8/8/2019

The University of Sydney

MODULE: Data Collection

LECTURE: Interviewing skills

Part 1

PUBH5505 Qualitative Health Research

GLOH5201 Global Qualitative Health Research

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Learning outcomes

Unit Aim: To provide the experience and skills to begin

conducting and using qualitative research.

Module Learning Outcome: Understand and apply qualitative

data collection principles; evaluate your data collection skills

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Interviewing, as easy as...

– Listen attentively and remembering

– Be alert to connections and contradictions
– Plan your next question
– Amend existing questions for new information
– Monitor whether you’re covering the planned / necessary
topics
– Attend to body language and tone
– Keep an eye on the time
– And look like your listening

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Encouraging people to talk

(relevant talk)
Data are generated through the interaction
‘Safe space’ (trustworthy, calm, professional)
http://missingsecrettoparenting.com/child-talk

Adapting to your participant (language)

Curious and encouraging (Prompts and probes)
Orient them to expansive answers

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Listening

Hearing and engaging with what the participant says and

tailoring your next question to what they said

 Ask a RESPONSIVE follow up question

 Don’t simply ask the next set question

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Deep listening

Attention
This moment is all, it won’t come
again
At this time you are the most
important person in the world
Not the same as a cat watching
a mouse hole
Thanks to David Brockman
Awareness
What we bring to a situation
Self awareness: of your
expectations, beliefs, values
Awareness of the impact of
your values, beliefs,
expectations
Broader consideration of
impact of project on people’s
lives

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Probes (focused questions)

A follow up question that encourages the participant to

elaborate on a topic or explore an idea, event, or experience in
greater depth
Give people a chance to provide detailed explanations that
directly answer your research questions
Encourage elaboration
Show the meaning that things had for people
Ask people for reasons for actions or interpretations

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What effect did that

have on you? What makes you
say that?

What was behind

that, do you think?
What made that
important?
What kind of things
did she do that made
you feel supported?

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Clarifying (terms, details, timings)

A follow up question to check understanding or find out what

the participant means by a specific point

What was special

Scary? about...

Could you explain Can you remind me

what you mean by... when your
treatment finished

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Probing and clarifying help you to test positions/

inconsistencies

Earlier you said that X, in

this situation it sounds like
Y, what do you think is
different?
I just want to make
sure I understand the
difference here…

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Orienting to the specific

A follow up question that encourages the participant talk about

actual events or experiences instead of generalities
Aim to conjure up relevant social experiences or processes
Relevant specifics: actual events, actual experiences (what might
do / do generally)
KEY: Situational not abstract questions

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Orienting to the specific

Can you give me

Can you tell me
an example of about a time when
that? that happened?

Can you tell me

that last time
that… Can you tell me
about a specific
patient that…

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