Interviews and Its Types

Presented by: nimra sharif

Interviews
• An interview is considered to be a social interaction based on a
conversation (Rubin & Rubin, 2012; Warren & Xavia Karner, 2015).
• According to Brinkmann and Kvale (2015),
• An interview is where “knowledge is constructed in the
interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee”
• The qualitative research interview is further described as
“attempts to understand the world from the subjects’ point of
view, to unfold the meaning of their experience, to uncover
their lived world”
• It is not surprising given the complex skills necessary for
conducting a good interview, that interviewing is often referred to
as a “craft” that is developed through practice (Brinkmann &
Kvale, 2015; Rubin & Rubin, 2012).
Qualitative Interviews

• Qualitative interviewers try to be interactive and sensitive to the

language and concepts used by the interviewee, and they try to keep
the agenda flexible.
• It is vital that interviewers check that they have understood
respondents' meanings instead of relying on their own assumptions.
• This is particularly important if there is obvious potential for misunderstanding
• Patton (1987) said that good questions in qualitative interviews
should be open ended, neutral, sensitive, and clear to the
interviewee (Box 2)
• Qualitative interviews require considerable skill on the part of the
interviewer. (Researcher as research instrument)
• The novice research interviewer needs to notice how directive he
or she is being, whether leading questions are being asked,
whether cues are picked up or ignored, and whether interviewees
are given enough time to explain what they mean. (Box 3)
• Patton (1987) provides three strategies for maintaining control:
• Knowing the purpose of the interview,
• Asking the right questions to get the information needed
• Giving appropriate verbal and non-verbal feedback
Issues with Interviewing

Interviewers are also likely to be asked questions by interviewees

during the course of an interview. The problem with this is that in
answering questions, clinical researchers may undo earlier efforts
not to impose their own concepts on the interview. If questions are
not answered, this may reduce the interviewee's willingness to
answer the interviewer’s subsequent questions. One solution is to
say that such questions can be answered at the end of the
interview, although this is not always a satisfactory response.
(Britten, 1995)
Methodological Issues

• Interviewer effect/bias: This concept refers to a possibility that a

researcher may influence or distort opinions.
• Leading Questions: You must be very careful not to elicit a certain
response from a participant.
• For e.g. How do you view growth of Islamic Banking in Pakistan?
• Where do you see Islamic Banking in the future?
Ethical Issues

• In conducting interviews, ethical issues are one of the main

concerns. Confidentiality must be given. Respondents “should not
be harmed or damaged in any way by the research … It is also
important that interviews are not used as a devious means of
selling something to the respondent” (Gray, 2004). If respondents
are uneasy and become upset, the interview can be cancelled or
postponed.
• The following is a list of some of the issues and suggested ethical
solutions (Patton, 2000, and Gray, 2004).
• Explain purpose. Explain the purpose of the inquiry to the respondent.
• Promises and reciprocity. State what the respondent will gain.
• Risk assessment. Consider in what ways might the interview put the respondent at risk
in terms of stress, legal liabilities, ostracism or political repercussion.
• Confidentiality. Reflect on the extent to which promises of confidentiality can be
met. (Confidentiality means you know but will not tell. Anonymity means you do not
know, as in a survey returned anonymously.)
• Inform consent. What kind of consent is necessary, if any.
• Data access and ownership. Evaluate who has the right to access data and for what
purpose.
• Mental health. Consider how interviewer and interviewee mental health may be
affected by conducting the interview.
• Advice. Appoint an adviser on ethical matters during the course of the study.
• Data collection boundaries. How hard will you push for data? What lengths will you go
to in trying to gain access to data you want? What won’t you do?
• How hard will you push interviewees to respond to questions about which they show
some discomfort?
Interview Protocol/Interview Guide
Types of Interviews
On the basis of Level of Flexibility

• Structured Interview
• Semi-Structured Interview
• Unstructured Interview

• The less structured the interview, the less the questions are
determined and standardized before the interview occurs.
(Britten, 1995)
Structured Interviews

• “ … interviews in which all respondents are asked the

same questions with the same wording and in the
same sequence.” (Corbetta, 2003)
• It would be ideal if questions can be read out in the
same tone of voice so that the respondents would not
be influenced by the tone of the interviewer (Gray,
2004).
• Bryman (2001) explains structured interview entails:
… the administration of an interview schedule by an interviewer.
The aim is for all interviewees to be given exactly the same
context of questioning. This means that each respondent
receives exactly the same interview stimulus as any other. The
goal of this style of interview is to ensure that interviewees’
replies can be aggregated … Questions are usually very specific
and very often the interviewee gives a fixed range of answers
(this type of question is often called closed, closed ended, pre-
coded, or fixed choice).
 Advantages

