INTERVIEWS

• what is an interview?

  a social survey conducted verbally, either face to face or by the phone
• What is a structured interview?

  a list of pre-determined questions. The interviewer asks each person the same questions word for word
• what is an unstructured interview?

  no set questions, more like a guided conversation with each interviewee
• what is a semi-structured interview?

  the interviewer has a questions list, but can ask additional questions to probe if necessary
• What is a group interview?

  The interviewer has 2-12 respondents who can add to the responses in any order. They may be structures, unstructured or semi
• what are the advantages of a structured interview?

  organised

  quick

  reliable
• what are the advantages of an unstructured interview?

  better tone

  valid

  researcher rapport
• what are the advantages of a semi-structured interview?

  valid

  open minded

  flexible
• what are the advantages of a group interview?

  time efficient
• what are the disadvantages of a group interview?

  some people may not have a chance to speak

  unreliable

  lack of validity

  conformity
• what are the disadvantages of a semi-structured interview?

  lack reliability

  time consuming
• what are the disadvantages of an unstructured interview?

  lacks reliability

  hard to analyse

  time consuming

  unpreparedness
• what are the disadvantages of a structured interview?

  lack of researcher rapport

  invalid

  lack of clarification of questions