HMPYC 80 –
Research Methodologies
Section D – Chapter 17:
Interviews as Data Collection Method
, 1. Introduction:
► Interviewing - whether with individuals or groups - is arguably the data collection method
mostly used in qualitative research.
► Verbal communication is key to the collection of authentic, descriptive, rich, and thick
qualitative data.
2. Types of Interviews:
► As a qualitative researcher, you have a choice to interview individuals (and dyads) or
groups of people.
- Interviewing could be Implemented directly (face-to-face) or online.
► Key considerations when deciding on the most appropriate data collection methods or
combination thereof include the research topic, the research questions, the purpose of the
study, the research design, and study population.
► Direct interviewing holds numerous advantages such as the following: you conduct
synchronous interviews that allow for flexibility in terms of follow up questions and to
journey with participants as narratives unfold; rich and thick data are collected from a
relatively small sample of participants; and you have some control over the individual or
group interview.
- However, interviews are time-consuming for both you as the researcher and for the
participants.
► Direct interviewing often requires extensive traveling time and costs for the parties involved;
The transcription of interviews is an equally time-consuming activity.
► Interviewing is not limited to direct interaction; Technological advances have opened the
opportunity for online interviewing.
► Online interviewing can save traveling time and costs.
- It could be synchronous (e.g., you conduct a virtual interview with a participant via Skype
instead of face to face in real time resulting in no time delay) or it could be asynchronous
(e.g., you send out emails with questions to participants who then each answer when it is
convenient for them to do so, resulting in a time delay).
► Online interviewing holds the advantage is that it allows participants to take part in the study
on their own terms when they want and from a place where they feel comfortable to do so;
larger numbers of participants could be interviewed because time and distance are not
issues to consider; participants type their responses if the interviews are asynchronous and
as such you save time on transcribing the interview; And, it's allows for the exchange of
information over a longer period.
► However, interviews take longer to complete because several aspects are dealt with
asynchronously; you missed out on nonverbal cues especially when participants type their
, responses; some participants do not easily trust a researcher online, and consequently
rapport is not easily established; you lose out on participants spontaneity because in
asynchronous data collection people have the opportunity to reflect and provide more
measured or guarded responses; over time it could be difficult to maintain momentum and
to preserve the dialogue; and online connections may be lost.
► You should determine the most appropriate method to achieve a specific study’s research
purpose.
- Unless interviews are conducted in an asynchronous manner (e.g., through typing in email
interviews), you should obtain informed consent from participants to audio or video record
interviews to generate transcriptions and ease data analysis.
3. Interviewing Individuals:
3.1. Direct or Face-to-Face
Interviews:
1. Informal Field 2. Life History 3. In-depth or Unstructured Interviews:
Interviews Interviews:
Informal field Life history interviews In-depth or unstructured interviews are
interviews represent employ open questions to usually undertaken in a natural setting
a form of data focus on participants’ (e.g., the house of participants) to
collection that entire life and the meaning understand participants’ lives,
happens that they ascribe to events experiences, feelings, perceptions or
spontaneously during and the meaning thereof in situations from their point of view in their
empirical work such their own lives. own words.
as during field
observation. Data from life history You make use of open (non-directive)
interviews are often questions to explore in depth, without
These conversations triangulated with other predetermine questions delineated in an
will be congenial and qualitative data, such as interview guide.
are not audio diaries, letters and
recorded. photographs. Unstructured interviews require excellent
- Instead, such interviewing skills because you must
informal impromptu journey with the participant.
interactions are - In-depth interviews are regularly
captured in implemented for the following research
fieldnotes. purposes: to explore phenomena that are
quite new with little existing literature, or to
The kind of explore topics of a sensitive nature, or to
information shared describe the lived experiences of
during informal field participants in detail with rich and thick
interviews often fills descriptions, or to decipher the context
gaps related to the and/or perceptions of participants (as
culture and context qualitative component) to elucidate
within which the quantitative results originating from the
research is quantitative component of mixed methods
conducted. studies.