• The researcher has control over the topics and the format of the
interview.
• This is because a detailed interview guide is used.
• Consequently, there is a common format, which makes it easier to
analyze, code and compare data.
• In addition, a detailed interview guide can permit inexperienced
researchers to do a structured interview (http://www.who.int).
• “Prompting can be included with the questions and if a question is
inappropriate, data on why no response was made can be recorded.”
• Furthermore, non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, gestures can be
recorded. (David & Sutton, 2004)
 Drawbacks

• These types adhere too closely to the interview guide and may be
the cause of not probing for relevant information.
• Also, since there is a set interview guide, the respondents may
hear and interpret or understand the questions in a different
manner.
• The researcher’s verbal comments and non-verbal cues can cause
bias and have an influence upon respondents’ answers.
Semi-Structured Interview

• In this type of interview the order of the questions can be changed

depending on the direction of the interview.
• The researcher has a list of key themes, issues, and questions to be covered.
• Corbetta (2003) explains semi-structured interviews as follows:
The order in which the various topics are dealt with and the wording of the
questions are left to the interviewer’s discretion. Within each topic, the
interviewer is free to conduct the conversation as he thinks fit, to ask the
questions he deems appropriate in the words he considers best, to give
explanation and ask for clarification if the answer is not clear, to prompt
the respondent to elucidate further if necessary, and to establish his own
style of conversation.
• Additional questions can be asked and some may be questions that have
not been anticipated in the beginning of the interview.
• Note taking or tape recording documents the interview.
• Gives opportunities to probe for views and opinions of the interviewee.
• Probing is a way for the interview to explore new paths which were not initially
considered (Gray, 2004).
• Having“ … key themes and sub-questions in advance lies in giving the
researcher a sense of order from which to draw questions from
unplanned encounters (David & Sutton, 2004).”
 Advantages

• The researcher can prompt and probe deeper into the given
situation.
• Hence, with this type of interview the interviewers are able to
probe or asked more detailed questions of respondents’ situations
and not adhere only to the interview guide.
• The researcher can explain or rephrase the questions if
respondents are unclear about the questions.
 Drawbacks

• Inexperienced interviewers may not be able to ask prompt

questions.
• If this is the case, some relevant data may not be gathered.
• Inexperienced interviewers may not probe into a situation.
• For example, if the respondents do not know how to use computers and do
not want to use them in language teaching, the interviewer needs to probe
and find out the reasons and ask for explanations.
Unstructured Interview

• This type of interview is non-directed and is a flexible method. It is more

casual than the aforementioned interviews.
• There is no need to follow a detailed interview guide. Each interview is
different.
• Interviewees are encouraged to speak openly, frankly and give as much
detail as possible.
• The interviewers ask questions that respondents would be able to express
their opinions, knowledge and share their experience.
• In an unstructured interview the researcher has to be a good listener and
note new or interesting data the interviewee gives. It “ … requires good
communication and facilitation skills” (http://www.who.int).
 Advantages

• No restrictions are placed on questions.

• It is useful when little or no knowledge exists about a topic.
• So, background data can be collected.
• Unstructured interviews are flexible and the researcher can
investigate underlying motives.
 Drawbacks

• The drawbacks of unstructured interviews are that they can be

inappropriate for inexperienced interviewers.
• The interviewers may be bias and ask inappropriate questions.
• Respondents may talk about irrelevant and inconsequential issues.
• Consequently, it may be difficult to code and analyze the data.
Types of Interviews on the basis of means

• Face-to-face
• Telephone
• Online
• Via email/mail
Face-to-Face Interview

• The best way of conducting qualitative Interview

• Unstructured, semi-structured or informal
• Conversation with facial expression and body language
• Taking notes can be difficult
• Transcription can be time-consuming
• The interviewer is able to lead
Telephonic Interview

• Unstructured or semi-structured
• Conversation without facial expression and body language
• Taking notes can be easier
• Transcription can be time-consuming
• The interviewer is able to lead
Online Interview

• Written conversation
• Semi-structured
• Time-consuming
• Easy and accurate transcription
• The Interviewer is able to lead
Interview via email/mail

• Structured
• Follow-up questions are often needed.
• Easy and accurate transcription
• The interviewer is unable to lead
Different ways of recording during Interviews

• Field notes. (Do not require consent)

• Camera or Recorder. (Consent required)
References
• Kajornboon, A. (2005). Using interviews as research instruments. Retrieved March
2012, from http://www.culi.chula.ac.th/e-Journal/bod/Annabel.pdf
• Corbetta, P. (2003). Social Research Theory, Methods and Techniques. London:
SAGE Publications.
• Gray, D. E. (2004). Doing Research in the Real World. London: SAGE Publications.
• Bryman, A. (2001) Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• David, M. & Sutton C.D. (2004). Social Research the Basics. London: SAGE
Publications.
• Patton, M. Q. (2000). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Method. London: SAGE
Publications.
• (http://www.who.int). World Health Organization. Interviews. (access 18/07/2005)
• Patton MQ. (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. London:
Sage, 108-43.