UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

Have open ended questions

no fixed set of questions

qualitative data is produced as respondents respond in words which are meaningful to them

Interpretivists seek to discover meanings that underlie our actions and means using open ended questions produces valid and qualititative data

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  • Created by: Arti
  • Created on: 23-01-13 16:30

UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

Advantages

  • Interpretivists seek to discover meanings that underlie our actions, they believe that data is high in validity as it is a formal interview with a more conversation nature and means a rapport can develop (relationship of empathy and trust) between interviewer and interviewee. The conversational nature makes the interviewee feel comfortable therefore more likely to open up and helps when researching sensitive issues and increases the chance of gaining a full and honest response.
  • Avoids researchers imposing their own ideas into the interview process by having no set questions or fixed response categories.
  • Flexiblity of it adds to validity as the interviewer can follow up any issues raised by the interviewee

Disadvantages

  • The closer the bond may increase the chance of the respondent seeking to please by giving an answer that they think the researcher wants to hear. so may lack validity
  • Researcher has to interpret and be selective about what is presented in final research report so researchers own perspective may distort the interviewees original meanings
  • Positivists argue that they lack reliability as there are no fixed list of questions/ pre-set questions. The interviewees can respond the way they wish which makes it hard to classify and count their responses
  • It is unsuitable to study sensitive issues as when answering questions about sensitive issues, some people may prefer to fill in anonymous questionnaires rather than answering questions face to face
  • The interviewer may wander off into all kinds of areas which are irrelevant to the research. There could be a possibly loss of validity unless the interviewer redirects the interviewee

Evaluation

Group interviews: largely unstructured, involve interviewing a group of people together, can help jog memories and stimulate answers. There is danger that individuals will offer conformist answers rather than what they really think
 
Both structured and unstructured interviews can be used in a complementary way called a semi structured intervieew... can produce both quantitative and qualitative data. Dobash Dobash used unstructured interviews but also asked certain questions of all interviewers  

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