Qualitative Social Qualitative Social Research MethodsResearch Methods

Using Interviews in Research.Using Interviews in Research.

Leah Wild.Leah Wild.

OverviewOverview

• Field Research and InterviewingField Research and Interviewing• Ethical Considerations.Ethical Considerations.• Risk in the fieldRisk in the field• Reflexive approaches to researchReflexive approaches to research• Lying the groundwork for interviews.Lying the groundwork for interviews.• What Kind of Interviews?What Kind of Interviews?• Practical Matters.Practical Matters.• Preparing for interviewsPreparing for interviews• Conducting the interviewConducting the interview• After the interview.After the interview.• The use of focus groups, group interviews, Participant The use of focus groups, group interviews, Participant

Observation and documentary resources.Observation and documentary resources.

Why conduct field Why conduct field research?research?

• Understand meaningsUnderstand meanings• Describe and understand experienceDescribe and understand experience• Describe and understand ideas, Describe and understand ideas,

beliefs, values.beliefs, values.• Identify themes and patternsIdentify themes and patterns• Policy implications?Policy implications?• Informing best practiceInforming best practice• Action research.Action research.

Distinguishing between Distinguishing between method and methodologymethod and methodology

• MethodologyMethodology - or how we can go about the - or how we can go about the task of producing reliable and valid task of producing reliable and valid knowledge.knowledge.

• MethodsMethods - or how we actually physically - or how we actually physically collect data to test our theories.This involves collect data to test our theories.This involves the basic nuts-and-bolts of data collection the basic nuts-and-bolts of data collection (questionnaires, interviews, experiments, (questionnaires, interviews, experiments, participant observation and so forth).participant observation and so forth).

• The flow of causation in social research is The flow of causation in social research is methodologymethodology procedural rules procedural rules= = methodsmethodsknowledgeknowledge

Methodological Methodological traditionstraditions• PositivismPositivism

Valid knowledge can only be produced on the basis of direct Valid knowledge can only be produced on the basis of direct observation observation

Looking for causes, effects and ‘laws’Looking for causes, effects and ‘laws’

Objectivity and value freedomObjectivity and value freedom

• InterpretivismInterpretivismsocial world produced on a daily basis by people going about social world produced on a daily basis by people going about

their lives their lives

people actively create their worldpeople actively create their world

RelativismRelativism

• RealismRealismsocial structures have some form of independent existence social structures have some form of independent existence

Social structures ‘real’ only in their effects - not permanent Social structures ‘real’ only in their effects - not permanent and unchanging and unchanging

all knowledge about the world is ideological. all knowledge about the world is ideological.

What is Ethnography?What is Ethnography?

• The study of people in naturally The study of people in naturally occurring settings or ‘fields’ by methods occurring settings or ‘fields’ by methods of data collection which capture their of data collection which capture their social meanings and ordinary activities, social meanings and ordinary activities, involving the researcher participating involving the researcher participating directly in the setting, if not also the directly in the setting, if not also the activities, in order to collect data in a activities, in order to collect data in a systematic manner but without meaning systematic manner but without meaning being imposed on them externally being imposed on them externally (Brewer 2003)(Brewer 2003)

The ethnographic ‘self’.The ethnographic ‘self’.

• How has your own presence impacted on your choice How has your own presence impacted on your choice of methodology and research methods?of methodology and research methods?

• How has your own presence impacted the collection How has your own presence impacted the collection of data and the interpretation of data?of data and the interpretation of data?

• why have you chosen this research topic? why have you chosen this research topic? • Why have you chosen to collect the data in this way? Why have you chosen to collect the data in this way? • Why have you interpreted the data in the way you Why have you interpreted the data in the way you

have?have?• Have you privileged a certain set of meanings over Have you privileged a certain set of meanings over

another? another? • Are there any emotional dynamics that have been Are there any emotional dynamics that have been

brought into play in the process of your research?brought into play in the process of your research?• Understand and value the subjective nature of Understand and value the subjective nature of

ethnographic interpretation.ethnographic interpretation.• Being reflexiveBeing reflexive

The use of Interviews.The use of Interviews.

• Reflexive analysisReflexive analysis• Know When to Leave the FieldKnow When to Leave the Field• Identify Major Interpretive ThemesIdentify Major Interpretive Themes• Be honest about subjective nature Be honest about subjective nature

of dataof data• Be Honest About ObservationsBe Honest About Observations• Observation vs. InterpretationObservation vs. Interpretation• Base Interpretations on Multiple Base Interpretations on Multiple

ObservationsObservations

Participant observationParticipant observation

• Subjective sociologySubjective sociology• overt overt • covert?covert?• Balancing roles of researcher Balancing roles of researcher

and participantand participant

Ethical considerationsEthical considerations

• The safety of researcher and respondent.The safety of researcher and respondent.• Anonymity and confidentialityAnonymity and confidentiality• Informed consentInformed consent• Participant observation and ethics.Participant observation and ethics.• The uses of your research.The uses of your research.• Researching sensitive topics.Researching sensitive topics.• Vulnerability and powerVulnerability and power• The ‘constraints’ of ethical The ‘constraints’ of ethical

considerations.considerations.

