In-depth Interviewing

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In-depth Interviewing

• RD300
• 17 Sept. 2001

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DEFINITION

• In-depth interviewing a conversation between
  researcher and informant focusing on the
  informants perception of self, life and
  experience, and expressed in her or his own words.

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Interview Models
Structured interviews Focused or semi-structured interviews Unstructured interviews
Survey interviews In-depth interviews Group interviews Surveys In-depth interviews Group interviews Oral histories
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Structured Interviews

• Standardized questions.
• Detailed interview schedule (e.g.Questionnaire).
• Each respondent asked exactly the same questions
  in the same order.
• Predominately close-ended questions (e.g. Yes/No
  scales).

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Close-ended Questions

• Respondent must choose among several preset
  answers.
• Questions are inflexible.
• Easier to code.
• Less costly than open-ended questions.
• Limited amount of information gathered.

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Open-ended Questions

• Respondent can give any answer.
• Harder to compare data across respondents.
• More time consuming to code. Cost factor.
• Lets respondents speak to issues important to
  them.
• Data is richer.

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Semi-structured or Focused Interviews

• Interviewer uses an interview guide developed
  around the issues central to the research
  question.
• Interview guide - a list of topics without fixed
  wording or fixed ordering of questions.
• Allows in-depth examination of issues.

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Unstructured Interviews

• No formal interview schedules or question order.
• A minimally controlled conversation geared toward
  the researchers topics of research interest.

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In-depth Interviewing

• A conversational process.
• Unstructured or semi-structured format.
• Typically conducted face-to-face.
• Often involves repeated interviews with the same
  respondent.
• Relies on verbal accounts of social realities.
• Typically individual interviews but can be groups.

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In-depth Interviewing

• Predominantly used for theory building as opposed
  to hypothesis testing.
• Often used in exploratory studies.
• Results may be used to design a questionnaire.

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Conducting the Interviews

• Who will you interview?
• How many respondents/informants will be
  interviewed?
• How many interviews will you conduct?
• How long should you allow for the interviews?
• Where do you conduct the interviews?

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Conducting the Interviews

• How much information do you give the informant?
• Confidentiality is an issue.
• Establish a rapport.
• Prepare in advance. Do you homework.
• Prepare an interview guide.
• Use transitions during interview to keep on track.

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Conducting the Interviews

• Be a good listener and observer.
• Funneling broad questions progressing to more
  specific issues.
• Story-telling Asking questions so as to elicit
  a story from the respondent.
• Written narratives.

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Types of Questions

• Descriptive broad, good starter questions.
• Structural questions explore how respondents
  organize their knowledge.
• Contrasting respondent must make a comparison.
• Opinion/value What is your opinion of.?

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Types of Questions

• Feeling questions Emotional responses. How do
  you feel about that?
• Sensory Questions about sensory perceptions
  (seen, heard, touched, etc.).
• Background demographic questions.

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Probing

• Questions used to elicit more information after
  an initial question. Follow-up questions.
• Devils advocate questions.
• Hypothetical questions.
• Posing the ideal.

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Forms of Probing

• Non-verbal nudging.
• Verbal nudging.
• Reflective probe or paraphrase.

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Recording the Interview

• Tape-recording.
• Note taking.
• Each has advantages and disadvantages.
• May be used in combination.

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Listening Skills

• Empathic listening.
• Non-judgmental or tolerant appearance.
• Good advance preparation helps.
• Listening skills improve with practice.