interviews

types of interviews

structured interviews

• positivist
• based on strcutured, pre coded questionnaire
• a formal question and answer session
• quantitative data
• aim to be reliable as they can be repeated

unstructured interviews

• interpretivist
• a guided conversation with the interviewer having a mental list of topics to cover
• qualitiative data
• attempt to emphasise validity- in depth information
• small scale less reliable
• very dependent on the skills of the researcher

semi structured interviews

• each interview uses the same set of questions, but the interviewer has the freedom to probe the responses of the participant
• more reliable
• extra questions are not pre-set
• more valid than structured
• allows deeper questioning

groups interviews/focus groups

• interviewer encourages participants to discuss topics and issues with one another
• often focused on political issues of the day

type of interview used depends on:

• type of data required
• topic area being investigated
• sensitivity of the topic area
• level of validity being sought
• level of reliability being sought
• skills of the researcher
• concerns of interviewer bias

suitable topics

• structured interviews- simple, straightforward, factual information, a respondent's age, gender, educational qualifications, occupation
• group interviews- effects of long term imprisonment, victims of crime, conflicts within organisations, changes in working practices among steel workers

structured interviews

advantages

• if the respondent is unsure about something, the interviewer can explain things
• standardised- helps make the data reliable
• data can be collected more quickly
• presence of the researcher can improve response rates

disadvantages

• more time consuming
• presence of the interviewer might result in interviewer bias
• respondents may give socially acceptable answers rather than telling the truth
• rigid interview schedule can limit the opportunity for the respondent to explain or discuss their answers

unstructured interviews

advantages

• absence of a tightly defined schedule allows a discussion to develop- can allow the interview to explore issues in great detail
• more natural setting- more openness and honesty = more valid
• respondent is able to answer in their own words
• face to face nature- interviewer might be able to notice if the respondent is telling the truth or not, body language can be observed
• answers are not restricted to a sheet of paper- more likely to use open questions, allow respondents to elaborate their views and feelings

sensitive groups

• some groups are less likely than others to provide information for researchers
• might be suspicious of outsiders, hostile, afraid, uncomfortable
• provides an opportunity for understanding and trust to develop

sensitive subjects

• respondents may be more likely to discuss sensitive and painful experiences if they feel that the interviewer is sympathetic and understanding

respondent's viewpoint

• offers greater opportunity for respondents to take control, define priorities and direct the interview into areas which they see as interesting and significant
• greater chance to express their own viewpoints
• can lead to new and important insights for the researcher

validity and depth

• if respondents feel at ease they will be more likely to open up and say what they really mean
• more likely to produce valid data and richer, more valid and more colourful data
• allow interviewers more opportunity…