Interview

Interview

Are used

Involve a set of assumptions and understandings about the situation

which are not normally associated with a casual conversation.

They are often likened to a

conversation between two people, though a competent researcher

knows that he or she are more than this.

He or she require

Directing

Orchestrating

Controlling

Where other research instruments seem inappropriate

Instance a recent study

Is far more resource-intensive

Can last for longer than an hour

Can produce vast amounts of data

Give the researcher more of an insight

into the meaning and significance of what is happening

1. Draft the interview

2. Pilot your questions

3. Select your interviewees

4. Conduct the interviews

5. Analyse the interview data

Stages

The number, type and format of your questions will be

informed by the level of structure to be imposed on the interview

Models of interviews

Unstructured

Semi structured

Structured

Flexible approach

Allows some control to the interviewer and interviewee

Can be difficult to plan

Can prove extremely difficult to analyse

Less flexibility

All questions are prederterminated

May provide an easier framework for analysis

More predeterminated questions

Piloting is crucial

Eliminating ambiguous questions

Generating useful feedback of the structure

Flow on your intended intererview

It assist

Must be

Representative

Sensible

It is important for the interviewer to provide the interviewee with comforting

signs or acceptance cues.

These can enhance the interview and generally encourage

the interviewee to provide information

Such cues include nodding the head to

indicate understanding and interest in the interviewee’s response, and adopting

an attentive posture by sitting straight and leaning slightly forward.

Begins by drawing together the data

collected and structuring them in such a way as to make ready for analysis

Small scale work

Involve grouping the responses to each

question from all interviewees to make comparison between respondents easy

Large number

It may be necessary to

utilise the functions of computer-based tools

Advantages

Disadvantages

- Because of your indirect involvement as a researcher, you can achieve a 100 per

cent response rate for your questions.

- You can decide on follow-up questions (considering whether they are appropriate,

or if you can glean any further useful information by asking them).

- Participants often see interviews as opportunities to voice opinions and ‘let off

steam’ about subjects.

- In most cases, they provide vast amounts of rich and useful data for further

analysis.

- A good interviewer requires considerable training in interview techniques.

- Interviews are time-consuming and costly to conduct. As a rule of thumb, you

should allow two days’ transcription time for one full day of interviewing.

-Data generated through interviews can prove difficult for the lone researcher to

analyse.

- Interpretations of interview data may differ between researchers. Whose

interpretation should be applied?

- Unless strictly controlled, interviews can easily meander from the main subject.