W3: Qual Data Collection Flashcards
Semi-structured interviews
A halfway approach between unstructured interviews and a ‘standardized open-ended interview’
Looks at key questions and the overall topic structure is planned in advance conversation can flow but interviewer brings is back on track to ensure all q’s are answered
Done for exploratory research (you have a rough idea but not sure)
Build a relationship with person but maintain neutrality
Semi-structured interviews advantage
The conversation can flow freely, you can find new things to talk about, but there is still a certain direction
Semi-structured interviews disadvantage
Challenge of keeping a balance between a conversation and a direct questioning
Interview guide steps
Orienting: describe your study, ask about the role
Initial: cover the base of your resect topic here
Deeper: go deeper into thoughts, feelings, opinions, stories
Wrap-up: conclude and give the opportunity to add final thoughts and ask questions
Interview guide - important additions
Introduce your topic and ask some basic questions, sections of the interview: 5 questions per section
Ask personal questions to refer to them other than their name, helps them feel more open
Build rapport before asking personal deeper questions
Ask any concluding questions and thank your participants
Questions wording
Open-ended → avoid dichotomous responses
Neutral → minimize predetermined responses
Singular → no more than one idea in a given question
Probing techniques
follow up questions used to deepen the response to a question
detail-oriented probes: who, why, where, what happened
Elaboration probes: they are silent such as nodding your head
Clarification probes: “what do you mean by…”
Comparing probes: how does X compare to Y?
Qualitative observations
Use your senses (sight, hearing, smell) to gather experiential data by being in a specific setting
What is the purpose of observations?
You want to describe and observe:
Setting
Activities that took place
People who participated
Meanings of what was observed from the perspectives of those who were observed
Qualitative observations: advantages
Ability to gain first hand experience: good to gain insider perspective
Some things are so internalized that people cannot explain them in interviews or notice them
Participants don’t always want to talk about certain topics (mistakes, taboo), easier to observe
Good to understand the research setting
Qualitative observations: disadvantages
Difficult to predict when events of interest will happen (some days nothing useful occurs)
Observations are very time consuming
Information is restricted to things that you can only observe
Observations are only as good as your preparation
Observation roles
Participant as an observer
Complete participant
Observer as a participant
Complete observer
Observation roles: participant as an observer
Identity is revealed
The researcher takes part in the activity
Take part and reveal the research purpose
Potentially high level of trust and reflection
Observation roles: complete participant
Identify is concealed
The researcher takes part in the activity
Become a member of the group and do not reveal the research purpose
“Spying issue”
Observation roles: observer as a participant
Identify is revealed
The researcher observes activity
Do not take part and reveal the research purpose (spectator)
Observation roles: complete observer
Identity is concealed
The researcher observes activity
Do not take part and do not reveal research purpose
What to observe
Physical environment
Social environment
Formal activities
Observing physical environment
Details of furniture, shiny, new, old, who is there, what is the space like
You can draw what you see
Observing social environment
The people in front of you, what is the age, what are the gender mixes, who says what, what indicators of status are there
Observing formal activities
Timing, how activities begin and end, do people greet with first or last name
