Interviews

• What is the difference between structured and unstructured interviews?


  The level of social interaction
• What type of method is a structured interview?


  A detached method
• What are the characteristics of a structured interview?

  • formal
  • standardised method
  • close ended questions and answers
• Why do feminists criticise structured interviews?


  The researcher is in control of the interview which mirrors women's expected subordination as they are unable to properly explain their experiences
• Who is the woman who criticises structured interviews?

  Hilary Graham
• What are the advantages of structured interviews?

  • reliable
  • easy to analyse
  • large sample makes it representative
  • easy and cheap to train interviewers
• What are the disadvantages of structured interviews?

  • unflexible fixed questions
  • cannot follow up interesting points
  • lacks validity and insight into why
• What is the alternative name for an unstructured interview?

  Discovery interviews
• What are the advantages of unstructured interviews?

  • High in validity
  • Can study sensitive topics
  • Can check understanding
  • Flexible
• What are the disadvantages of unstructured interviews?

  • in depth interviews take more time which means you can interview less people
  • training takes longer and may add to cost
  • hard time consuming and analysing the data
• What are semi structured interviews?


  Interviews between the two extremes, questions are set out but the interviewer can probe and follow up
• Who followed up questions with "How do you mean?"

  Aaron Cicourel and John Kitsus (1963)
• Who used group interviews to study working class young men in schools?

  Paul Willis (1977)
• What are the advantages of group interviews?


  Participants may feel more comfortable being around other and open up more
• What are the disadvantages of group interviews?

  • You may get a few who dominate the interview which stops others from sharing their experiences
  • The interviewer must be able to keep the group focused
• What is an example of an unstructured interview research study?


  Ann Oakley
• What did Ann Oakley do?

  Conduct 233 interviews with women about their experiences of transition to motherhood
• How long was the tape data from Ann Oakley's interviews?

  545 hours and 26 minutes
• How many questions did Ann Oakley ask?


  878
• What did Peter Wilmott do?


  Carry out formal interviews with 163 people representing different classes of males and females to see the level of informal social support available to people from different social classes
• How many interviewers did Peter Willmott have during "Friendship networks and Social Support"?


  5 female interviewers
• What is operationalising concepts?


  Breaking down the definitions of words and picking one so that is has the same meaning to everyone