Interview Research Method
The interview research method contains a set of questions asked by individuals with knowledge, experience, and/or opinions regarding a specific issue. This interview research method aims at collecting primary data from the respondents. The interviewer asks questions from one or more people about their opinion regarding an issue. In this way, detailed information is collected from them. Furthermore, the interview Method can best be used in many fields, such as psychology, education, business, etc.
For instance, the researcher wants to conduct a study on the effect of social anxiety on the academic achievement of students. For this, the researcher, after setting up a meeting with students, will ask some questions about their level of social anxiety. Then, he or she will record the interview and gain insight regarding the effect of social anxiety on the academic achievement of students.
Different types of interviews
There are three different types of interviews in research, which are:
- Structured interview,
- Unstructured interview,
- Semi-structured interview
Structured interview
In a structured interview, a list of already-prepared questions is asked of the participants. Such questions appear in a set order and are closed-ended in nature. The options with these questions are either yes-no or selection from a pre-selected answers’ list. For example, the parents may be asked questions such as
You show aggression toward your children?
Do you slap your children when you are angry?
Do you provide emotional support for your child?
The nature of a structured interview is like a questionnaire or survey, but the difference is that the questions in a structured interview are asked verbally instead of in written form.
Since the questions of a structured interview are prepared only once and can be repeated in many situations, they save a lot of time. However, it has the deficiency that in-depth responses are not met in this type of interview.
Unstructured interview
In an unstructured interview, which is a type of interview research method, there are no prearranged questions to ask. Rather, questions are created from the responses of the participants. This type of interview is also called a non-directive interview. It has no structure or scoring. One can mention many unstructured interview examples. For example, one unstructured interview example can be “Tell me about you”. Another unstructured interview example is “Tell me about your ideal job”.
In research, this type of interview has a qualitative nature. Furthermore, an unstructured interview example fits in with social sciences and humanities research as it focuses on the personal experiences of the respondents. It can be used as an exploratory research tool. This type of interview is known for its flexibility and can be used to capture the responses of the respondents.
Semi-structured interview
This type of interview is a combination of a structured interview and an unstructured interview. Here, the interviewer has an idea of what questions will be asked of the respondents. But the order of the questions is not set. Therefore, it is important for the interviewer to remain organized and properly keep track of the participants’ responses. This will help the researcher in the process of data analysis.
Maximum benefit can be obtained from the use of semi-structured interviews when the interviewer has previous experience using interview methods for data collection. The interview questions have an exploratory nature.
Comparison of types of interview
| Unstructured interview | Structured interview | semi-structured interview | |
| Fixed number of questions | No | Yes | Yes |
| Order of questions is fixed | No | Yes | No |
| Option of asking additional questions | Yes | No | Yes |
Interview research Method formats
There are different formats for conducting the above three types of interview research methods.
One-on-one interview
A one-on-one interview is designed for the evaluation of the interviewee’s conduct and behavioral qualities and is expected within a team or with a specific individual. One-on-one interviews are most effective when the concerned person conducts the interview with whom the interviewee is expected to work.
A one-on-one interview is preferred for many reasons. One of which is that it is a simple method to conduct. Since keeping oneself on track is easy, this makes it possible for the interviewer to collect more information from the conversation. One-on-one interviews can become more efficient if conducted in the right way.
Online interview
This type of interview is also called a digital interview. This type of interview is conducted remotely through video, such as Zoom, Google meetings, or an audio platform. Similarly, online chat can also be used for conducting such interviews. In this type of interview, the video is dominant. Furthermore, the success of an online interview depends on how effectively these tools are used. In addition, this interview has the benefit that it saves time, money, and effort.
Focus Group
A focus group is one of the qualitative research methods, in which the researcher selects a group of people for an interview. The purpose of a focus group is to collect the perceptions of people and their attitudes and beliefs about an issue.
Following this, there is one moderator in a focus group format who interacts with the group of participants. One can keep two moderators as well. One of them will conduct the interview, while the other will observe the situation. While the participants of the focus group are chosen depending upon the research objectives,
Phone interview
The researcher relies on a phone interview when in-person or online interview options are not possible. It is because the phone interview method is relatively economical, and there is no need for the participants to be present in person.
Characteristics of good interviewers
A good interviewer has the following characteristics:
1. He must know the hiring needs
In the first place, good interviewers know exactly the need for hiring. They understand the work that is supposed to be performed by the interviewee. For this purpose, the interviewers prepare candidate personas, which combine job description templates and knowledge about a company. This helps the interviewers get a complete picture of the person.
2. A good interviewer researches the candidate
Good interviewers are knowledgeable about the candidate. They prepare a complete list of characteristics of the candidate. These characteristics are obtained through studying the candidate’s resumes along with the cover letters. In this way, they examine the candidates’ portfolio and assignments, previous experience, and qualifications.
3. A good interviewer is a good communicator
Good interviewers lead the conversation. For this purpose, they maintain a list of questions to ask candidates, which is used in the form of conversation. It requires some practice.
This skill can be improved by listening more and maintaining a two-way conversation with the candidates. They encourage candidates to ask questions.
4. Asking right questions
The good interviewers ask good and relevant questions of the candidates. Good questions are those that serve the purpose of the interview. These questions are about the skills of the candidates, their level of motivation, and their potential for adjustment in the environment.
