The document defines an interview as a conversation between two or more people where the interviewer asks questions to the interviewee to obtain responses or answers. It discusses different types of interviews such as structured, unstructured, one-to-one, group, and online/video interviews. The nature of interviews includes social interaction, investigating issues in depth, discovering thoughts and feelings on topics, and establishing rapport between interviewer and interviewee. Merits are flexibility, high response rates, ability to judge non-verbal behavior, and permitting deeper responses. Demerits include high costs, time-consuming nature, potential for biases, and subjectivity of interviewer.

2. Interview
Derived from French word “entrevoir” which
means “to see each other, visit each other
briefly, have a glimpse of”.
An interview is a gentle conversation
between two people or more where questions
are asked to a person to get the required
responses or answers.

3. Definitions given by different Scholars
• Scott, “an interview is a purposeful exchange of
ideas, the answering of questions and
communication between two or more persons.
• Bingham, defined interview as “a conversation with a
purpose”.
• Garry Dessler, “an interview is a procedure designed
to obtain information from a person's oral response
to oral inquiries.
• W.J.Goode & PK Hatt, “interviewing is fundamentally
a process of social interaction.

4. Nature & characteristics of interiew:
I. It is a social interaction.
II. It investigates issues in a depth way.
III. It discovers how individuals think and feel about a
topic and why they hold certain opinions.
IV. It involves establishments of a rapport between the
interviewer and interviewee.
V. It is behavioral method.
VI. It can help to reach out sensitive topics which
people may feel uncomfortable discussing in a focus
group.
VII.It adds a human dimension to impersonal data.

5. Types of Interviews:
 Structured Interview
 Unstructured interview
 One-to-one interview
 Group interview
 Online interview/ video interview

6. Merits
• It provides flexibility to the interviewer.
• The interviewer has a better response rate than
mailed questions, and the people who cannot
read & write can also answer the questions.
• The interviewer can judge the non-verbal
behavior of the respondent.
• The interview permits greater depth of response
which is not possible through any other means.

7. Demerits
• It can be very costly as well as very time-
consuming.
• An interview can cause biases.
• Even in the presence of a skilled interviewer
some interviewees will not respond freely,
frankly & accurately.
• There is a constant danger of subjectivity on
the part of the interviewer.