qualitative interview. sanpad april 2007f. reysoo, j.heldens research path how do you deliver the...

QUALITATIVE QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWINTERVIEW

SANPAD April 2007F. Reysoo, J.Heldens

Research PathResearch Path

How do you deliver the interview questions?How do you deliver the interview questions?Interview QuestionsInterview Questions

Which auxiliary questions do you pose?Which auxiliary questions do you pose? Topic AspectsTopic Aspects

About what do you have to talk with that person? About what do you have to talk with that person? Which initial questions do you pose?Which initial questions do you pose?

Topics of the interviewTopics of the interview

Which information do you want to get ?Which information do you want to get ? Objective of the interviewObjective of the interview

Where (from whom) do you get the required Where (from whom) do you get the required information? How do you collect the data?information? How do you collect the data?

Data Sources andData Sources and

Data CollectionData Collection

What knowledge is necessary to achieve the What knowledge is necessary to achieve the research objective?research objective?

Research QuestionResearch Question

What do you want to “solve” with the research?What do you want to “solve” with the research? Research ObjectiveResearch Objective

What exactly is the problem?What exactly is the problem? Research TopicResearch Topic

KEY QUESTIONSKEY QUESTIONSRESEARCH PATHRESEARCH PATH


When are you going to interview?When are you going to interview?

• Understanding of idiographic processes that Understanding of idiographic processes that give rise to interviewees’ opinions, give rise to interviewees’ opinions, experiences and feelingsexperiences and feelings

• Description of indirect observationsDescription of indirect observations

• Emic perspectiveEmic perspective


Empirical cycle Empirical cycle

• Qualitative research is an iterative process in Qualitative research is an iterative process in which data-collection, data-recording, which data-collection, data-recording, (intermediary) data-analysis, reflections and (intermediary) data-analysis, reflections and generating new questions are part of a generating new questions are part of a continuous comparative effort.continuous comparative effort.

• Ideally each next moment of data-collection is Ideally each next moment of data-collection is informed by the information and patterns informed by the information and patterns discovered from preceding sources discovered from preceding sources (observations or interviews)(observations or interviews)


Interview CycleInterview Cycle

Reflecting phase

Analysis phase

Doing phase

Planningphase

•delivering the question•listening to the interviewee•observing the interviewee’s non-verbal behaviour•evaluating the response•probing the response •recording the information

•formulating relevant questions•designing motivating questions•establishing an communicative atmosphere

•Identifying information gaps•Preparing for the next interview

•Transcribing the interview•Making interview records•Analyzing one’s own interviewer behaviour


Two theoretical conceptionsTwo theoretical conceptions

• the interviewer as a minerthe interviewer as a miner

• the interviewer as a travellerthe interviewer as a traveller


Qualitative interviewQualitative interview

Interview is a Interview is a particular kind particular kind of aof a

conversation with a conversation with a specific aim specific aim

and a and a role differentiation.role differentiation.


Role differentiationRole differentiation

intervieweeinterviewer

pupil teacher

respondent‘I’ perspectiveopinions, beliefs attitudes ………

informant‘we’ perspectiveindirect observationsbear witness expertgroups informant

actor

guide

director

measuring instrument

host(ess)guest


operationalisationoperationalisation

• Metaphor: fishnet (fyke)Metaphor: fishnet (fyke)


Communicative settingCommunicative setting

• Physical settingPhysical setting• desk arrangementdesk arrangement

• chair placementchair placement

• lightning lightning

• quietquiet

• privacyprivacy

• amenities amenities

• visual props visual props

• note takingnote taking

• tape recordingtape recording

• dress and groomingdress and grooming

• Verbal setting– introductionary remarks

– explanation

– self-presentation

– rapport-building


Preparing an interview Preparing an interview guide/scheduleguide/schedule

• State ‘purpose statement’ or ‘research question’State ‘purpose statement’ or ‘research question’• What do you know about the question?What do you know about the question?• What are your assumptions about the questions and What are your assumptions about the questions and

possible answers?possible answers?• What is the purpose of the interview?What is the purpose of the interview?• What are the topics or themes (or sub-questions) that What are the topics or themes (or sub-questions) that

you want to explore?you want to explore?• Who will you interview and how will you select Who will you interview and how will you select

them?them?


Towards an interview guideTowards an interview guideselect the topicsdefine all the aspects of the topicsformulate initial (open-ended) questionsdetermine the kind of questions

determine the logical order of the topics/questionsprepare the introduction and the endprepare the interview-technical indications

Purpose of the questionsPurpose of the questions PastPast PresentPresent FutureFuture

((Sensorial) description of behaviour Sensorial) description of behaviour and/or experiencesand/or experiences

Factual information (knowledge)Factual information (knowledge)

Opinions (value)Opinions (value)

FeelingsFeelings

Background information of the Background information of the intervieweeinterviewee


Initial question versus probeInitial question versus probe

• Initial question is mostly planned in advance Initial question is mostly planned in advance depending on the aim of the interviewdepending on the aim of the interview

• A probe must be improvised depending on the A probe must be improvised depending on the answer of the intervieweeanswer of the interviewee


Common mistakesCommon mistakes

• Asking long, complicated questions so that the Asking long, complicated questions so that the participant is lost in verbal barrage.participant is lost in verbal barrage.

