Interviews- Research Methods

INTERVIEWS

• STRUCTURED
• SEMI- STRUCTURED
• UNSTRUCTURED

STRUCTURED V SEMI STRUCTURED

• MARSHALL Et Al. Study of Social Mobility.
• Pre-Set questions, asked same order.
• Interviewer present.
• Makes sure all questions are answered.
• Wide-ranging sample reached when used phone calls.
• Interviewer bias.
• Respondent may feel restricted to give answers.
• Especially if interviewer has different social characteristics.
• Time-consuming than Questionnaires.
• Goldthorpe & Lockwood: Affluent Worker studies
• Mixture of structure and unstructured
• Number of questions predetermined.
• Interviewer may deviate from them to explore issues raised by answers.
• More frequently used.
• Seen as more natural.

Unstructured

• Resemble conversations
• Purpose: gain in-depth understanding of interviewee's perspective on issue/subject.
• Interviewer will allow conversation to flow freely around the subject
• Non-directive, non-judgmental.
• designed to produce Qualitative Data.
• Favored by Interactionists.
• Make respondents feel empowered and part of research.
• Give valuable unique insights.
• Generate large amounts of data.
• Time- consuming to originate and use.
• Selection of usable data is a subjective process.
• No reason to believe interviewee told truth.
• May be Qualitative, but not as Valid as observing people in everyday lives.
• Ethnomethodologists: Interviewer becomes part of the process being studied.