Telephone Interview

Telephone interviews were first used in large-scale quantitative surveys. More recently the method has been applied to qualitative interviewing. As with any method, the use of telephone interviews is determined by the practical advantages and pitfalls associated with the method and with regard to the research topics and participants involved.

Free flowing conversations can be held and rich data obtained from telephone interviews. However, participants tend to answer briefly compared with face-to-face interviews. Researchers, therefore, need to probe to ensure questions and topics are fully addressed. There is an important and unresolved issue about social desirability bias generated through telephone interviews. On the one hand, use of the telephone can offer anonymity to participants, enabling them to talk freely, openly, and honestly. On the other hand, during interviews on the telephone it can be difficult to build up trust and rapport, as well as gain the full attention of the participant.

Some participant groups may be more difficult to engage on the telephone; they may be distrustful of using the telephone, especially when discussing potentially sensitive topics (e.g., illegal activities, health behavior). Telephone interviews may not be appropriate for participants when researcher–interviewee rapport is important and trust needs to be established. Once rapport and trust have been built up, telephone interviews may be used in follow-up work. Similar issues are raised with cold calling—referring to telephoning people for interviews with no prior warning—where it can prove difficult to recruit participants and obtain rich qualitative data.

The use of visual information and aids during telephone interviews (e.g., prompt cards, vignettes) and requests for participants to write or draw need to be carefully planned for. Materials should be sent in advance, researchers have to ensure participants have these available at the time of interview, and the discussion should be carefully managed to ensure the correct materials are being used.

The nuances of body language and other nonverbal cues associated with face-to-face interaction may be lost over the telephone, although voice and intonation remain important cues. It is important to recognize researchers' personal characteristics that may influence responses (e.g., age, ethnicity) are minimized over the telephone.

Telephone interviews can be a difficult method to implement with people with verbal communication difficulties, people who tire easily, or where third parties (e.g., translators) need to be involved. However, researchers can ensure participants set the style and pace of the telephone interview.

Researchers have less opportunity in telephone interviews to create good interview ambience, such as ensuring participants are comfortable and interview distractions are kept to a minimum. However, should participants be distracted, interviews can be rescheduled relatively quickly and easily.

Low administration costs are associated with telephone interviews compared to face-to-face interviews, which incur travel time and expenses. The method is widely recognized as cost effective, especially when interviewing participants across geographically dispersed areas.