This document discusses various types of qualitative interviews and important considerations for conducting effective interviews. It covers unstructured, semi-structured, and structured interviews as well as focus groups. Key factors that could introduce bias like confirmation bias, cultural bias, and question order bias are examined. Practical tips are provided around building rapport, asking follow up questions, spotting interviewee biases, and creating a comfortable environment.

1. Jenna
Mittelmeier
24 Jan 2017
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

2. TYPES OF QUALITATIVE
INTERVIEWS

3. Why do we do
qualitative
interviews?
- To explore individual views, experiences,
beliefs, motivations, etc
- To gain a deeper understanding of observed
phenomenon
- To explore sensitive topics
- To explore a topic on a more micro, personal
level
- To confirm or expand quantitative findings
- To provide a foundation for designing studies

4. TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
Unstructured
Semi-
structured
Structured
Pros:
- Easily replicable
- Can compare large
sample sizes
- Can do a quant
analysis of answers
Cons:
- Inflexible
- Doesn’t bring up
unknown concepts
- Can’t be personalised
to the interviewee
Pros:
- Allows for flexibility
- Can clarify statements
Cons:
- More difficult to
compare across a
large sample size
- More difficult to
generalize findings
Pros:
- Allows you to explore
new concepts or
constructs
- Good for early stage
research
Cons:
- Very difficult to
compare across a
large sample size

5. TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
Focus Groups
Pros:
- Increased reach
- Interaction effects
- Time effective
Cons:
- Dealing with group
dynamics
- Bias towards the
outspoken

6. •Pros: can see expressions, easier build trust
•Cons: must be within proximity to meet in personFace to face
•Pros: Can meet with people far away, can still see expressions
•Cons: a bit more awkward, technical issuesVideo (skype)
•Pros: Can meet with people far away, offers some level of anonymity
•Cons: difficult to read expressions or build trustPhone
•Pros: Automatic transcription, high level of anonymity, can still adapt
questions
•Cons: shorter responses, many verbal cues lost (sarcasm)
Chat
•Pros: Automatic transcription, no need to arrange time, high level of
anonymity
•Cons: waiting for a response, no social cues, cannot adapt questions
Email
INTERVIEW FORMATS

7. RESEARCHER BIAS

8. Research
Questions
What do I really
want to ask?
What can I ask to get
there?

9.  When the researcher already has a hypothesis and uses the
interview to confirm their views
 Example:
‘What fears do you have when you walk home alone at night?’
‘What difficulties have you faced in your PhD?’
CONFIRMATION BIAS

10.  Using words that are misunderstood or misinterpreted in the
cultural or social setting
Example:
American in the UK asking – ‘How would you describe your
instructor’s classroom techniques?’
CULTURAL OR SOCIAL BIAS

11.  Asking questions that impact an interviewee’s feelings on the
next question
 Example:
‘What difficulties have you experienced when communicating
with immigrants?’
THEN
‘How do you feel about immigrants living in the UK?’
QUESTION ORDER BIAS

12.  When a question conditions the interviewee to respond in
certain ways
 Example:
‘You said you dislike group work. Is it because you’ve had
difficulties communicating?’
‘Some people think eating sugar is bad. What do you think?’
LEADING QUESTIONS

13.  Assuming experiences are positive in all areas because they
are positive in one area
 Example:
Interviewee talks about positive experience with one MOOC, and
you assume all MOOC experiences have been positive
HALO EFFECT

14.  Things to avoid:
 Sharing your hypothesis with the interviewee
 Yes or no questions
 Behaviours that signal what the interviewee has said is ‘good’
(jumping to take notes, positive responses, etc)
 Avoid double barrelled questions
 Asking too many ‘why’ questions
 Things to do:
 Use neutral language
 Ask open questions (‘Where’ ‘When’ ‘How’)
TIPS

