Recruitment Challenges, Considerations, and Best Practices for Recruitment Efforts

1. Recruitment Challenges, Considerations, and Best Practices for Recruitment Efforts Presented by: Monica Leal Priddy, M.P.P Research Associate, Optimal Solutions Group AERA Conference April 14, 2009

2. Examples of Studies • National Charter School Evaluation • Charter school recruiter • Optimal subcontractor to Mathematica • Study of Teacher Preparation in Early Reading Instruction • Recruitment and data collection task leader • Optimal prime contractor

3. Introduction The individual who has choice also has trouble. Dutch proverb • Research team can be “troublesome” to potential participants • Recruitment best practices exist, despite variations in research designs • Sharing challenges and lessons learned can reduce “trouble” for participants and researchers • Continue building on work of Robert Boruch, Judith Gueron, Lisa Towne, and others

4. Understand Research From Real World Context • Understand where the study fits in the “world” being studied • Impact of randomization • Political climate, approval levels and processes • Understand why decisions were made to implement this particular design • Consider participant perspective • Recognize various types of participants • Example: immigrant parents

5. Develop a Uniform Message For Participants • Develop clear explanation of study question(s) and design • Include complex concepts when necessary • Present concepts in lay terms • Define benefits, costs, and responsibilities • Consider incentives and disincentives • Lay out steps of participation and timeline • Present known issues • Build trust • Exclude personal opinions

6. Establish Recruitment Process • Who to contact, how to contact them, and how often • What support materials will be prepared • When will supporting materials be provided • Who will maintain contact , how and how often • How will progress be tracked and reported • What are sub-processes and who will execute them • How will recruitment be integrated with data collection – the aim of participation

7. Develop Internal and External Materials and Tools to Support Recruitment External • Letters • Brochures • Flyers • Web site • Toll free telephone line • Forms Internal • Training materials • Common questions and responses • Progress tracking mechanisms • Database • Regular meetings orupdates

8. Maintain Flexibility • Recognize what Gueron calls “operational realism” • Identify deal breakers • Be realistic about what participants can execute • Prepare alternate processes • Expect to encounter unanticipated issues • Partner with participants to solve challenge • Communicate flexibility • Discuss deal breakers • Encourage open dialogue as issues arise

9. Identify Participant Recruiters • Consider how participants relate to recruiters and if that is important • Ethnically, linguistically, professionally • Know if recruiter is available long term if necessary • Participants want one point of contact • Identify natural recruiters in the field • Organizations that already work with population, part of the community

10. Train Recruitment Team An explainer without credibility will achieve little and may cause damage (Boruch, 1997) • Conduct training session • Provide training materials ahead of time • Review recruitment message, strategies and materials • Provide time for practice scenarios • Evaluate knowledge of process • Feedback on practice scenarios • Written evaluation

11. Know When to Stop Recruiting • Recognize difference between marketing and participant recruitment • We are not selling a product for profit, but answering a research question • Avoid comprising integrity of study, organizations, individual • To insist is to discount reason for refusal • Risk damaging future relationship • Researchers and participants have common aim and there is potential for future collaboration

12. Best Practices/Lessons Learned Summary • Understand research from real world context • Develop uniform message • Establish recruitment process • Develop internal /external recruitment materials / tools • Maintain flexibility • Identify participant recruiters • Train recruitment team • Know when to stop recruiting

13. Conclusion • Biggest lesson is best practices cannot be isolated; build on each other • No data without participants; no analysis without data; no results without analysis • Continue sharing lessons learned and best practices with each other

14. Citations • Boruch, R. Randomized Experiments for Planning and Evaluation , 1997 • Gueron, J. The Politics of Random Assignment: Implementing Studies and Affecting Policy in Evidence Matters: Randomized Trials in Education Research, 2002 • Towne, L. and Margaret Hilton, Editors, Implementing Randomized Field Trials in Education: Report of a Workshop, 2004