Interviews

Interviews

IGCSE Sociology

​Lesson objectives

• ​Identify different types of interview

• ​Analyse their strengths and limitations

• ​Describe the types of data produced in these methods

Types of interview

• ​Structured interview

• ​Unstructured interview

• ​Semi-structured interview

• Group interview

• ​Focus group interview

Interviewer - a person who interviews someone

Interviewee - a person who is interviewed

Types of interview

• ​Structured interview

• ​Unstructured interview

• ​Semi-structured interview

• Group interview

• ​Focus group interview

​Structured Inteview

• It's like a "Face to Face" Survey

• a quantitative research method where the interviewer prepares a set of close-ended questions in the form of an interview schedule in standardized order.

Open Ended

What are the strengths and limitations of structured interviews?

Unstructured interview

• the interviewer only has a brief set of prompts (questions) and conducts free talk with the interviewee

• interviewer will try not to talk too much except for encouraging the interviewee to talk more or probing a bit deeper at times

Open Ended

What are the strengths and limitations of unstructured interviews?

Semi-structured interview

• the interviewer only asks a few predetermined questions while the rest of the questions are not planned

• the interviewer has an interview guide, which is the list of the questions or fairly cover the related topics

Open Ended

What are the strengths and limitations of semi-structured interviews?

​Guidelines for good interviews

• ​make the interviewee feel comfortable (what study's purpose, confidentiality, etc.)

• ​create a certain amount of order

• ​make sure the language used is understandable and relevant

• ​avoid leading questions or questions that make assumptions

• ​keep a fact sheet record (interviewee's name, age, gender)

• ​make sure the interview takes place in a quiet and private setting

• ​use a good quality recording machine and microphone (ask permission)

Some types of questions used in interviews

• Introductory questions such as, 'Can you tell about...? Have you ever...?'

• ​Follow-up questions to get the interviewee to elaborate, such as, 'What do you mean by...? You mentioned...?'

• ​Probing questions, such as, 'Could you say a bit more about...?'

• ​Specifying questions asking for detail or elaboration, such as, 'What did you do then?'

Some types of questions used in interviews

• ​Indirect questions. For example, 'Why do many people feel that...? is probably a roundabout way of asking 'Do you feel that...?'

• ​Silence, so that interviweers can reflect on and amplify an answer.

• ​Interpreting questions such as, 'Do you mean that...?'

Group Interviews​

Group interview

• Any interview involving a group interviewed together:

  • ​groups of individuals are interviewed by one interviewer

  • ​one individual is interviewed by a panel of interviewers

focus group Interviews

• ​a type of group interview

• a group brought together to be interviewed on a particular topic

• the researcher will have an interview guide

• ​this type enables researchers to find out not just what individuals say but what they say as members of a group (closer to real life)

​Activity

​Role Play Activity

​Role Play Activity

​In your groups, assign a member for each role:

• ​interviewer: asks questions

• ​interviewee: answers questions

• ​observers: observe the interview

​

​- You have 5 minutes to follow the set of questions posted on the board

​Scenario 1: STRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (5 minutes)

​Interviewer:

​

​Sociology Teacher

​

​Interviewee:

​

​Sociology Student

• Do you like ………. Why? 

• Anything that you think we can do better in our class? 

• Why do you………? 

• Do you think……… ? 

• What is your opinion of……….? 

• How do you think……….? 

Change roles. Choose another person for the roles of Interviewee, Interviewer and observer.​

​Scenario 2: SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (5 minutes)

​Interviewer:

​

Principal of ULC

​

​Interviewee:

​

​Grade 9 Student

• Do you like ………. Why? 

• Anything that you think we can do better in our class? 

  Why do you………? 

• Do you think……… ? 

  What is your opinion of……….? 

• How do you think……….? 

​Role Play Activity REFLECTION (2 minutes)

​In your groups, reflect on the following:

• How do you feel about this experience

• Any challenge you face/observed?

• What suggestion you can provide to solve the problem?

​

​

​Interview Strengths

• ​The interview is useful in providing more detailed information and valid data on the point of view of respondents.

• It provided the flexibility of the interviewer to probe more deeply understanding of the participants and have new direction of research

• High responsee rate

• ​

​Interview Limitations

• ​Interviews are time-consuming: the time to conduct the interview, and the time to analyse the data

  It is hard to generalize the standard for analysis when the standardized question are not used

  The interviewer's bias might affect the finding, such as asking leading questions.

  It’s difficult to find skillful interviewer

MINI-RESEARCH PREPARATIONS

​Draft your interview questions.

​Your group should start interviewing next week. (after I approve your questions)