Interviews

Question 1

What is an interview?

Answer 1

Researcher asks questions in real time (can be by telephone or face-to-face)

Question 2

What is a structured interview?

Answer 2

An interviewer will have a pre-determined set of questions that they will stick to

Question 3

What is a semi-structured interview?

Answer 3

An interview where the interviewer will have some questions that are pre-determined and some will be developed on the spot

Question 4

What is an unstructured interview?

Answer 4

Interview where the interviewer has no plan, only ideas of topics and questions to discuss

Question 5

What are the strengths of structured interviews?

Answer 5

Require led interviewing skills, therefore can be done by non-professionals.
Easier to analyse as answers are presented-determined.
Can be easily repeated as the questions are standardised.

Question 6

What are the weaknesses of structured interviews?

Answer 6

The participants answers may be restricted by the questions asked.

Question 7

What are the strengths of unstructured interviews?

Answer 7

In depth qualitative data can be collected.
Information can be accessed that may not have been revealed by pre-determined questions.

Question 8

What are the weaknesses of unstructured interviews?

Answer 8

More difficult to analyse the data as there is more of it.
Requires more skill from the interviewer.