Week 4

Question 1

Types of questions

Answer 1

Introduction or opening questions
Follow up questions
Probing questions
Specifying questions
Direct questions
Indirect questions 
Structuring questions 
Clarifying questions
Interpreting question

Question 2

Introduction or opening questions

Answer 2

Allows the participant to talk at great length

Question 3

Follow up question

Answer 3

encourage participants to say more about the answer they have provided

Question 4

Probing question

Answer 4

Probes for further discussion so that they have a clear understanding of the matter being examined

Question 5

Specifying question

Answer 5

More specific questions so that a more explicit response can be obtained

Question 6

Direct question

Answer 6

Clarify issues when of key importance - left till end of interview

Question 7

Indirect question

Answer 7

Projective or contextualising questions

Question 8

Structuring questions

Answer 8

Assists the participant to move on the next line of questioning

Question 9

Clarifying question

Answer 9

Ensure that interviewee’s comments have been understood

Question 10

Interpreting question

Answer 10

Assist researcher to interpret what participants have suggested

Question 11

Face to face interviews advantages

Answer 11

Build rapport with participant
Collect Non-verbal data (facial expressions, body language)
Allows interview to note participants’ context

Question 12

Face to face interviews disadvantages

Answer 12

Difficult if environment is noisy
Location hard to access
Interviews generate a large amount of data
6 hours of transcribing

Question 13

Telephone interviews advantages

Answer 13

For when resources do not permit face to face 
Convenience 
Flexibility
Increased number of participants
geographic range of recruitment

Question 14

Telephone interviews disadvantages

Answer 14

Restraint on development of rapport
Miss face to face cues/responses
Poor quality calls

Question 15

Skype advantages

Answer 15

Can still observe individuals reactions at different geographical locations
Free, reduce time and cost of travel

Question 16

Skype disadvantages

Answer 16

If connection poor:

• may not see interviewee’s face clearly
• interruption are also more likely to occur

Question 17

Unstructured interviews

Answer 17

Ensure participants discuss matters of importance to them
Very few open ended questions - leads to rich data
Researcher goes with flow of conversation but directs it through impromptu questions

Question 18

Semi-structured interviews

Answer 18

Include open ended questions with prompts for the interviewer
Allow structure and flexibility in exploring complex questions
Gives interviewer substantial freedom to post questions in any order
Follows an interview guide
Participant centred

Question 19

Structured interviews

Answer 19

Ask each participant the same set of predetermined questions in the same way
Useful for comparing answers from different participants