(5) STRCUTURED INTERVIEWS Flashcards
Name Characteristics of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
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like questionaries, CLOSE ENDED Questions, FIXED SET of prepared questions, SAME Questions, SAME ORDER
produce Mainly QUANTITATIVE data
preferred by POSTITVISTS
researcher Records the answers for the Repospondents
What are some PRACTICAL ADVANTAGES of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
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- can COVER quite LARGE NUMBERS as they’re QUICK and FAIRLY CHEAP to administer
- SUITABLE for gathering STRAIGHTFORWARD FACTUAL INFORMATION such as a person’s age, job, religion
- TRAINING Interviewers is relatively STRAIGHTFORWARD and INEXPENSIVE as they simply have to read questions out
- RESULTS are EASY to QUANTIFY as they use Close Ended Questions with Pre Coded Answers
- RESPONSE RATE HIGHER than questionnaires as people find it Harder to Turn Down a Face to Face request
What are some PRACTICAL DISADVANTAGES of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- they’re INFLEXIBLE, the QUESTIONS are DRAWN UP in ADVANCE and the researcher MUST STICK TO THEM
- structured interviews are ONLY SNAPSHOTS IN TIME, so they fail to capture the dynamic of social life
What are some ETHICAL ISSUES of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
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- SOCIAL INTERACTION - may feel PRESSURED to ANSWERING QUESTIONS
- FEMINISTS - argue Potentially OPPRESIVE to WOMAN INTERVIEWEES
- Right to ANONYMITY and CONFIDENTIALLY
- INFORMED CONSENT - Should have RIGHT to RESUE to answer a question
What are some THEORETICAL ADVANTAGES of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS for Positivists
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- HYPOTHESIS TESTING - this method ALLOWS them to FOLLOW the NATURAL SCIENTISTS approach and seek to discover laws of cause and effect
- RELIABILITY - other sociologists can use the SAME METHOD and get
the SAME RESULTS. They are reliable because they’re EASY to STANDARDISE and CONTROL INTERVIEWERS can be TRAINED to CONDUCT the INTERVIEW in PRECISELY in the SAME WAY, same TONE - REPRESENTATIVENESS - quick and cheap and easy to administer so LARGE NUMBERS can be surveyed. This increase chance of getting a REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE. Thus for positivist it is EASIES to MAKE GENERALISATIONS
What are some THEORETICAL DISADVANTAGES of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS for Interpretivists
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- RESTRICTIVE - they FORCE people to ANSWER CLOSED QUESTIONS. There’s LIMITED CHOICE so people can’t answer as they wish
- Interviewers CAN’T EXPLAIN or CLARIFY QUESTIONS
- People CAN LIE or EXAGGERATE
- the INTERVIEW SCHEDULE is DRAWN UP in ADVANCE so the RESEARCH has ALREADY DECIDED what is IMPORTANT and this MANY NOT COINCIDE with WHAT the INTERVIEWEE thinks
Why do FEMINISTS do not like STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS?
they Reject survey methods
they say the RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCHER and the RESEARCHED REFLECTS the EXPLOITATIVE NATURE of GENDER RELATIONSHIP in PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY.
OAKELY argued that the Positivistic approach to research is MASCULINE PLACING HIGH VALUE on objectivity, detachment and HIERACHT and regards SCIENCE as MORE Important than the PEOPLE it RESEARCHES
What are some Interviews and Interaction PET points?
- STATUS DIFFERENCE - may Affect the Interviewees Honesty or Willingness to Cooperate
- CULTURAL DIFFERENCE - may Lead to Misunderstandings.
Interviewers may Not Know when they’re Being Lied To - SOCIAL DESIRABILITTY - Interviewees may Give Answers that Make them Appear More Interesting, normal etc
- INTERVIEWER BIAS - may Ask Leading Questions, or Influence Answers by their Tone of Voice
What are 5 MIC WAYS that STRUCTURED RESEARCH may be USED in EDUCATION RESEARCH?
- Pupil Subcultures
- Pupils Experience of health and sex education
- Class, Ethnicity and Language
- Gender, Identity and the Male Gaze
- Class and Parental Choice of Schools
What are some MIC Practical Issues of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
5
Young Interviewees may:
- be LESS ARTICULATE or More Reluctant to talk
- Not UNDERSTAND long, More Complex Questions or some Abstract Concepts
- have a More LIMITED VOCABULARLY and use WORDS INCORRECTLY or differently from Adults
- have a SHORTER ATTENTION SPAN and POORER MEMORY RETRIEVAL than Adults
- Read Body Language Differently from Adults
What are some other MIC Practical issues of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- Children may however have more DIFFICULTY Keeping To The Point
- Schools have very Active INFORMAL COMMUNICAATION CHANNELS - can Influence Responses given by Later Interviewees = REDUCED VALIDITY
- can lead to MISUNDERSTANDINGS and INCORRECT or INCOMPLETE ANSWERS = LESS VALID DATA
What are some Reliability and Validity MIC Links for STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
Structured Interviews = RELIABLE data BUT students are Unlikely to Respond favourably to them due to Formal Style DI BENTLEY (1987) - Overcame This by Showing a Jokey Picture of her and her daughter and Maintained a Relaxed Atmosphere by Nodding, Smiling and making Eye Contact
What are some Access and Response Rate MIC Links for STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- Hierarchical Institutions
- the LOWER DOWN the Hierarchy an interviewee is the More Approvals that have to Be Obtained
- conducting Interviews DURING LESSON TIME may cause DISRUPTION therefore Schools may not Allow This
- conducting After School Hours = Problematic too
- PARENTAL PERMISSION required to interview children. Depending on Subject of Research may depend on whether parents grant permission - FIELDS (1987) pupils experience of sex and health had a High Refusal Rate
What are some Interviewer as ‘teacher in disguise’ links MIC Links for STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
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- INTERVIEWEES may see it as in their interest to LIE, Exaggerate, Conceal Information or Seek to Please
- May be LESS SELF-CONFIDENT in their Reponses
- May SEEK to WIN the ‘TEACHERS’ APPROVAL by giving UNTRUE but SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE Answers
- If a QUESTION is REPEATED , children are More Likely to THINK their ORIGINAL ANSWER was WRONG and Therefore CHANGE IT
What are some Improving Validity MIC Links for STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- use OPEN ENDED Questions
- NOT INTERPUT answers
- Tolerate LONG PAUSES to Allow Thinking time
- Recognise that Children are More Suggestable and therefore Important to Avoid Asking Leading Questions
- AVOID REPEATING QUESTIONS since this Makes Children CHANGE their first answer
