Interview Unstructured & Semi-structured Flashcards
What Are Unstructured and Semi-Structured Interviews?
What is an unstructured interview?
A flexible, informal interview where the interviewer has general topics to discuss but no fixed set of questions.
What Are Unstructured and Semi-Structured Interviews?
What is a semi-structured interview?
An interview with some pre-set questions but allows the interviewer to ask follow-up questions based on the participant’s responses.
What Are Unstructured and Semi-Structured Interviews?
How do unstructured and semi-structured interviews differ?
• Unstructured interviews: No fixed questions, highly flexible, qualitative data.
• Semi-structured interviews: Some fixed questions but allows probing, mix of qualitative & quantitative data.
Practical Issues
What are the practical strengths of unstructured interviews?
• Flexible – Interviewers can explore unexpected topics.
• In-depth data – Provides rich qualitative data.
• Better for sensitive topics – Interviewer can build rapport.
Practical Issues
What are the practical weaknesses of unstructured interviews?
• Time-consuming – Hard to conduct on a large scale.
• Expensive – Requires trained interviewers.
• Difficult to analyze – Responses are long and varied.
Practical Issues
What are the practical strengths of semi-structured interviews?
• More structured than unstructured interviews – Allows some consistency.
• Easier to compare responses than unstructured interviews.
• Allows flexibility to probe deeper into responses.
Practical Issues
What are the practical weaknesses of semi-structured interviews?
• Still time-consuming compared to structured interviews.
• Less depth than fully unstructured interviews.
Ethical Issues
What are the ethical strengths of unstructured and semi-structured interviews?
• Builds trust – Helps with sensitive topics.
• More informed consent – Participants know what they are being asked.
Ethical Issues
What are the ethical weaknesses of unstructured and semi-structured interviews?
• Builds trust – Helps with sensitive topics.
• More informed consent – Participants know what they are being asked.
Theoretical Issues
Why do interpretivists prefer unstructured interviews?
• Verstehen (empathetic understanding) – Allows researchers to understand the participant’s perspective.
• Rich qualitative data – Provides depth and meaning.
Theoretical Issues
Why do positivists criticize unstructured interviews?
• Not reliable – Each interview is different, so results cannot be replicated.
• Not representative – Small sample sizes mean findings cannot be generalized.
Theoretical Issues
Why do positivists prefer semi-structured interviews?
• More standardized than unstructured interviews – Easier to compare responses.
• Still allows some depth – Can probe further while maintaining structure.
Theoretical Issues
What is interviewer bias?
When the interviewer’s tone, body language, or phrasing influences the participant’s response.
Theoretical Issues
How can interviewer bias be reduced?
• Using neutral phrasing.
• Keeping a consistent tone.
• Avoiding leading questions.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Unstructured & Semi-Structured Interviews
Strengths of Unstructured Interviews
What are the strengths of unstructured interviews?
• High validity – Captures detailed, meaningful responses.
• Flexibility – Can explore unexpected issues.
• Builds rapport – Encourages openness, especially for sensitive topics.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Unstructured & Semi-Structured Interviews
Weaknesses of Unstructured Interviews
: What are the weaknesses of unstructured interviews?
• More reliable than unstructured interviews – Some fixed questions.
• Allows deeper insight – Can probe further into answers.
• Easier to analyze than unstructured interviews.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Unstructured & Semi-Structured Interviews
Strengths of Semi-Structured Interviews
What are the strengths of semi-structured interviews?
• More reliable than unstructured interviews – Some fixed questions.
• Allows deeper insight – Can probe further into answers.
• Easier to analyze than unstructured interviews.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Unstructured & Semi-Structured Interviews
Weaknesses of Semi-Structured Interviews
What are the weaknesses of semi-structured interviews?
• Still time-consuming compared to structured interviews.
• Not fully standardized – Some variation in responses.
• Interviewer bias still possible.
