Imposter Participants: Overcoming Methodological Challenges Related to Balancing Participant Privacy with Data Quality When Using Online Recruitment and Data Collection

Authors

Jacqueline M. Roehl PhD, Walden UniversityFollow
Darci J. Harland PhD, Walden UniversityFollow

Abstract

In this paper we describe the lessons learned when untrustworthy participants were included in a qualitative interview study. In online research, participants can more easily misrepresent their identity and volunteer for studies even if they do not meet inclusion criteria. The term “imposter participant” refers to dishonest participants who completely fake their identities or simply exaggerate their experiences in order to participate in qualitative studies. Untrustworthy participants are a threat to data quality, yet little has been published on how qualitative researchers should prevent and handle this unique methodological challenge. In this paper, we provide a detailed account of how specific issues with the research design create methodological challenges related to participant honesty when participants self-identify as meeting study inclusion criteria and participate in a virtual interview. Through our experiences as a doctoral student and dissertation supervisor, we offer lessons learned relating to recruiting online participants, collecting virtual interview data, and analyzing data for a qualitative study. Our experiences and reflections might help other qualitative researchers, including doctoral candidates and their supervising committees, work with internal review boards to prevent imposter participants and thereby contribute to the trustworthiness of their research.

Keywords

online recruitment, virtual interviews, qualitative methods, participant honesty, trustworthiness

Author Bio(s)

Jacqueline M. Roehl (ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2565-6666) taught high school English for 21 years and was named the 2012 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Jacqueline Roehl earned a PhD in Education with a specialization in learning, instruction, and innovation from Walden University in 2021. In her dissertation research she explored how secondary educators use social media to influence students’ empowerment skills. Please direct correspondence to jacroehl@comcast.net.

Darci J. Harland (ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9300-434X) is the Academic Program Coordinator for the doctoral specializations of educational technology and design and learning, instruction, and innovation in the College of Education at Walden University. She teaches and is a subject matter expert for doctoral courses in her programs. She oversees curriculum development, assigns course instructors, pairs students with their doctoral committees, and supervises both PhD and EdD doctoral students.

Publication Date

11-9-2022

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5475

Recommended APA Citation

Roehl, J. M., & Harland, D. J. (2022). Imposter Participants: Overcoming Methodological Challenges Related to Balancing Participant Privacy with Data Quality When Using Online Recruitment and Data Collection. The Qualitative Report, 27(11), 2469-2485. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5475

ORCID ID

0000-0003-2565-6666