Semi structured interviews

Question 1

Semi structured interviews

Answer 1

Interviews that have both structured and unstructured elements. Usually the interviewer has a topic guide but there is flexibility in the questions asked. Creates mostly qualitative, but some quantitative.

Question 2

Advantages

Answer 2

1. Positive rapport between interviewer and interviewee. Very simple, efficient and practical way of getting data about things that can’t be easily observed like feelings and emotions
2. High Validity. People are able to talk about something in detail and depth. The meanings behind an action may be revealed as the interviewee is able to speak for themselves with little direction from interviewer.
3. Complex questions and issues can be discussed / clarified. The interviewer can probe areas suggested by the respondent’s answers, picking-up information that had either not occurred to the interviewer or of which the interviewer had no prior knowledge.
4. Pre-Judgement: Problem of researcher predetermining what will or will not be discussed in the
   interview is resolved.

Question 3

Limitations

Answer 3

Depends on the skill of the interviewer
Interviewer may give out unconscious signals / cues that guide respondent to give answers expected by interviewer.
Not very reliable - difficult to exactly repeat a focused interview. Respondents may be asked different questions (non-standardised). Samples tend to be small.
Depth of qualitative information may be difficult to analyse (for example, deciding what is and is not relevant).
Personal nature of interview may make findings difficult to generalise (respondents may effectively be answering different questions).
The researcher has no real way of knowing if the respondent is lying e.g criminals Respondent may have imperfect recall.