Types of interviews

• Structured interview 


  aims to produce quantitative data, questionnaires are produced in advance.

  +data is easy to analyse and results are easier to generalise

  +less training needed

  -researcher can't ask any follow up questions that emerges during it.

  -validity is threatened and may answer questions differently.
• unstructured interviews 


  less rigid and very little concerning their nature will be decided in advance.

  +have greater validity as the interviewers are more likely to say whatever they want.

  -they are more difficult to analyse
• Semi-structured 


  some prepared and some unprepared questions

  sometimes in style of a focus group.

  +its the best of both interviews

  -high risk of bias as leading questions can be asked and social desirability bias may also be a problem when assessing the validity.