A related concern is that in research in practice, questions and methods often evolve and change during the research. Thus, participation and consent need to be negotiated along the way. We need to be alert to body language and other cues, such as missed appointments, that may suggest a participant's reluctance to take part. We can also check regularly with participants about their agreement to participate.
As researchers in practice, we stand to gain from our research. What's in it for participants? Sometimes participants say they are happy to give back to the program. A student in Paula Davies' research commented, "If it helps other (students), then I'm happy to do it" (Davies, 2006, p. 21).
Participating in the research can also be an opportunity to voice ideas, this in her research with other practitioners. Some participants also accept a researcher's careful listening and attention as fair exchange. Research projects might also introduce new learning opportunities for participants, and practitioners and students may get to know each other in new ways.
You might choose to pay honoraria or give small gifts to participants as a way to honour their time and contribution. You might want to tell participants ahead of time that you will be providing an honorarium, or you might send a thank you gift after their participation is completed. An honorarium can be a way to involve those who otherwise might not participate. Paying for child care and travel costs, and providing refreshments or a meal, are other ways to acknowledge participants' involvement and ensure that they are not out of pocket.
Another approach is to give something to the program that participants attend. For example, while doing research at a literacy centre, Bonnie Soroke (2003) created a cloth banner with the centre's name written on it, that could be used for public relations work.
Qualitative research generally includes descriptions of participants and the research context. Thus, there is potential for harm in how participants and their communities are represented, particularly when participants are from non-dominant social locations and are described through dominant worldviews. Note the differences between the following descriptions: