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Interview as a Method forInterview as a Method for

Qualitative Research^ Qualitative Research

Presentation by

Dapzury Valenzuela

Pallavi Shrivastava

Definitions

The qualitative research interview seeks to describe and the meanings ofcentral themes in the life world of the subjects. The main task ininterviewing is to understand the meaning of what the interviewees say.(Kvale,1996)

A qualitative research interview seeks to cover both a factual and ameaning level, though it is usually more difficult to interview on ameaning level. (Kvale,1996)

Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind aparticipant’s experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depthinformation around the topic. Interviews may be useful as follow-up tocertain respondents to questionnaires,e.g., to further investigate theirresponses. (McNamara,1999)

Types of Interviews

Informal, conversational interview

• no predetermined questions are

asked, in order to remain as open and adaptable as possible to theinterviewee’s nature and priorities; during the interview the interviewer“goes with the flow”.

General interview guide approach

• the guide approach is intended to

ensure that the same general areas of information are collected fromeach interviewee; this provides more focus than the conversationalapproach, but stil

l

allows a degree of freedom and adaptability in

getting the information from the interviewee.

Cont.

Standardized, open-ended interview

• the same open-ended

questions are asked to all interviewees; this approach facilitatesfaster interviews that can be more easily analyzed andcompared.

Closed, fixed-response interview

• where all interviewees are

asked the same questions and asked to choose answers fromamong the same set of alternatives. This format is useful for thosenot practiced in interviewing.

Training of the Interviewer

Since the interviewer can control the quality of the result his/hertraining becomes crucial.

It is important to organize in detail and rehearse the interviewingprocess before beginning the formal study.

Points for Interviewer Training

Describe the entire study

• interviewers need to know more than

simply how to conduct the interview itself. They should havebackground of the study and why the study is important.

Explain the sampling logic & process

• naïve interviewer may not

understand why sampling is so important. They may wonder whyyou go through all the difficulties of selecting the sample socarefully.

Preparation for InterviewPreparation for Interview

Choose a setting with the least distraction.

Explain the purpose of the interview.

Address terms of confidentiality.

Explain the format of the interview.

Indicate how long the interview usually takes.

Provide contact information of the interviewer.

Allow interviewee to clarify any doubts about the interview.

Prepare a method for recording data,

e.g., take notes

Qualification Criteria for the Interviewer

ƒ

Knowledgeable - being familiar with the topic.

ƒ

Structuring - outline the procedure of the interview.

ƒ

Clear - simple, easy and short questions which are spoken distinctly andunderstandably.

ƒ

Gentle - being tolerant, sensitive and patient to provocative and unconventional opinions.

ƒ

Steering - to control the course of the interview to avoid digressions from the topic.

ƒ

Critical - to test the reliability and validity of what the interviewee tells.

ƒ

Remembering - retaining the subject information from the interviewee.

ƒ

Interpreting - provide interpretation of what is said by the interviewee.

Sequence of Questions

Get the respondents involved in the interview as soon as possible.

Before asking about controversial matters, first ask about some facts.

Intersperse fact-based questions throughout the interview.

Ask questions about the present before questions about the past or future.

The last questions might be to allow respondents to provide any otherinformation they prefer to add and their impressions of the interview.

Stages of Interview Investigation

Thematizing - the

why

and

what

of the investigation.

Designing - plan the design of the study.

Interviewing - conduct the interview based on a guide.

Transcribing - prepare the interview material for analysis.

Analyzing - decide on the purpose, the topic, the nature and methods of analysis that are appropriate.

Verifying - ascertain the validity of the interview findings.

Reporting - communicate findings of the study based on scientific criteria.

After the InterviewAfter the Interview

Verify if the tape recorder, if used, worked throughout the interview.

Make any notes on your written notes.

Write down any observations made during the interview.

Convergent Interviewing

as Action Research

Each pair of interview, including the review session immediatelyfollowing them, constitutes an action research cycle. The reviewsessions interpret the data emerging from the interviews.

During the review session you also plan the questions which willgive a better understanding of the situation.

The process and the sampling are checked. They can bemodified in the following attempt.

You challenge the interpretations arising from early interviews.

Ask more specific questions, pursuing deeper understanding as you followup the explanations and disagreements.

By seeking exceptions, you allow disconfirmation of your data andinterpretations. The disagreements guide you into the pool of potentiallyavailable data.

Probes become more specific, each interview begins with a very open-ended question.

Each informant is given a chance to contribute data uncontaminated byyour interpretations.

Southern Cross University and the Southern Cross Institute of Action Research (SCIAR)

Bibliography

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Valid

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Dick, Bob. Convergent Interviewing. Sessions 8 of Areol-Action Research and Evaluation

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, Sage Publications, 1996

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t

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