Interveiws

• What are social surveys?

  Methods for collecting data from people
• What is the main feature of interviews?

  Face-to-face questioning by a trained interviewer
• What type of data do structured interviews gather?

  Quantitative data
• What type of data do unstructured interviews produce?

  Qualitative data
• What is the typical format of most interviews?

  One-to-one format
• How many types of interviews are there to know about?

  Four types
• What are the four types of interviews?

  • Structured interviews
  • Semi-structured interviews
  • Unstructured interviews
  • Group interviews
• What characterizes structured interviews?

  Standardized questions asked in the same order
• What is the role of the interviewer in semi-structured interviews?

  To ask pre-set questions and probe further
• How do unstructured interviews differ from structured ones?

  They resemble guided conversations with flexibility
• What is a group interview?

  Interviewing multiple people at the same time
• Who used group interviews in their study of schooling?

  Paul Willis
• What do positivists favor in interviews?

  Structured interviews for reliability and generalizability
• What do interpretivists prefer in interviews?

  Unstructured interviews for validity
• What is an example of a structured interview study?

  Willmott and Young (1987)
• What is an example of an unstructured interview study?

  Dobash and Dobash (1980)
• What type of data do semi-structured interviews collect?

  Both quantitative and qualitative data
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of structured interviews?

  Strengths:

  • High reliability
  • Easy to analyze data

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lack of depth
  • Limited flexibility
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of unstructured interviews?

  Strengths:

  • In-depth responses
  • Flexibility in questioning

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Time-consuming
  • Difficult to analyze data
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of semi-structured interviews?

  Strengths:

  • Flexibility in questioning
  • Builds rapport with participants

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Less representative sample
  • Potential for interviewer bias
• What is rapport in the context of interviews?

  A relationship of trust and understanding
• What is a potential issue with group interviews?

  Data can be difficult to analyze
• What is interviewer bias?

  Influence of the interviewer's behavior on responses
• How can validity in interviews be improved?

  By asking questions rapidly to reduce fabrication
• What is the social desirability effect?

  When interviewees seek to win approval
• What issues can arise from social interactions in interviews?

  They can threaten the validity of responses
• What sociological issues have been studied using interviews?

  Pupil subcultures and gender identity
• What is operationalization in research?

  Making a question clear and measurable
• What is the response rate in surveys?

  The percentage of the sample who respond
• What is the difference between closed and open questions?

  Closed questions are pre-coded; open questions are not
• What is the main advantage of questionnaires?

  They tend to be reliable and replicable
• What do feminists argue about interviews?

  They are a patriarchal method of research
• What is the main goal of interpretivists in research?

  To achieve validity in findings
• What is the significance of cultural background in interviews?

  It can improve the validity of responses
• What is the role of probing questions in interviews?

  To gather more detailed information
• What is the impact of peer group pressure in group interviews?

  It may lead to conformity in responses
• What is the main challenge with analyzing data from group interviews?

  Data can be difficult to analyze
• What is the purpose of using open-ended questions in interviews?

  To explore topics in depth
• What is the main focus of sociologists using interviews in education?

  To study pupil experiences and identities
• What is the importance of ethical considerations in interviews?

  To protect the rights and well-being of participants