Jan Williamson for the Populations Council, 2005

This publication is intended to address a wide range of information-gathering activities that recognize and include the views of children and adolescents. The initial need for such recommendations was identified in the context of activities being conducted among children and adolescents affected by HIV and AIDS. However, they apply equally well to gathering information from young people to address other health and social welfare conditions and difficult circumstances, such as those who have experienced abuse, trafficking, or displacement.

Cathy Zimmerman and Charlotte Watts for WHO, 2003

These recommendations are intended primarily for use by researchers, members of the media, and service providers unfamiliar with the situation of trafficked women. They do not explicitly discuss the different risks and obligations of interviewing females who are minors, although many of the same principles will apply.

Casper N. Edmonds for ILO, 2003

This document covers ethical considerations when conducting research on children engaged in the worst forms of child labour with the hope of contributing to a well-planned and meaningful research process.

 UNIAP, 2008

This guide was developed in order to fill the gaps not covered by earlier guidelines such as ' What are the ethical considerations for interviewing adult male trafficked persons?' and 'What are the ethical considerations for interviewing or implementing programs involving people who are still working in the harm environment?'. This guide provides guidance on the principles that should be maintained in counter-trafficking research and programming. 

Virginia Morrow for Young Lives, 2009

This paper outlines Young Lives', a longitudinal study of childhood poverty in India, Vietnam, Ethiopia and Peru, approach to research ethics. The paper highlights practical difficulties experienced and contributes to current debates over ethics in longitudinal research.

National Children's Bureau

These guidelines set out the values, principles and ethical and professional standards under which NCB aim to carry out their research. The guidelines provide a useful overview of the different elements to be thought through when conducting research with children.

Barnardo's

This document provides a framework for conducting research with children. Barnardo's is a UK based organisation working with families and providing services for children in poverty, young carers and children who have been sexually exploited.

NSPCC, 2009

This reading list compiled by NSPCC Safeguarding Information Service directs readers to a range of useful and interesting resources exploring research with children.

Researcher trauma and safety:

Jan Coles, Elizabeth Dartnell, Shazneen Limjerwala and Jill Astbury, SRVI, 2010

In response to a need identified by researchers at the Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum in 2009, a moderated discussion board was run for four weeks for researchers to share strategies to protect themselves and respond to trauma. This briefing paper explores the responses and wider issues surrounding researcher safety and trauma.

We welcome comments from  users according to our policies. Your contributions may be incorporated into this website.

comments powered by Disqus