Structured Interviews

Question 1

what are structured interviews?

Answer 1

reading to people a set of fixed questions, closed ended and pre-coded, producing quantitative data

Question 2

what are the practical issues of structured interviews?

Answer 2

• cover large numbers, fairly quickly and cheaply
• suitable for gathering straight forward, factual information
• results easily quantified
• training interviewers straightforward and inexpensive
• response rate higher than questionnaires
• inflexible

Question 3

Young and Willmott interviews over …… people and only had ….. refusals out of almost 1000 people they approached

Answer 3

900

54

Question 4

what are the ethical issues or structured interviews?

Answer 4

• few ethical problems, questions likely routine of factual less sensitive topics
• social interaction so may feel some pressure to answer

Question 5

who said is can be difficult to keep the confidentiality of murderers who have been interviewed especially if….

Answer 5

Brookman

especially if their case received publicity

Question 6

what do positivists think about structured interviews?

Answer 6

• enable hypothesis testing

- act as a standardised measuring instrument which is easy for others to replicate

Question 7

what do interpretivists think about structured interviews?

Answer 7

• closed questions can lead to invalid data since have to fit answers into category
• little freedom to clarify questions
• people may lie/exaggerate
• interview drawn up in advance so imposes researchers framework of what is important

Question 8

according to feminists the relationship between interviewee and interviewer reflects patriarchy, who calls structured approach to data collection ‘research as rape’?

Answer 8

Reinharz

Question 9

who argues that in the positive masculine approach to research and structured interview there is a strict division of labour where……
what does she and ………. believe sociologists should do?

Answer 9

Oakley
.. the researcher takes active role and interviewees are passive - mirroring gender divisions in society
Graham
sociologists should use methods allowing researcher to understand women’s experiences like direct observation and unstructured interviews

Question 10

explain 4 ways social interaction may undermine validity?

Answer 10

• status differences - may affect honesty and willingness to cooperate
• cultural differences - lead to misunderstandings when different meanings given to words
• social desirability - may give answers to look normal etc
• interviewer bias - e.g. may ask leading questions