The Goal of an interview

• An researcher has certain information that he/she wants to obtain and decides on an individual who would be appropriate to elicit the information from.
• The interviewer then selects a mode for conducting the interview and a structure that will optimize the amount of information that could be gained through the process.
• Present your questions in a relaxed, conversational manner.
• Be sure that the subject appreciates that you are carefully listening by responding spontaneously to his/her answers. They will be more likely to be proactive in their response if they feel that they are participating in a congenial discussion rather than an interrogation.

Modes of Conducting Interviews

• In-person, via telephone, videoconference, or chat room - These are real-time methods
  • Advantages
    • The interviewer can build interest in the topic to be covered by the interview as well as confidence in the interviewer.
    • The interviewer determines the order in which questions are to be answered..
    • The subject is more likely to answer a question rather than skip it.
    • The interviewer can usually obtain more extensive information, particularly with the ability to ask a follow-up question when th initial answer is unclear.
    • In person the subject is less likely to terminate an interview abruptly because it would be impolite.
    • Telephone interviews are easier and more cost-effective to conduct because the interviewer does not have to spend the time and effort to go to a remote location.
  • Disadvantages
    • The wording that the interviewer selects, the manner of expression, and facial expressions may bias the answers that the subject gives.
    • In person interviews require that the interviewer spend the time and effort to go to the subject's location.
    • "Chat" room interviews can be somewhat confusing to read and respond to if more than one interviewer and subject are participating.
• Via mail, email, discussion group, or forum - These are asymetric or non-real-time methods.
  • Advantages
    • It gives the subject more time to decide on how to respond to questions.
    • It can be objective because the subject does tailor responses (conssciously or unconsciously) to the interviewer's verbal or physical cues.
  • Disadvantages
    • The subject can easier lose interest and ignore the interview.
    • It gives the subject more time to decide on how to respond to questions.
    • It can be quite time-consuming if the subject does not respond quickly and because follow-ups require additional time.

Interview Structures

• There is an broad continuum of possible interview structures, ranging from highly structured to the open and exploratory.
• A highly structured interview may be exemplified by a questionnaire, particularly one composed of multiple choice questions. This gives the subject no leeway to respond outside of those prescribed answers. Typically, a structured interview occurs when the interviewer has a very good idea of what he/she wants to elicit out of the subject.
• An open, exploratory interview usually occurs when the interviewer is unsure what to expect in the subject's answers and needs to probe and modify questions depending upon subject's replies. Sometimes this involves letting the subject lead the interviewer wherever he/she wants to go. Other times it may involve turning the subject's reponses into questions.

Types of Questions

• Determining what questions to ask.
  • The kinds of questions that you ask are determined by the goal of your research. Thus, you need to understand as well as possible what you expect to learn as a result of the interview.
  • When planning for an interview, write as many questions as you can, then select, edit, and organize the ones that you will believe will best elicit the answers that you hope to get.
  • There are three kinds of questions that you need to consider: open, closed, and hypothetical.
• Open Questions
  • These are questions that allow the subject to expound at length without constraint.
  • Example: What do you consider the major impediments to ensuring biodiversity in the presence of encroaching suburbs?
  • Open questions are good at the beginning of an interview to establish a rapport with the subject
  • A major advantage to open-ended questions is that the subject is allows to talk about anything, which may reveal the person's attitudes and knowledge about a subject in depth.
• Closed Questions
  • Closed questions are intended to limit the range of a subject's responses. Specifically, these are useful when you are trying to get a specific answer to a specific inquiry.
  • Example: Do you believe that additonal land should be set aside to enlarge the habital for the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander?
  • You should limit the number of closed questions that you ask during an interview, as people tend to get tired of being continuously interrogated?
• Hypothetical Questions
  • These pose questions by which the subject can conjecture a future situation or extrapolate from a current one.
  • Example: Do you think that the redirection of Highway 1 on the San Mateo Coast will have positive or adverse impacts on the local wildlife?

How To Conduct An Interview

• Have an explicit goal
  • You should know what you want from the person you're interviewing BEFORE you meet that person.
  • Know what the objective of your interview is and what kind of information you expect to have when the interview has been completed.
  • List and plan your questions in a manner that will elicit the answers and knowledge that you expect the subject to have.
• Do your research
  • In order to know what to ask, you must know something about the person answering the questions.
  • Do solid basic research so that you aren't going into the interview blind. They will not appreciate it.
  • Read whatever you can both about or by the subject.
• Use the right equipment
  • Whether you are using a notebooks, tape recorder, or video camera, be sure to have all the equipment you need to conduct the entire interview. In other words, don't run out of ink, batteries, or tape.
  • Generally and particularly when you are doing an extensive interview or one with critical content, it is highly advisable to use a tape or video recorder, providing the subject consents to be recorded.
  • Be sure to check your equipment before you go out and do the interview.
• Be on time
  • You have asked the subject to set aside time to be interviewed byyou. Show your appreciation for that generosity by arriving and starting the interview on time and by not exceeding the length of time that was agreed upon. It is only polite and respectful.
  • If you are late, you are likely to have a disgruntled subject, and you interview may not be as effective.
• Be flexible
  • You should be willing to change or, even, reverse course during an interview if the subject spontaneously goes off in a different direction than what you planned. You have to judge whether the direction the interview is going may be interesting and useful.
  • On the other hand, if the information you planned to elicit from the subject is important, you may need to lead the subject back in that direct. Just be aware that the subject may provide you with something unexpected and valuable if you let the interview go with the flow.
• Record carefully
  • You must be sure to thoroughly document the subject's response to your questions to ensure that the output of your work is true to the subject's words and intent.
  • This is, again, where tape and video recording have a great advantage.
• Followup
  • Immediately after the interview, be sure to thoroughly review and edit your record of the information supplied by the subject.
  • Add more notes to clarify and elaborate on what you have recorded.
  • Be sure to send a thank-you note to the subject within a few days.

Resources

• Asking questions: the research interview
  • from Prof. TD Wilson at the Universitetslektor vid Högskolan i Borås, Sweden
  • Research methods and dissertation preparation course
  • http://www.hb.se/bhs/nyutb/kurswebb/c-kurser/applirm/interview/asking01.html
• Step-By-Step E-mail Interviewing Tips
  • Article from the Pointer Institute.
  • http://poynteronline.org/content/content_print.asp?id=50462