semi structured interviews

Question 1

what are the practical advantages of this method?

Answer 1

flexible - allowing respondents to be more open about their experiences

Question 2

what are the practical disadvantages of this method?

Answer 2

difficult to compare answers when the respondents can be more flexible

Question 3

what are the theoretical advantages of this method?

Answer 3

more valid than structured interviews - interviewers have more scope to build a relationship with their respondents; reduces the risk of the Hawthorne effect

Question 4

what are the theoretical disadvantages of this method?

Answer 4

lacks validity - difficult to analyse open ended questions
lacks reliability - less control over extraneous variables