interviews

• interview - form of self report method

  -involves an interviewee directly interacting with interviewer

  -usually designed using open questions
• structured interview - pre-written questions in same order every time

  -interviewer asks questions & waits for response
• unstructured interview - no set questions

  -conversational

  -can expand on answers
• semi-structured interview - some pre-planned questions

  -interviewer can ask follow-up questions
• strengths of structured - easy to replicate interviews

  -easy to compare results
• weaknesses of structured - can't deviate from questions to clarify meaning

  -can't pursue interesting responses further
• strengths of unstructured - can ask interviewee questions to clarify

  -can pursue interesting answers in more detail

  -can establish rapport with interviewee
• weaknesses of unstructured - conversations can lose focus if not monitored

  -harder to analyse & compare results

  -vulnerable to social desirability bias
• open questions - no fixed answer

  -longer, detailed answers

  -valid data as answers more true and accurate
• closed questions - fixed range of answers

  -answers easily compared / analysed

  -useful when trying to identify patterns / similarities