Collecting Qualitative Data - Interviews Flashcards
What are the perspectives of interviews?
o Neopositivist
o Romanticist
o Localist
o Reflexivity
Explain Neo-positivism.
The interview as a research instrument -> Should validate the answers gained in the interview
The neopositivist is eager to establish a context-free truth about reality “out there” through following a research protocol and getting responses relevant to it, minimizing researcher influence and other sources of bias.
“the interview conversation is a pipeline for transmitting knowledge”
Researchers imitate quantitative ideals for data production, analysis, and writing. Rules, procedures, avoidance of bias, detailed coding, large quantities of material, and so forth are emphasized.
The problem with this is that respondents may produce only superficial and cautious responses.
Explain Romanticism
The interview as a human encounter
o Require the interviewer to build trust
o Interviewer is part of the creating the answer - cannot be objective
The romantic, advocating a more “genuine” human interaction, believes in establishing rapport, trust, and commitment between interviewer and interviewee.
This is a prerequisite to be able to explore the inner world (meanings, ideas, feelings, intentions) or experienced social reality of the interviewee.
The typical goal of interview studies is to accomplish “deeper, fuller conceptualizations of those aspects of our subjects’ lives we are most interested in understanding”.
Explain Localism
The interview as an empirical situation
This approach emphasizes that interview statements must be seen in their social context.
In interviews people are not reporting external events but producing situated accounts, drawing upon cultural resources to produce morally adequate accounts.
Its proponents generally favor “naturally occurring interaction,” but interviews can also be used as objects of study.
A valid critique of localism concerns its rather narrow focus and its underestimation of using knowledgeable subjects to communicate important insights about their social reality.
Explain Reflexivity.
- Exchange of points of views – “inter-views”
- Be critical
- Think about both content AND situation
- Reflect on the process of questioning and the meaning of the results
Reflexivity stands for conscious and consistent efforts to view the subject matter from different angles.
One approach is to move between different lines of interpretation, varying and confronting an earlier used vocabulary with a line of interpretation that offers a different angle and with a different vocabulary.
Pragmatism here means a willingness to postpone some doubt and still use the material for the best possible purpose(s).
Pragmatism builds on an awareness that time, space, and patience are limited.
Reflexive pragmatism calls for epistemological awareness rather than philosophical rigor.
What is an interview according to positivism?
Interviews have been assumed by positivist researchers as a ‘talking questionnaire’ or ‘a pipeline for transporting knowledge’
What is an interview according to interpretivism?
Interpretive researchers consider the method to offer a means of collaboratively exploring the meanings, ideas, feelings, and intentions.
Benefits of interviews?
- flexible - allows for probing
- considers the social context
Name the three different types of interviews
Structured
semi-structured
unstructured
Explain unstructured interviews
In unstructured interviews, there are no predetermined questions except at the very beginning, when you start with a general question in the broad area of study.
interviews of this type are highly flexible, allowing you to follow the interests of informants as they relate to their own thought processes.
Unstructured interviews generate the richest data, but they also have the highest ‘dross rate’ (the amount of material that is of no particular use for your study).
If the interviewer has limited prior knowledge (The interviewee guides the interview process rather than the interviewer)
- If long narratives are needed
- In connection with other methods e.g. participant observation
Explain semi-structured interviews
The questions are contained in an interview guide with a focus on the issues or topic areas to be covered and the lines of enquiry to be followed.
The sequencing of questions is not the same for every participant
The interview guide ensures that you collect similar types of data from all informants.
Explain structured interviews
Standardized interviews resemble written survey questionnaires and are rarely used by qualitative researchers.
Questions are pre-planned and asked of every informant in the same order.
Explain Grand tour and mini tour questions.
Grand tour and mini tour questions relate to overview or more specific focus.
Grand tour questions are broad. They ask a participant to reconstruct a routine, procedure, activity, event or cycle of activity that took place at a particular time in life. The participant is the tour guide, describing the steps taken and the thoughts or feelings associated with each step
Example:
* Can you describe a typical day in the press office?
* Tell me about the events that led to your winning this client account?
Mini tour questions are more specific.
Example:
* Can you describe what it is like to use this website?
* What were your expectations in this situation?
What are some limitations and problems in interviewing?
Problems in interviewing concern a possible gap between what informants say they do and what they actually do, the time-consuming nature of interviews and the interviewer effect.
also, labor intensive
Explain the interviewer effect.
Sometimes informants react in particular ways to you as a researcher and modify their answers to please or to appear in a positive light, consciously or unconsciously.
Spending time with participants so that trust develops is one means of minimizing this.
