Chapter 9: Interviews

1
REAL WORLD RESEARCHSECOND EDITION

• Chapter 9 Interviews

Robson, C.(2002) Real World Research

2nd edn. Oxford
Blackwell
2
When to use a qualitative interview

• Where your study focuses on the meaning of
  particular phenomena to the participants.
• Where individual perceptions of processes within
  a social unit are to be studied prospectively,
  using a series of interviews.
• Where individual historical accounts are required
  of how a particular phenomenon developed.
• Where exploratory work is required before a
  quantitative study can be carried out.
• Where a quantitative study has been carried out,
  and qualitative data are required to validate
  particular measures or to clarify and illustrate
  the meaning of the findings.
• (from King, 1994, pp.16-17)

3
When to use a structured fixed-response interview

• Where testing of a formal hypothesis is desired.
• Where data gathered can be readily quantified.
• Where factual information is to be collected and
  the type of information the participants will be
  able to provide is known.
• Where a postal survey would be likely to produce
  a very poor response rate.
• Where the generalizability of previously obtained
  qualitative findings is to be tested.
• (from King, 1994, pp.16-17)

4
When to use a structured open-response interview

• Where a quick, descriptive account of a topic is
  required, without formal hypothesis-testing.
• Where factual information is to be collected, but
  there is uncertainty about what and how much
  information participants will be able to provide.
• Where the nature and range of participants
  likely opinions about the research topic are not
  well known in advance, and cannot easily be
  quantified.
• (from King, 1994, pp.16-17)

5
Questions to avoid in interviews

• Long questions
• Double-barrelled (or multiple-barrelled)
  questions
• Questions involving jargon
• Leading questions
• Biased questions

6
Typical question sequence

• Introduction
• Warm-up
• Main body of interview
• Cool off
• Closure

7
Interview schedule (semi-structured interview)

• Introductory comments (verbatim script)
• List of topic headings and key questions
• Set of prompts linked to topic headings
• Closing comments

8
Advantages of focus groups

• A highly efficient technique for qualitative data
  collection.
• Natural quality controls on data collection
  operate.
• Group dynamics help in focusing on the most
  important topics.
• Participants tend to enjoy the experience.
• Relatively inexpensive and flexible, and can be
  set up quickly.
• Participants can make comments in their own
  words, while being stimulated by thoughts and
  comments of others in the group.
• Contributions can be encouraged from everybody.
• People who cannot read or write can contribute.
• Facilitation can help in the discussion of taboo
  subjects.
• (from Robinson, 1999, pp.909-910)

9
Disadvantages of focus groups

• The number of questions covered is limited.
• Facilitating the group process requires
  considerable expertise.
• The interview process needs to be well managed or
  individuals may dominate.
• Conflicts may arise between personalities.
• Confidentiality can be a problem.
• The results can be difficult to generalize.
• The nature of the interaction may lead one to
  place greater faith in the findings than is
  actually warranted.
• (from Robinson, 1999, pp.909-910)