15.  Easy questions before hard questions
 Positive questions before negative questions
 General questions before specific questions
 Unstructured questions before structured questions
 Always have a transition between topics
QUESTION ORDER

16. Thing you want to know:
What do parents think should be improved about their
child’s education?
PRACTICE:

17.  Silence
 Stay silent and wait for the interviewee to keep going
 Take a moment to take a drink or write notes
 Echo
 Repeat the last thing the person said
 ‘Uh-huh’
 Filler words that show you’re interested
 Ask for an expansion or more details
 ‘You said XYZ. Can you expand on that?’ or ‘Why was that important to
you?’
 Ask for variations
 ‘Have you experienced that in other circumstances?’
 Accommodate emotional expressions
 ‘What parts of this issue do you think prompted such strong feelings?’
 Steer diversions back to the topic at hand
 ‘How does this issue relate to the topic we started on?’
INTERVIEW PROBES

18. CASE STUDY APPROACH

19. SPOTTING INTERVIEWEE
BIASES

20.  Tendency to agree with or speak positively about something.
Reluctance to give criticisms
 Example:
‘I think group work is wonderful!’
 To avoid:
 Replace any questions that imply there is an answer
 Position the interviewee as the expert at the start of the interview
ACQUIESCE BIAS

21.  When an interviewee answers a question by saying what the
interviewer wants or expects them to say
 Example:
‘I’ve never had any problems working with people from different
backgrounds because I love multiculturalism’
 To avoid:
 Indirect questions (What do you think your classmates feel about
XYZ)
 Using lead-ins (XYZ research study has found XYZ. How do you feel
that fits your situation?)
SOCIAL DESIRABILITY BIAS

22.  When the interviewee starts saying the same answer to
different questions (sign of fatigue)
 Example:
‘Yeah, as I said before….XYZ’
 How to avoid:
 Keep interview questions to a minimum
 Vary question wording
 Don’t stay on one topic for too long
HABITUAL RESPONSES

23.  When the researcher knows who is backing the research or
what the intended outcomes are, and tailors their response to
match it
 Example:
Interviewee knows you’re interested in whether social events
impact student retention
‘I love the social events here and think I wouldn’t have stayed at
the university if it weren’t for the friends I made there’
 How to avoid it:
 Maintain a neutral stance, avoid expressing your hypothesis
 Avoid positive feedback and reinforcement
 Leave questions about the goals of the research project until the end
of the interview (when ethically possible)
SPONSOR BIAS

24. PRACTICAL AND
LOGISTICAL
CONSIDERATIONS

25. Informal? Formal?
CREATING A VIBE
• Is the seat comfortable?
• Are there distractions? (posters, window, people walking by)
• Are there annoying noises or lights?
• Is it too cold or too hot?
• Can you record easily here?

26. WHERE TO SIT?

27. Good
introduction
Good
interview
THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES
Things to introduce:
• Yourself and your background
• The project and its aims
• The interviewee and why they are there
• The format of the interview
• Address confidentiality

28.  Make small talk
 Self-disclosure of shared experiences, if relevant
 Introductory questions (How long have you been at this
university? What experiences have you had so far with XYZ)
 Offering water/tea/coffee/etc
 Make confidentiality transparent
BUILDING TRUST

29. BODY LANGUAGE

30. Closed body language Open body language
Crossed arms Open arms
Slouching Good posture
Looking down, no eye contact Eye contact
Crossed legs Uncrossed legs
Touching face, playing with hair Hands at the desk or on notes
Stoic expression Engaged expression

31.  Ask if there’s anything else they’d like to add
 End on a positive note
 Thank the participant
 Ask if they have any further questions about the research
 Reiterate what they’ve contributed to
 Explain how they can see results
ENDING THE INTERVIEW

32. LOGISTICAL THINGS TO CONSIDER
Factoring in time for intros and conclusions
Food. Water.
Timekeeping
Notetaking
Mental breaks
Know how to rephrase questions
Maintain awareness of both sides of the conversation