Interviews

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Interviews
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Interviews

• Structured
• Semi-structured
• Unstructured / Open

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Semi structured Interview 1

• Lizzy is a research student, she is conducting a
  semi-structured interview to gather data for her
  study
• Look at her interview technique does she make
  any mistakes? What does she get out of the
  interview?
• MAKE NOTES YOU WILL BE TESTED!
• Cue Footage 1

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Mistakes

• Arrives late and is not prepared equipment wise
• Inappropriate body language (is too casual in her
  sitting stance and is intrusive into the
  interviewees personal space)
• Does not introduce herself or the research topic
• Does not offer confidentiality
• Does not ask for permission to use a tape
  recorder
• Does not clarify the length of the interview
• Has not pre-booked the room
• Poor use of tonality
• Patronising to the interviewee
• Is argumentative
• Asks irrelevant and personal questions
• The interview is a waste of time for both parties
  as the questions are written and being asked in a
  questionnaire format, the interviewer is
  obviously not interested in any other information
  and wants to stick to a yes/no, tick box type
  response.
• The interviewer is openly opinionated and biased
• Does not switch off her phone and belittles the
  time that the interviewee has given up for her by
  stating that the interview is not important
• Is rude
• Is unethical
• Over promises what she will achieve
• What do you think that Lizzy got out of the
  interview? (Not very much!)

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Semi structured Interview 2

• Lizzy has been asked to re-think her interview
  technique.
• Does she do it right this time? What, if
  anything, does she do better?
• Cue Footage 2

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Correct Procedure

• Be polite
• Be grateful for the time that the interviewee is
  giving you
• Book a suitable room and ensure that you will get
  no interruptions
• Arrange the furniture in an appropriate format
• Be on time and prepared
• Contact the interviewee prior to the interview to
  explain what the interview will be about, how
  long it will roughly take, the prospect that it
  may be taped and to offer the respondent
  confidentiality repeat this at the beginning of
  the interview
• Let the interviewee know what you intend to do
  with the information and provide them with the
  opportunity to check the transcript or notes
  before you do anything with them
• Do not over promise
• Use positive body language smile, nod,
  eye-contact
• Let the interviewee talk. Do not be afraid of
  pauses, give the interviewee thinking time and
  dont jump in too quickly once they stop talking
  they may have more to say once they think about
  it
• Listen attentively
• Clarify responses if necessary
• Use simple and clear language that they will
  understand
• Make sure that every question you ask, you are
  asking for a reason. Do not waste your and their
  time by asking irrelevant questions. The
  questions should all be helping you to reach your
  research aim/question
• Practice before hand

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Semi-structured Interview
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Semi-Structured Interview Script question
example

• Which websites do you visit most frequently? Why?
  
• PROBES
• ACTIVE PROBE Are these sites recommended to you
  by other people (who)?
• b. ECHO PROBE Repeat the respondents phrase and
  ask them to continue
• c. SILENT PROBE Remain quiet giving time for
  them to continue nod give an encouraging
  uh-huh

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Semi-structured Interview Script example of
Vignette

• Out of the subjects covered at primary school,
  maths is commonly a set
• subject
• Teacher 1 The majority of schools do set for
  maths, but I think setting can
• make it more obvious that children are being
  labelled. Its worth having mixed
• ability groups because the more able can lead the
  less able
• Teacher 2 Its easier to teach in sets. I think
  they pupils achieve better if
• theyre in sets. The idea of doing the same
  things with all the pupils, I think the
• extremes would suffer.

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Structured Interviews
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Structured Interview Script

• Hello, thank you for coming. Please take a
  seat. This meeting is to find out how you would
  like to design your
• preferences on DiTV. At any time you are free to
  refuse or withdraw from a project. Your identity
  will never be revealed
• in any report or publication. I am just going to
  ask you a few questions to provide us with a
  little background, then I will
• explain more about the project.
• NAME
• AGE RANGE
• GENDER
• OCCUPATION
• Do you use a computer
• What for?
• How often?
• How many hrs/wk?
• Which high-tech devices do you use?
• Do you have A or DTV?
• ANALOGUE
• How many hrs/day?
• Do you use subtitles?

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Structured Interview

• Why use a structured interview?
• Not everyone can fill in a questionnaire blind
  people, illiterate, small children
• A personal touch may encourage responses rather
  than using a paper based questionnaire
• Forces a response means you will get an answer
• Quick data collection tool e.g. market research
  on street, phone interview, etc
• When would a questionnaire be better than a
  structured interview?
• Need a larger sample size
• Require a varied geographical sample
• Less time consuming
• Can be more objective

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Unstructured Interview
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Examples of unstructured interviews

• Tend to begin with
• Tell me about a time when..
• Give me an example of a situation where you
• Describe a situation/time when

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Interview respondents

• One-to-one
• Group

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Advantages Disadvantages