ABSTRACT
Research always involves choices. The funds, time and energy of the researcher are always scarce. In scientistic research populations have to be sampled, questions pruned, demands on the researched minimized. In interpretive research decisions have to be made over where to con centrate resources, when will be the most convenient and rewarding time to be observing, who are likely to be the key informants (Ball 1993). Choices are never easy. Schools, for example, have compliant and difficult classes, confident and nervous teachers. The children may settle down comfortably in September, but can get edgy in the bad weather of February. Everyone knows that the deputy head is the key to keeping order, but is hostile to academics who want to pry.