5. Good interviewers are aware of the importance of body language, which is why they are trained to read body language. They can combine verbal and nonverbal cues. So they can help the candidates become relaxed during the interview process.
6. Good interviewers take notes, which help him in decision-making regarding the hiring of candidates. They prepare scorecards in advance for the purpose of scoring.
7. Good interviewers remain fair and objective in the selection of the candidates
8. Good interviewers remain friendly in the process of conducting interviews. They treat the candidates with respect.
The importance of interview in research
An interview is a vital tool for collecting detailed information from the participants about an issue. They provide a platform for digging deep into a topic or a service. An important element of the interview process is the expertise of the interviewer. He or she should be trained enough to meet the objectives of the interview. The interview research method is important because we don’t need a large sample of participants to collect data.
Advantages of interview research method
- The interview process has the advantage of collecting original data directly from the respondents.
- The structured interview can be advantageously used in the collection of large amounts of data from a large section of the population.
- The interview has the advantage of obtaining reliable data very quickly.
- Information about the subject or situation can be collected directly and in depth.
- The desired information can be obtained by using a variety of techniques. For instance, an unstructured interview can be effectively used to collect more information with less effort.
- Spontaneous and biased information can be easily detected.
- Questions in an interview can be altered to obtain the required information.
Advantages of online interviews
- The online interview enables the interviewer to collect high-quality information when in-person interviews are not possible.
- Much of the cost of travel, etc., can be saved when we use the online interview method.
- There is greater flexibility and comfort for the respondents, as they can respond from their homes with convenience and flexibility.
- The precious time of both the interviewer and respondent is saved by avoiding travel.
- Since the respondents feel at ease, they respond in a more honest way.
Disadvantages of interview research method
- The interview method is usually time-consuming and costly.
- There is a chance that the respondents respond in a biased manner.
- There is less anonymity, which remains the concern of the participants.
- Lack of accessibility for the respondents is one of the major disadvantages of interview method.
Steps for conducting interview
Following are the steps of conducting interview:
1. Define interview objectives
Every assignment has certain objectives. The first step in an interview is the identification of the objectives. The researcher has to first decide what he wants to achieve and what information will be needed for this purpose. Some of the examples of interview objectives include:
Gathering information about the understanding of certain behaviors.
To monitor the trends in the behavior of individuals in society about the use of mobile
2. Choosing the type of format
The ideal type of interview research method will be decided on the basis of the objective of the interview. For this purpose, that format will be selected, which gives the researcher the most helpful responses for achieving the objectives. Sometimes a structured interview is best, while in other situations, an unstructured or semi-structured interview is suitable for the achievement of the objectives.
3. Preparation of questions or material for interview
The next step in conducting an interview is the preparation of questions. The researcher is required to select as many neutral questions as possible because it prevents the researcher from influencing the answers that his respondents give.
The researcher, while preparing questions for the interview research method, should select evocative wording. Furthermore, efforts should be made to avoid such questions, which create confusion in the minds of the respondents. The questions can be about certain behaviors, opinions, feelings, backgrounds or demographics, and knowledge.
4. Understanding the questions to be addressed
It is important for the researcher to reflect on the questions that will be asked of him or her during the interview. It is because this reflection is important that it helps in refining the questions.
5. Analyzing the demographics of the interviewees
In this step of the research method, the researcher analyzes the demographic information of the interviewees.
6. Selection of the respondents
In the majority of cases, your research objectives determine the selection of respondents by the researcher. For this purpose, respondents should be selected who can best respond to the questions and help in understanding the phenomena. For instance, if the researcher wants to know about the professionalism intervention, it is important for him to select the participants on the basis of role (inhabitants and faculty), perspective (approving vs. disapproving the intervention), experience level (junior or senior), and diversity (gender, ethnicity).
7. Designing the interview questions to collect sufficient information
The researcher should prepare sufficient questions for the interview.
8. Preparation for interview
The preparation for the interview is an important step. If the researcher is well prepared for conducting interviews, the required information will be easily collected. Some of the important points are required to be noted when preparing for the interview.
9. Selecting the setting for interview
It is important to select a location that is accessible to both the interviewer and the interviewee. If it is difficult to access the location physically, then an online interview can be conducted, provided that the respondents feel comfortable.
-
Explaining the purpose of the interview
It is important to explain the purpose of the interview to the respondents before conducting the interview. The interviewer should introduce himself, his institution, and the purpose of the interview.
-
Addressing the confidentiality
The researcher will ensure the respondents that the information provided will be kept confidential and used for research purposes only. The researcher should get written permission to use the information provided by them for research purposes.
9. Scheduling interviews
This is the important step in actually conducting the interview. It is made sure that the respondents provide information without interruption. During the interview, the researchers should nod their heads and ask for clarification if required. The researcher should record the interview for reference as well. During the interview, the researcher should vary his or her body language and facial expressions. The researcher should show interest in the responses of the respondents.
10. Analysis of the interviewee on the basis of his or her responses
The last step in conducting interview research is that the researchers then analyze the responses of the interviewee by using either an inductive or deductive approach. They try to get important quotes and make decisions accordingly.