Interviewees

Interviewee Recruitment Process

Depending on the type of research method, interviewee recruitment may vary. Interviewee recruitment can be formal or informal. The type of research design determines the interviewee recruitment process. For instance, in traditional research settings, recruitment is based upon interviewee specialized knowledge and/or the ability to describe or account for personal experiences the investigator is interested in learning more about for the purpose of research. Traditional interviews are characterized as one-on-one interviews where the interviewee dedicates time to answer the researcher’s questions. Recruitment depends upon the certain demographic of interest to the researcher. College students are often identified as interviewees because students are convenient for researchers to recruit. However, if the researcher is interested in gathering information from a specific demographic, recruitment can be challenging. In these instances, interviewees may be sought out through media advertisements, word of mouth, and/or electronic mailing lists and mailing addresses. Researchers recruit interviewees based upon how well a particular segment of the population can offer insight about their social reality guided by the researchers’ questions.

Interviewees are recruited from informal settings, such as during an ethnographic observation. As part of the research process, ethnographic interviews are built into the processes of conducting field research. In these instances, the interviewee may not always be reflexive about their participation as a human subject answering a researcher’s question. The researcher is in a unique position because they have access to interviewees rather than arranging formal recruitment materials. In some cases, ethnographers also recruit interviewees for formal one-on-one interviews. This information is typically used to seek out how individual perceptions inform the whole of ethnographic observations. This type of formal interview is also useful for member checks, such that, the interviewee confirms whether or not the ethnographer’s description of lived experiences resonate with them.

Prior to formal, one-on-one interviews, preparation by the researcher is necessary. First, the researcher clearly identifies the purpose of the study. During the recruitment process, interviewees appreciate knowing upfront what information will be requested of them. The researcher identifies and shares with the interviewee approximately how long the interview will last. When scheduling interviews, the researcher should tell the interviewee how much time will be asked of them. In addition, the researcher confirms the interview schedule, including date, time, and place of meeting with the participant in a timely manner. Second, the researcher needs to determine where the interview will take place. Sometimes interviewees feel more comfortable choosing their own setting. As such, researchers should attend to these requests unless there are distractions such as noise. For example, a loud coffee shop may not be the most appropriate setting for a one-on-one interview. Finally, the researcher needs to be prepared on the day of the interview with informed consent documents, an interview protocol, and/or any audio/visual equipment. The researcher must request consent from the interviewee to participate in the research process. This process is referred to as informed consent. Informed consent is a contractual agreement between the interviewee and researcher and contains information, such as goal/purpose of research; how information will be used, kept confidential, and destroyed; and information about any known risks and benefits. The informed consent also identifies whether the interviewee is comfortable being recorded. Along with informed consent, the interviewee is granted permission to withdraw participation at any time during the interview process.

...