Structured Interviews

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Structured Interviews

Advantages

  • Closed questions are used - data is quick to analyse.
  • Representativeness - higher than questionnaires as response rates are usually better - so it's easier to generalise findings.
  • The illiterate can be studied.
  • Informed consent is given if people agree to take part.
  • Hypotheses can be tested, cause & effect established & predictions  made from the results (used by the positivists).
  • Reliability - high as standardised questions & answers are used - so it's easy to repeat.
  • Objective (unbiased) method according to positivists - as closed questions are used - you just count responses (no interpretation needed).
  • EDUCATION ADVANTAGES:
  • Can study students with poor literacy (no reading involve) - more representative.
  • Reliability is high - standardised method - so can compare results from different schools.

Disadvantages

  • More costly & time consuming than questionnaires.
  • Smaller samples than questionnaires.
  • Validity - lowered if people lie to give positive image of themselves (social desirability) - if the topic is sensitive, or they give the answer they think the researcher wants (Hawthorne Effect).
  • Subjective (biased) - interpretivists argue the questions/available answers are decided by the researcher - based on their opinions of what is important in the study.
  • EDUCATION DISADVANTAGES:
  • Validity - may be lowered if young people lie (more likely due to the formal setting) or see the researcher as a 'teacher in disguise'.
  • Representativeness may be lowered - structured interviews take longer to do than questionnaires - so schools may refuse to take part - meaning smaller samples.
  • Translators may be needed for parents/students who don't have English as a first language - increasing the cost of the research.
  • Finding a space to interview students, parents or teachers could be difficult.

Evaluation

The researcher reads out the questions/possible answers & records answers respondents give. An interview schedule (list of questions to be asked) is drawn up in advance.

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