A cornerstone of qualitative research, an interview consists of a researcher talking with another person in order to gather data about a phenomenon of interest. The individual responding to the researcher’s questions, often referred to as the study participant, may be asked to share experiences, ideas, interpretations, perceptions, and suggestions, known as data, to assist in answering the research questions guiding the study. The following entry provides information about preparing for, conducting, and following up an interview.

Before the Interview

Developing the Interview Protocol

Emerging from the study’s research questions, the interview protocol outlines the questions the researcher plans to ask during the interview. The nature of the questions may depend on the type of interview the researcher plans to conduct (e.g., structured, semi-structured, or unstructured).

Structured interviews ...

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