Risk in the FieldRisk in the Field

• Considering your own safety.Considering your own safety.• The safety of respondents.The safety of respondents.• Clothing and appearance.Clothing and appearance.• Interviewing alone.Interviewing alone.• How to deal with aggression or How to deal with aggression or

hostility during the interview.hostility during the interview.• What to do when things go ‘wrong’.What to do when things go ‘wrong’.

Reflexive Approaches to Reflexive Approaches to ResearchResearch

• Considering other peoples values/ cultural Considering other peoples values/ cultural practices.practices.

• How do my own values/ history/ cultural How do my own values/ history/ cultural practices impact on my interpretations?practices impact on my interpretations?

• Giving meaning to social interaction.Giving meaning to social interaction.• Critically evaluating your own motivations.Critically evaluating your own motivations.• Asking the why, how and what questions.Asking the why, how and what questions.• Challenging your own ideas and Challenging your own ideas and

assumptions.assumptions.• Research as a learning experienceResearch as a learning experience• Objectivity, neutrality and bias.Objectivity, neutrality and bias.

Laying the Groundwork for Laying the Groundwork for Interviews and Methods Interviews and Methods

ChapterChapter• Why am I using interviews?Why am I using interviews?• What can interview data contribute What can interview data contribute

to existing knowledge?to existing knowledge?• What has already been ‘done’?What has already been ‘done’?• What resources can I utilise?What resources can I utilise?• Using fieldwork diaries.Using fieldwork diaries.• Involving your respondents.Involving your respondents.• Pilot interviews.Pilot interviews.

What Kind of Interviews?What Kind of Interviews?

• Structured interviews.Structured interviews.• Semi structured interviews.Semi structured interviews.• Unstructured interviews.Unstructured interviews.• The use of vignettes.The use of vignettes.• Group interviews.Group interviews.• Thinking about the interview setting.Thinking about the interview setting.

Preparing for InterviewsPreparing for Interviews

• Creating a topic guideCreating a topic guide– Use objectives and literature review to help Use objectives and literature review to help

design itdesign it

• A memory aidA memory aid– Objective of studyObjective of study– General and specific areas of researchGeneral and specific areas of research

• ButBut– Cannot interview from topic guide aloneCannot interview from topic guide alone– Need to be flexible in terms of order and Need to be flexible in terms of order and

contentcontent

Practical Matters.Practical Matters.

• Equipment checklist. Tape recorder, Equipment checklist. Tape recorder, tapes, spare batteries.tapes, spare batteries.

• Writing material.Writing material.• Names and addresses.Names and addresses.• Consent forms.Consent forms.• Asking permissions.Asking permissions.

Conducting the interviewConducting the interview

• Starting the interviewStarting the interview– Physical conditions, clothing!Physical conditions, clothing!– Seating arrangementsSeating arrangements– Initial introduction, confidentialityInitial introduction, confidentiality– Tape recordingTape recording

• The topic guideThe topic guide• Closing the interviewClosing the interview

– End on a positive noteEnd on a positive note– Thank and affirm confidentialityThank and affirm confidentiality– Remind how information will be usedRemind how information will be used

Conducting the Interview Conducting the Interview 2.2.

• The silent probeThe silent probe• The ‘go on, I’m listening’ probeThe ‘go on, I’m listening’ probe• Journalists’ probes: When? Who? Journalists’ probes: When? Who?

Where?Where?• The immediate elaboration probeThe immediate elaboration probe

– Can you tell me more about that?Can you tell me more about that?

• The retrospective probeThe retrospective probe– Can I take you back to something you said Can I take you back to something you said

earlier?earlier?

After the InterviewAfter the Interview

• Check materialCheck material• TranscriptionTranscription• Write up ASAP.Write up ASAP.• Things to include in writing upThings to include in writing up-body language/ atmosphere/ tone and -body language/ atmosphere/ tone and

context.context.• Recording personal experiences.Recording personal experiences.• Have I forgotten anything?Have I forgotten anything?• Letters of thanks.Letters of thanks.

Using Other Methods.Using Other Methods.

• Participant observation.Participant observation.• Focus groups.Focus groups.• Video interviews.Video interviews.• Using documentary resources.Using documentary resources.

Final Words.Final Words.

• What if you don’t get the information What if you don’t get the information you wanted?you wanted?

• The changing direction of research.The changing direction of research.• The best laid plans…!The best laid plans…!• Rescuing your research when things Rescuing your research when things

go ‘wrong’.go ‘wrong’.