Interviews:
An interview is a 'live' encounter where the interviewer asks a set range of questions to assess an interviewee's thoughts and/or experiences. There are two main types of interview; structured and unstructured.

Structured Interviews:
Structured interviews are made up of a pre-determined set of questions that are asked in a fixed order. It is like a questionnaire but done face-to-face/over the phone in real time

Easy to replicate
Standardised format reduces differences between interviewers
It is not possible for the interviewers to deviate from the topic/elaborate their points which can be frustrating

Unstructured Interview:
Unstructured interviews are like conversations, there are no set questions. There is a general aim that needs to be discussed and interaction is usually free-flowing. The interviewee is encouraged to expand and elaborate their answers as prompted by the interviewer.

More flexibility as the interviewer can follow up points as they arise and can gain insight into the worldview of the interviewee
Analysis of data is difficult - the researcher may have to sift through irrelevant information making drawing a conclusion difficult
There is a risk interviewees may lie however experienced interviewers should be able to establish sufficient empathy with the participant so when sensitive/personal topics are discussed, any responses given are more truthful

Semi-structured Interviews:
Many interviews are likely to be a mixture of structured and unstructured interviews. There is a list of questions that have been worked out in advance but interviewers are also free to ask follow up questions when they feel it is appropiate e.g. interview for a job

	Creado por Caitlyn Grayston hace más de 9 años

AS level (Research Methods) Psychology Apunte sobre Self Report Techniques, creado por Caitlyn Grayston el 21/05/2017.

Self Report Techniques