Research Methodologies
Section D – Chapter 17:
Interviews as Data Collection Method
, 1. Introduction:
► Interviewing - whether with individuals or groups - is arguably the data collection method
mostly used in qualitative research.
► Verbal communication is key to the collection of authentic, descriptive, rich, and thick
qualitative data.
2. Types of Interviews:
► As a qualitative researcher, you have a choice to interview individuals (and dyads) or
groups of people.
- Interviewing could be Implemented directly (face-to-face) or online.
► Key considerations when deciding on the most appropriate data collection methods or
combination thereof include the research topic, the research questions, the purpose of the
study, the research design, and study population.
► Direct interviewing holds numerous advantages such as the following: you conduct
synchronous interviews that allow for flexibility in terms of follow up questions and to
journey with participants as narratives unfold; rich and thick data are collected from a
relatively small sample of participants; and you have some control over the individual or
group interview.
- However, interviews are time-consuming for both you as the researcher and for the
participants.
► Direct interviewing often requires extensive traveling time and costs for the parties involved;
The transcription of interviews is an equally time-consuming activity.
► Interviewing is not limited to direct interaction; Technological advances have opened the
opportunity for online interviewing.
► Online interviewing can save traveling time and costs.
- It could be synchronous (e.g., you conduct a virtual interview with a participant via Skype
instead of face to face in real time resulting in no time delay) or it could be asynchronous
(e.g., you send out emails with questions to participants who then each answer when it is
convenient for them to do so, resulting in a time delay).
► Online interviewing holds the advantage is that it allows participants to take part in the study
on their own terms when they want and from a place where they feel comfortable to do so;
larger numbers of participants could be interviewed because time and distance are not
issues to consider; participants type their responses if the interviews are asynchronous and
as such you save time on transcribing the interview; And, it's allows for the exchange of
information over a longer period.
► However, interviews take longer to complete because several aspects are dealt with
asynchronously; you missed out on nonverbal cues especially when participants type their
, responses; some participants do not easily trust a researcher online, and consequently
rapport is not easily established; you lose out on participants spontaneity because in
asynchronous data collection people have the opportunity to reflect and provide more
measured or guarded responses; over time it could be difficult to maintain momentum and
to preserve the dialogue; and online connections may be lost.
► You should determine the most appropriate method to achieve a specific study’s research
purpose.
- Unless interviews are conducted in an asynchronous manner (e.g., through typing in email
interviews), you should obtain informed consent from participants to audio or video record
interviews to generate transcriptions and ease data analysis.
3. Interviewing Individuals:
3.1. Direct or Face-to-Face
Interviews:
1. Informal Field 2. Life History 3. In-depth or Unstructured Interviews:
Interviews Interviews:
Informal field Life history interviews In-depth or unstructured interviews are
interviews represent employ open questions to usually undertaken in a natural setting
a form of data focus on participants’ (e.g., the house of participants) to
collection that entire life and the meaning understand participants’ lives,
happens that they ascribe to events experiences, feelings, perceptions or
spontaneously during and the meaning thereof in situations from their point of view in their
empirical work such their own lives. own words.
as during field
observation. Data from life history You make use of open (non-directive)
interviews are often questions to explore in depth, without
These conversations triangulated with other predetermine questions delineated in an
will be congenial and qualitative data, such as interview guide.
are not audio diaries, letters and
recorded. photographs. Unstructured interviews require excellent
- Instead, such interviewing skills because you must
informal impromptu journey with the participant.
interactions are - In-depth interviews are regularly
captured in implemented for the following research
fieldnotes. purposes: to explore phenomena that are
quite new with little existing literature, or to
The kind of explore topics of a sensitive nature, or to
information shared describe the lived experiences of
during informal field participants in detail with rich and thick
interviews often fills descriptions, or to decipher the context
gaps related to the and/or perceptions of participants (as
culture and context qualitative component) to elucidate
within which the quantitative results originating from the
research is quantitative component of mixed methods
conducted. studies.
