Interviews

Question 1

interviews - structured/formal interviews

Answer 1

structured, pre-coded questionnaires carried out by an interviewer in the same order

Question 2

interviews - advantages of structured interviews

Answer 2

• non-reponse rare, illiteracy overcome so effective way to complete questionnaire
• reliable data, results compared
• no interviewer bias, little involvement

Question 3

interviews - disadvantages of structured interviews

Answer 3

• impose limit on respondents; limited depth of understanding
• cannot establish rapport for personal/sensitive topics
• time-consuming & costly than self-completion
• small possibility of interviewer bias

Question 4

interviews - unstructured/informal interviews

Answer 4

interviewers asks open-ended questions, triggering there questions but stick to interview schedule

Question 5

interviews - group interview

Answer 5

interviewing several people at once, controlling the direction with responses directed to researcher

Question 6

interviews - focus group

Answer 6

group interview

people talk to one another and to interviewers on particular topic

Question 7

interviews - advantages of unstructured interviews

Answer 7

• rapport and flexibility increases validity
• gain greater insights
• ambiguities clarified
• ideas of sociologists able to be developed during interview
• can assess honesty and validity
• group interviews spark discuss that leads to more in-depth information

Question 8

interviews - disadvantages of unstructured interviews

Answer 8

• time-consuming, costly (low representativeness)
• less reliable (different in interview rather than between people)
• difficult to replicate; depends on researcher
• difficult to compare and measure responses
• group interviews form of peer pressure; conceal true feelings, personal issues, exaggerate views
• interviewer bias

Question 9

interviews - general problems

Answer 9

interpretivist; artificial situation
what people say may not reflect real behaviour
no guarantee people giving true account
unlikely to give honest answers to stranger about personal issues

Question 10

interviews - interview effect

Answer 10

participant may want to please interviewer

characteristics of interviewer may influence participants response

Question 11

interviews - example of interview

Answer 11

labov
undersand linguistic styles of working-class boys
able to produce rich data as able to develop rapport