1. Definitions
“A semi-structured interview is a verbal interchange where one person, the interviewer, attempts to elicit information from another person by asking questions” (Longhurst, 2012, p. 103).
A semi-structured interview is a qualitative research method that involves oral communication with individuals in a way that is self-conscious and based on a partially structured methodological course (Longhurst, 2012,pagina?).
“The semi-structured interview is a qualitative data collection strategy in which the researcher asks informants a series of predetermined but open-ended questions”(Ayres, 2008, p. 810).
2. Theoretical background
During the last decades, geographers have shown an increased scientific interest for qualitative research
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213). Semi-structured interviews make the transition from unstructured interviews (mainly oral communication) to structured interviews (template questions, asked in a specified order).The semi-structured interview is also a collaboration between the investigator and the informant (Ayres, 2008, p. 811).
One of the main advantages of the semi-structured interview is that it allows the subjects’ open responses, instead of affirmative or negative brief answers.
About the questions a semi-structured interview should contain, these must cover the entire topic of interest. One of the key factors is to start the interview with “warm-up questions”, which the subjects feel comfortable to answer to. As soon as they have become at their ease, the researcher can ask the more difficult ones. Basically, at the beginning, researchers have to get the respondents in the right mood, make a little comfortable conversation with them and make the transition from simple initial respondents to familiar conversation partners. To do that, the researcher can use some warm-up tricks, such as offering a snack, or begin the conversation with a little game on the topic of interest (Longhurst, 2012, p.
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Research on interviews has generally shown that standardized procedures are higher in their reliability and validity than unstructured interviews. Learning how structured
Structured Interviews where the rater is trained to consistently use the same rating scales to evaluate the responses results in a reliable and valid assessment method and is weighted at .6. Properly implemented structured interviews can reduce adverse impact and annualized turnover.
Unstructured interviews tend to be unreliable and they are often not job related. These are going to be used to get a more general idea of what the individual is like. I will be starting off with these questions first then go into my structured questions.
One advantage of a semi structured interview is that in the case of participants who tend to answer questions briefly, the interviewer can ask more open ended questions and cater the structure of the interview for the participant. The interviewer has a choice of which order to ask the questions in and how to ask them. For instance, in the transcript for the interview, the interviewer is being provided with one sentence yes/no replies in the beginning. Then, a few questions later, the interviewer asks a more detailed question that asks the participant how they manage their diabetes and who helps them. This prompts a more detailed response from the participant, who has now been asked to speak more freely about their experience with diabetes. Furthermore, for semi-structured interviews, the interviewers can follow what the participants are saying and modify their questions accordingly. The interviewer can be prompted by something the participant has said, and explore that prompt further in their proceeding questions. For example, when the respondent states that they do their own finger prick blood test, the interviewer then explores that deeper by asking follow up questions such as what equipment the participant uses and the difference in their own materials versus the hospital’s. Furthermore, in a semi-structured interview, the participant might bring up interesting points the interviewer had not come across in their
Structured interviews (including tests and questionnaires), in which each participant is asked the same set of questions in the same way. The clinical or case study method brings together a wide range of information on one person, including interviews, observations, and sometimes tests scores.
The interview technique chosen was a semi structured individual interview design in an attempt to compare individual thoughts and emotions. Interviews lasted between fifteen and thirty minutes and were recorded by the interviewer via hand written notes. Certain background questions were used at the beginning of the interview to allow the participant to feel relaxed, questioned choice was ensured to be non-directional with prompting only used in aid of the participant (Smith & Osborn, 2003). (A copy of the question sheet can be seen in Appendix 4).
Structured interviews are where the interviewer has already pre-planned the questions that they will use in the interview. This is useful because the interview can be repeated, as the questions are standardised.
Arroll and Howard (2012) and Ashbring (2000) both utilize qualitative methods. According to Breakwell, Smith and Wright (2012) researchers using semi-structures interviews using their questions as a guide for the interview process. Arroll and Howards (2012) use of semi-structured interview fits well with Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) due to its flexible method of collecting data as suggested by Breakwell et al (2012). Dickson, Knussen and Flowers (2007) sum up IPA as having a focus on the links
An interview guide was constructed and then tested through two pilot interviews, during with time frame was evaluated. After these tests were executed, some small adjustments were made in order to better frame the questions. The sample was interviewed during three weeks in March and April 2012, using the semi- structured questions from the interview guide. The authors were aware of the effect that the response to some questions may have on the following responses, if a specific question was posed prior to another. Therefore general rules formulated within qualitative research for the sequence of questions, were followed. (Bryman, 2002). The authors deemed that the first question had
Also, the interviewer comes to the interview with a predetermined and serious purpose. This differs from participant observation which is more like a casual conversation. The interview must have a structure, opening, selected question, and background done on the topic and the participant. Another aspect of interviewing is that is very interactional exchange of question and answers. The interviewer must control the pace and the climate of the interview.
Semi Structured: Semi structured interviews are seen as the ordinary and easily followed interviews, this is because they
Whereas a structured interview follows a standardised format, in an unstructured interview the interviewer has complete freedom to vary the interview. Supporters argue that this brings a number of important advantages. Such as, rapport and sensitivity, the interviewee's views are clearer, the ability to check understanding, flexibility and the ability for the interviewer to explore unfamiliar topics. However, there are multiple disadvantages to using unstructured interviews in sociological research. Such as, practical problems, which include, time and sample size, training, and interpersonal skills, there are also issues with representativeness, reliability, quantification and validity.
Interviewing is the method of qualitative research that normally comes first to people’s mind. It is much more than merely asking premeditated question after question. Interviewing is an art that requires the ability to quickly create a relationship between two people in order to gain knowledge. There are many techniques when it comes to conducting valuable interviews. Not every technique works for every interviewer and there is more than one right way to interview. For instance, while both Robert Lane, author of Political Ideology: Why the American Common Man Believes What He Does, and Judith Kestenberg author of Children During the Nazi Reign, used interviewing to gain knowledge for the writing of their books, these two authors prove
The proposed methodology is a primary qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews. This method has been chosen as the focus of this