2. qualitative interviews Flashcards
What is qualitative interviewing?
A one-to-one, semi-structured interview used to collect rich and detailed data.
Why is qualitative interviewing used?
It provides in-depth insights into personal experiences and allows participants to tell their stories.
What are the three main types of qualitative interviews?
Unstructured, structured, and semi-structured interviews.
What is an unstructured interview?
A free-flowing conversation where participants can discuss anything relevant.
What is a structured interview?
A rigid interview format with set questions and little deviation.
What is a semi-structured interview?
A guided interview that allows flexibility while following key themes.
What are the advantages of qualitative interviewing?
Generates rich data, builds rapport, provides flexibility, and allows participant control.
What are the disadvantages of qualitative interviewing?
Time-consuming, difficult recruitment, potential bias, and limited generalisability.
What is the role of the researcher in qualitative interviews?
To encourage participants to provide detailed responses while maintaining neutrality.
What are ethical considerations in qualitative interviewing?
Confidentiality, informed consent, potential harm, data storage, and researcher-participant relationship.
What is reflexivity in qualitative research?
Researchers critically examine their influence on the study to minimise bias.
What are the key steps in planning a qualitative interview?
Choosing a topic, considering ethics, identifying the target group, designing questions, and piloting the interview.
What are some key characteristics of effective interview questions?
Open-ended, neutral, sensitive, and easy to understand.
What types of questions should be avoided in qualitative interviews?
Closed, leading, biased, confrontational, overly complicated, or unrelated questions.
How can prompts help in qualitative interviewing?
They encourage participants to elaborate on responses and provide deeper insights.
Why should “why” questions be used carefully?
They can feel confrontational and may lead to rationalised responses.
What practical considerations are needed for an interview setting?
A quiet venue, good recording equipment, ethical briefings, and interviewer preparation.
What is the interviewer’s role in building rapport?
To make participants feel comfortable, avoid influencing responses, and encourage openness.
What is the “interviewer effect”?
When an interviewer’s characteristics unintentionally influence participant responses.
How can researchers improve qualitative interviewing skills?
By conducting pilot interviews and practicing active listening techniques.
What is the main challenge of qualitative data collection?
Managing large amounts of complex and detailed data.
What is the difference between structured and unstructured interviews?
Structured interviews follow strict questions, while unstructured interviews are open-ended and flexible.
What is a key ethical concern in qualitative research?
The potential emotional impact on participants when discussing sensitive topics.
What is sampling in qualitative research?
Selecting participants based on research needs rather than random selection.
What is theoretical sampling?
A method used in Grounded Theory where data collection evolves as patterns emerge.
What is Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)?
A qualitative approach focusing on how individuals make sense of their experiences.
What is an interview guide?
A structured outline of key questions and prompts used to guide a qualitative interview.
What is data saturation in qualitative research?
The point at which no new information is obtained from additional interviews.
What is the purpose of transcribing interviews?
To convert spoken data into text for analysis.
What are the challenges of transcribing interviews?
It is time-consuming and requires accuracy to capture meaning.
What is a “play script” transcript?
A transcription that captures spoken words exactly as they were said.
What is Jeffersonian transcription?
A detailed transcription method that includes pauses, intonation, and overlaps.
How can researchers evaluate the quality of qualitative research?
By assessing credibility, confirmability, transparency, and usefulness.
What is trustworthiness in qualitative research?
The degree to which research findings are credible, transferable, and dependable.
What are the four key aspects of trustworthiness?
Credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability.
What is triangulation in qualitative research?
Using multiple data sources or methods to enhance validity.
How is qualitative data typically analysed?
Through coding, identifying themes, and interpreting meaning.
