Interviews

Conceptual Overview and Discussion

Interviews are conducted face to face, by telephone, online, or via e-mail, and are often audio- or videotaped. These recordings are then transcribed, and the transcriptions become the documents used in the analysis process. Field notes documenting the interview process also become a data source.

Structured Interviews

Structured interviews, also referred to as formal or standardized interviews, are used when the researcher has some knowledge of the area under study. All participants are offered the same set of questions so that responses can be compared. Advantages of the structured interview data collection method are that it facilitates analysis, validity checks, and triangulation, and it can be administered with ease. One limitation of structured interviews is the assumption that the meaning of a particular question is the same for all participants, although such questions are often open to multiple interpretations based on cultural differences. Additionally, responses elicited by structured interviews will likely be more rational and reflect limited emotional content.

Semistructured Interviews

Semistructured, or semistandardized interviews, located on the continuum between structured and [Page 496]unstructured interviews, seek to address a number of predetermined questions or topic areas. All questions used in these interviews are not necessarily prepared in advance; instead, they evolve as the interviews progress. Semistructured interviews are used when the researcher's goal is to compare the participants' responses while simultaneously seeking to fully understand their unique experiences. Such interviews are effective with larger samples and are used when researchers have some knowledge of the subject area but would like to expand their understanding of it.

Unstructured Interviews

Unstructured interviews, designed to elicit in-depth responses, are particularly well suited to sensitive research topics. A flexible topic guide may be used, or the topic guide may be dispensed with entirely. Participants are invited to use their own language to describe their experiences and, in the latter case, to talk about what they believe is relevant to the issue. Researchers using the unstructured interview process often conduct their own interviews rather than delegate this task to assistants. Unstructured interviews are highly dependent on the cooperation of a small group of key individuals and the ability of researchers to be resourceful and honest. The researcher/interviewer role is to engage participants in conversation using nondirective methods, such as open-ended questions, probes, and verbal and nonverbal encourag-ers. Researchers using unstructured interviews understand that such interviews are a complex social process that cannot be replicated.

Informal Interviews

Informal interviews are serendipitous and refer to the casual conversations that occur prior to the formal interviews. Details of these conversations, which are often not audiotaped, are usually recorded as field notes.

...