Chapter 3: The Interview

Content
 Definitions
 Types of Interview
 Interviews planning and conducting
 Ways to use interview data in your paper
 Definitions
 The qualitative research interview seeks to
describe and the meanings of central themes in
the life world of the subjects. The main task in
interviewing is to understand the meaning of
what the interviewees say. (Kvale,1996)
 A qualitative research interview seeks to cover
both a factual and a meaning level, though it is
usually more difficult to interview on a meaning
level. (Kvale,1996)
 Definitions
 Interviews are particularly useful for
getting the story behind a participant’s
experiences. The interviewer can pursue
in-depth information around the topic.
Interviews may be useful as follow-up to
certain respondents to questionnaires,
e.g., to further investigate their responses.
(McNamara,1999)
 Why Interview?

To look for information based on

experiences
 Chapter 3: The Interview
Content
 Definitions
 Types of Interview
 Interviews planning and conducting
 Ways to use interview data in your paper
 Types of Interview
 Unstructured interview:
 Guided by the responses of the interview rather than the
agenda of the researcher
 The researcher exercises little or no control, and the
direction of the interview is relatively unpredictable
 Advantages:
 data collected is said to be valid as it is an exact account
of what the interviewee has said
 The researcher can also find out important information
which did not seem relevant before the interview and ask
the interviewee to go further into the new topic
 more suitable for sensitive subjects such as "domestic
violence" as many people would lie in a more formal
interview and also their response may not be on the
preset question list
 Types of Interview
 Unstructured interview: UNSTRUCYURED INTERVIEW.doc

 Disadvantages:
 “interviewer effect”: when the interviewee response
is affected by the presence of the researcher due to
either his/her race, ethnicity, color, or response to
certain answers
 very time consuming as the conversation can go on
and on
 it is hard to generalize with the results as only a
small number of the population can be interviewed
 Data collection is hard to categorize as there is likely
to be a variety of different answers
 Types of Interview
 Semi- structured interview:
 The interviewer has a general idea of where he/she
wants the interview to go and what should come out
of it
 The interviewer does not enter the interview with a
list of questions
 Advantages:
 The interviewee is given a degree of power and
control over the course of the interview
 The interviewer can be given a great deal of
flexibility
 The researcher can produce extraordinary evidence
about life
 Types of Interview

 Semi- structured interview:

 Disadvantages:
 The inequitable relationship between the
interviewer and the interviewee can affect the
content of the interview as well as the language
which is used
 Types of Interview
Structured interview: (the most formal type)
(Structured)
 The agenda is totally predetermined by the researcher
who works through a list of set of questions in a
predetermined order
 Advantages:
 Provides insight into declarative knowledge used.
 Study of one concept can lead to the definition of other
unknown related concepts.
 Maintains a focus on a given issue.
 Provides detailed information on the issue.
 Provides structural relationships of concepts.
 Types of Interview

 Structured interview: (the most formal type)

(Structured)
 Disadvantages:
 Concepts unrelated to the interviews focus may
not be found.
 You must be secure in your understanding of the
important issues to direct the interview.
 Provides only weak insight into procedural
knowledge such as rules or problem-solving
strategies.
 Chapter 3: The Interview
Content
 Definitions
 Types of Interview
 Interviews planning and conducting
 Ways to use interview data in your paper
 Interviews Planning and
Conducting
 Preparing the interview schedule:
 Translate the research objectives into interview
questions
 Decide on the type of questions to be used
(open-ended verse closed, direct or indirect, etc)
 Piloting:
 to find out if the questions are yielding the kind
of data required
 to eliminate any questions which may be
ambiguous or confusing to the interview
 Interviews Planning and
Conducting
 Selecting informants: selecting appropriate
proportions of subgroups of the population,
using whatever variables you have determined
to be important
 It may be necessary to negotiate access to
informants or data collection sites with
individuals or institutions
 Elements of the interview:
 Briefing and explanation:
 Questioning:
 Interviews Planning and
Conducting
 Conducting effective interviews: (page 55-57)
 Preparation for Interview
 Types of Interviews
 Types of Topics in Questions
 Sequence of Questions
 Wording of Questions
 Carrying out Interview
 Immediately after Interview
 Interviews Planning and
Conducting
 Steps in conducting the interview: (steps)
 Establish rapport:
 Describe the project:
 Obtain informed consent:
 Go ahead with the interview:
 Ending the interview
 Take notes
How to Use the Interview Data in
Your Paper
 http://www.rider.edu/ (how)
Thanks!
A-4
B-6
C-5
D-7
E-2
F-3
G-1