Why Use Interview as research tool?

Interview method as a qualitative research tool

Interview method is the most common format of data collection in qualitative research. Qualitative interview are either semi-structured, lightly structured or in-depth. Unstructured interviews are generally done in conducting long-term field work and allow respondents to express themselves in their own ways and pace, with minimal hold on respondents’ responses. Unstructured interview resembles a conversation more than an interview and is always thought to be a “controlled conversation” which is skewed towards the interests of the interviewer. Semi-structured interviews are based on semi-structured interview guide, which is a schematic presentation of questions or topics and need to be explored by the interviewer. To achieve optimum use of interview time, interview guides serve the useful purpose of exploring many respondents more systematically and comprehensively as well as to keep the interview focused on the desired line of action.

Setting

As such there is no prescribed setting or place for interview. In social science research researcher need to take interview in open field without a roof. But according to my experience a setting should be quite place where very minimum things are moving. So that interviewee never lose focus from interview. Interviewee should be isolated from overpowering individuals, so that they could make their point.

Interviewer

There are instances one can recall from their training period that two interviewer going to same place for same kind of interview but coming out with different types of data. This happens because one of the main factor is Interviewer most of the time interviewee reciprocate same or exaggerated emotion that they see in interviewer.

Does gender of interviewer changes anything? No, I have seen people conducting interviews and done interviews with both opposite sex and third gender (Transgender) with ease. It depends on confidence of the interviewer when he starts it becomes visible from question asking techniques.

Taking Notes

Taking notes during interview is a good practice a researcher should follow. Notes are a useful record of key information, and the sources of that information that came up during interview. Notes inscribe information kinesthetically (record movements, emotions and way the words are said) and help you remember what you heard while writing. Selecting what to note down increases your understanding of the present interview also it act as framework of key themes for present interview.

There is no set pattern for taking notes but one should always mention date, time, place and name of the interviewee.

Example of a hand written note taken during field work.