PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

“ It is a conversation
INTERVIEW
with a purpose”
 In research, it is a data gathering technique that makes you verbally
ask the subjects or respondents questions to give answers to what
your research study is trying to look for
 Done mostly in qualitative research, interview aims at knowing what
the respondents think and feel about the topic of your research
 Using electronic and technological communication devices such as e-
mail, internet and mobile phones can also be considered as a modern
day tool of research
TYPES OF INTERVIEW:
1. Structured Interview
- this type of interview requires
the use of an interview schedule or a list
of questions answerable with one and
only item from a set of alternative
responses. Choosing one answer from the
given set of answers, the respondents are
barred from giving answers that reflect
their own thinking or emotions about the
topic. You the researcher are completely
pegged at the interview schedule or
prepared list of questions.
TYPES OF INTERVIEW:
2. Unstructured Interview
in this type of interview, the
respondents answer the question based
on what they personally think and feel
about it. There are no suggested answers.
They purely depend on the respondent’s
decision-making skills, giving them
opportunity to think critically about the
question.
TYPES OF INTERVIEW:
3. Semi-structured Interview
The characteristics of the first two types are
found in the third type of interview. Here, you
prepared a schedule or a list of questions that is
accompanied by a list of expressions from where
the respondents can pick out the correct answers.
However, after choosing one from the suggested
answers, the respondents answer another set of
questions to make them explain the reasons behind
their choices. Allowing freedom for you to change
the questions and for the respondents to think of
their own answers. This semi structured interview
is a flexible and an organized type of interview.
(Rubin 2012; Bernard 2013)
APPROACHES
1. Individual Interview
Only one respondent is interviewed here.
The reason behind the one-on-one interview is
the lack of trust the interviewees have among
themselves. One example is the refusal of one
interviewee to let other interviewees get a notion
of or hear his or her responses to the questions.
Hence, he or she prefers to have an individual
interview separate from the rest. This is a time-
consuming type of interview because you have to
interview a group of interviewees one by one.
 APPROACHES
2. Group Interview
In this interview approach, you ask the
question not to one person, but to a group of
people at the same time. The group members take
turns in answering the question. This approach is
often used in the field of business, specifically in
marketing research. Researchers in this field, whose
primary aim in adhering to this interview approach
is to know people’s food preferences and consumer
opinions; they also call this as focus group interview.
The chances of having some respondents getting
influenced by the other group members are one
downside of this interview approach. (Denzin 2013;
Feinberd 2013)
 APPROACHES
3. Mediated Interview
No Face to face interview is true for this
interview approach because this takes place through
electronic communication devices such as telephones,
mobile phones, emails, among others. Though
mediated interview disregards non-verbal
communication man consider it as better because of
the big number of respondents it is capable of reaching
despite the cost, distance, and human disabilities
affecting the interview
Synchronous MI if you talk with subjects
through the telephone, mobile phone or online chat
and also find time to see each other
Asynchronous MI if only two persons are
interviewed at a different time through the internet,
email, Facebook, Twitter and other social network
media
STEPS IN CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW:
 Step 1: Getting to Know Each Other
The interview start from the time you, the interviewer and the
respondents see each other at the place of the interview, that is, if
this is a traditional interview. Naturally, seeing each other for the first
time, your tendency would be to talk with each other to establish
friendship and a relaxed mood for both of you. Your warm
acknowledgement for each other must lead you to discussing several
aspects of the interview such as where you have to do it, how
comfortable both of you should be, and how long should the question
and answer activity be.
 Step 2: Having an Idea of the Research
This step requires you to tell the respondents about the nature of the
interview – its purpose, importance, scope and so on. Telling them of these salient
features of the activity enables them to anticipate not only the kind of questions
they will get to face, but also the appropriate answers they will give. Things
pertaining to the confidential treatment of responses are also tackled in this
second step of interview. It is also in this period when you have to stress the idea
to the respondents that the interview is for you to know and hear their own views
and let them express their own understanding of the topic of the question in their
own words.
 Step 3: Starting the Interview
You open this step with a question to
encourage the respondent to talk about himself
or herself, including his or her age, family
,current activities and other things you think
appear special or interesting to his, or her.
Following these self-introduction questions on
the subjects, thoughts, attitudes or performance
of his or her job or any current work assignment.
The respondent’s answers do not only help you
get some clues on his or her ways or techniques
of responding to interview questions, but also
give you hints on the right ways to ask your
subjects the questions that will elicit the right
data for your research.
 Step 4: Conducting the Interview Proper
Interview questions in this step are on the interviewee’s
open and extensive talking of things related to the research theme or
research questions and on those anticipated by him/her or emanating
from his/her explanations, descriptions or narration of things. Open or
unstructured questions asked in this step of the interview aim at
investigating the respondent’s interests and eliciting substantial or
profuse responses to questions. In asking a battery of questions, and to
the sufficient time allotted for answering each question.
List down on a piece of paper all questions you plan to ask your
respondent and call this list of prepared questions schedule. This helps
you construct or phrase your questions properly and enables you to
foretell possible answers. In addition, using a schedule give you the
opportunity to make changes on the question to adjust them to some
inevitable circumstances caused by the respondent’s human nature.
 Step 5: Putting an End to the Interview
Signs of the approaching end of the interview work to alert the
respondent in winding up with his or her talking. For instance, using
words expressing your decision, wish or attempt to ask the very last
question serves as a clue for the respondent to think that the interview
is nearing its end. This step also reminds you of your responsibility to
let the respondent be free in airing whatever doubts or questions he or
she has about the research design, method, interview, time and other
aspects of the interview.

 Step 6: Pondering Over Interview Afterthoughts

This last step of the interview give the respondent the
opportunity to ask questions about the interview activity and let him or
her have an idea about what will happen next to the interview results.
(Denzin 2013; Bernard 2013; Rubin 2012)