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---
title: interview
date: 2005-10-23 09:20
category: terminology
tags:
slug: interview
summary: :
status: draft
---

'''Interviews''' are examples of ‘intensive’ research methods, in that they involve looking at processes in a particular case or small number of cases. The aim of interviews is therefore not to be representative of a ‘group’, but to inquire into the meanings, intentions and experiences of particular participants themselves.Payne, Geoffrey; Majale, Michael (eds). 2004. ''The Urban Housing Manual: Making Regulatory Frameworks Work for the Poor.'' London: Earthscan.

The conversational style and flexibility of interviews can enable participants to express their perceptions and views in their own words, a possibility which is limited within the more rigid structure of questionnaires. This will allow participants to describe their experiences, to clarify and elaborate on their own perspectives, and to discuss issues which they feel are important. This may help to highlight new issues which the researcher was previously unaware of.

Interviews can either be designed as structured or semi-structured conversations. In structured interviews, a list of specific questions are asked, whereas with semi-structured interviews, certain key questions or themes may be pursued but participants have more control over how they answer their questions.

Interviews are useful at all stages of the research process. Using structured interviews may be more useful at the beginning of the research process when the focus and design of the research is being decided on. In this way, a greater number of key stakeholders can be consulted using set questions to explore their perceptions, and to identify the main issues or themes important to the research. This can help reveal insights into the actors involved in regulatory frameworks, the context, the policy content and the perceived impacts of those policies on people.

Types of Interviews

In-depth interviews

In-depth interviews are useful for consulting smaller groups of key informants, e.g. people directly affected by regulatory frameworks or project operations. They can generate precise information that can then be used to construct case studies or oral histories. These, in turn, can help address important issues and the interviewee's perception of them.

In-depth interviews can also be useful in following-up on key themes emerging from an earlier questionnaire survey or Participatory Appraisal, as well as addressing issues which are not so easily dealt with in these other methods, such as more sensitive or personal issues. Any contradictions or conflicts of opinion, which emerge in other methods, can also be explored. Semi-structured interviews will take more time than structured interviews at the collection and analysis stages and therefore are suitable for smaller groups of respondents.

Structured Interviews

Semi-structured interviews

Semi-structured interviews are useful when consulting a smaller group of key informants. Like in-depth interviews, they can generate more in-depth information and understandings and can be used to build case-studies or oral histories. For instance, they can provide a space for the detailed exploration of the motivations for, experiences of and perceived repercussions of undertaking certain livelihood strategies. This can help address such issues as why people resort to illegal mechanisms for accessing housing and what constraints they believe they face to accessing legal housing.

While semi-structured interviews will allow for a more dynamic setting for the interview and require less time to prepare, it may not generate data with the same level of precision as in-depth interviews.

Strengths

  • Good for accessing meanings and subjective understandings of the world.
  • It is sensitive to the complex views, discourses, intentions and meanings of participants.
  • More flexibility for participants to express their perceptions and views in their own words.
  • Is more likely to uncover issues of which the researcher was unaware or have been neglected within the original research design.

Weaknesses

  • The process of transcribing (writing down the discussion) can be very time consuming.
  • May be impracticable in situations where language or cultural barriers are insurmountable.
  • Requires a trusting relationship between the participants.

Power and representation

When undertaking interviews with key stakeholders, it is important to remember that the stakeholders may have private or political agendas that shape their responses. Therefore, it does not necessarily follow that their expressed opinions are representative of their group, or that they can be otherwise generalized. Information obtained should be cross-checked either through undertaking a number of interviews with different stakeholders or through other methods such as focus or participatory groups where a number of stakeholders can be brought together.

Related Resources

  • [[Key Informant Interviews]]

Citations

Payne, Geoffrey; Majale, Michael (eds). 2004. ''The Urban Housing Manual: Making Regulatory Frameworks Work for the Poor.'' London: Earthscan.

Further Reading

  • Arksey, H. 1999. ''Interviewing for Social Scientists: An Introductory Resource with Examples.'' London: Sage Publications.
  • Bryman, A.; Burgess, R. (eds.) 1994. ''Analysing Qualitative Data.'' London: Routledge.
  • Burgess, J. 1992. "The art of interviewing," in: A. Rogers et al (eds.) ''The Students Companion to Geography.'' Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 207-212.
  • Dunn, K. 2000. "Interviewing," in: Hay, I. (ed.) ''Qualitative research methods in human geography.'' Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
  • Herod, A. 1993. "Gender issues in the use of interviewing as a research method," ''Professional Geographer 46,'' pp. 80-89. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis Group.
  • McCracken, G. 1988. ''The Long Interview.'' London: Sage Publications.
  • Silverman, D. 1993. ''Interpreting Qualitative Data: methods for analysing talk, text and interaction.'' London: Sage Publications.
  • Stake, R. E. 1994. "Case Studies," in: Denzin, N. K.; Lincoln, Y. S. (eds.) ''Handbook of Qualitative Research.'' London: Sage Publications.
  • Yin, R. K. 1994. ''Case study research'' {2nd edition). London: Sage Publications.
  • Yow, V. 1994. ''Recording Oral History: a practical guide for social scientists.'' London: Sage Publications.