Interviews

• Structured Interviews


  The interviewer asks predetermined questions for all those interviewed
• Structured Interviews strengths


  • Possible to compare responses

  and identify trends.

  • More replicable hence reliable than unstructured.
• Structured Interviews Limitations


  • Lack internal validity - can never be sure

  they are measuring what they think they are measuring.

  • Presence of interviewer can influence answers.

  • No scope for exploring interesting topics that may come up during interview.
• Unstructured Interviews
• Unstructured Interviews Strengths


  • Depth and detail to feelings and emotions of the participants.

  • Validity if trust exists
• Unstructured Interviews Limitations


  • Lacks replicability and reliability.

  • Considered to be too subjective as results are based on the interpretations of the researcher.
• Semi-structured interviews


  These will start with some predetermined questions, but also allow for further questions to be developed as the interview goes on.
• Semi-structured interviews Strengths


  • The responses to the predetermined questions are comparable, but the development of further questions allows interesting topics / ideas to be investigated.

  • This is also called the clinical interview and is used by clinicians such as GPs.
• Design of Interviews - questions


  • Wording of the questions - may trigger a social desirability response.

  • Open or closed questions

  • Start with basic factual questions as the interviewee is less likely to provide detailed information - leave questions that require more detail until later in the interview when the participant is more relaxed
• Design of Interviews - characteristics of the interviewer


  • Age, gender and ethnicity of the interviewer may influence responses

  • Interviewing skills - training is needed to enable the interviewer to build a rapport