• Asking yes/no questions or closed questions that can Asking yes/no questions or closed questions that can be answered in a word or two.be answered in a word or two.

• Asking vague, general questions, rather than focusing Asking vague, general questions, rather than focusing on specific details of events and experiences.on specific details of events and experiences.

• Asking leading questions based on your own theories, Asking leading questions based on your own theories, beliefs and assumptions.beliefs and assumptions.

• Failing to ‘read between the lines’Failing to ‘read between the lines’


ListeningListening“the reason why we have

two ears and only one mouth isthat we may listen the more

and talk the less”.

Zeno (300 BC)

don’t be afraid of silences

to get understand what the interviewee is saying and get the information

listen to guide the interviewee and judge the emotional state of the interviewee

to evaluate


Effective listeningEffective listening

• Hearing or listening?Hearing or listening?• Content listening. Constantly ask questions as::Content listening. Constantly ask questions as::

– Is it clear what that means?Is it clear what that means?– Is the interviewee saying this or that?Is the interviewee saying this or that?– Is that really relevant to the question?Is that really relevant to the question?– Is the answer complete?Is the answer complete?– What does that tone of voice mean?What does that tone of voice mean?– How did the interviewee feel about that at the time?How did the interviewee feel about that at the time?– Is that really the truth?Is that really the truth?– Should I interrupt to probe or should I wait till later?Should I interrupt to probe or should I wait till later?

• Empathic listeningEmpathic listening


How to listen?How to listen?

• Know your objectivesKnow your objectives • Know your intervieweeKnow your interviewee • pay attention from the beginningpay attention from the beginning• Control your urge of self presentationControl your urge of self presentation• listen activelylisten actively• listen emphaticallylisten emphatically• be patientbe patient


Listening is evaluating answersListening is evaluating answers

• ClearClear– Interpretation of the answer in only one wayInterpretation of the answer in only one way

• Relevant Relevant – In the context of your aimIn the context of your aim

• CompleteComplete– Covering the whole domainCovering the whole domain

• ValidValid– It is trueIt is true


MetaphorMetaphorcanalcanal


Probing distinguishesProbing distinguishes

Probing distinguishes the trained interviewer from

untrained.

The untrained interviewer has the tendency to think ahead,

to think of the next question in the guide, hurrying to move

on.

The trained interviewer listens attentively to each answer, to

evaluate if the answer is adequate. If the answer is not

adequate, the interviewer thinks, in a few seconds, about the

possible cause and asks a good question to get more precise

and complete information.


Function of the probeFunction of the probe

• To point out which additional information is To point out which additional information is neededneeded

• To motivate the interviewee to give the To motivate the interviewee to give the informationinformation


Common errors in probingCommon errors in probing

• Failure to recognise the need to probeFailure to recognise the need to probe

• Probing too much (interrupting the Probing too much (interrupting the interviewee’s trend of thought)interviewee’s trend of thought)

• Using too much topic controlUsing too much topic control

• Loading the probe (a loaded or leading probe)Loading the probe (a loaded or leading probe)– Nonverbally loading the probeNonverbally loading the probe– Verbally loading the probeVerbally loading the probe


Techniques for probingTechniques for probing non verbal hum and echo reward and punish

follow-up

comparisons

active silence

detailed questions

elaborating questions

clarifying questions

repetitive questions


Inte

rvie

wer

int

ervi

ewee

backgroundcharacteristics age education status race religion sex cultural context

psychologicalfactors perceptions attitudes expectations motives

behaviour factorsanswering the questions adequate inadequate

backgroundcharacteristics age education status race religion sex cultural context

psychologicalfactors perceptions attitudes expectations motives

behaviour factorsmistakes in:•phrasing the question•probing•motivation•registrating the answer

(according to: A.C.J. de Leeuw (1990) en R.L. Kahn en C.F. Cannell (1965).)

Perception and context


Getting and keeping the Getting and keeping the conversation flowingconversation flowing

• Establish and maintain rapport with the intervieweeEstablish and maintain rapport with the interviewee• Allow for long, seemingly rambling answersAllow for long, seemingly rambling answers• Allow for pauses, reflections without rushing in with Allow for pauses, reflections without rushing in with

another questionanother question• Refrain from giving advice or making judgments on Refrain from giving advice or making judgments on

what the participant has sharedwhat the participant has shared• Refrain from ‘inserting yourself’ extensively into the Refrain from ‘inserting yourself’ extensively into the

interview, drawing attention away from the interview, drawing attention away from the participant.participant.


Interview dilemmaInterview dilemma

Directing theInterview situation

friendliness distance

Measuringfield of tension


Writing up and writing downWriting up and writing down

making notes is a craftmaking notes is a craft

using notes is an artusing notes is an art


Verbatim principleVerbatim principle

• Make a verbatim record of what people say.Make a verbatim record of what people say.

• Avoid your own interpretation of what people Avoid your own interpretation of what people say in natural contexts or in more formal say in natural contexts or in more formal interviews.interviews.

• The words people use are an important key to The words people use are an important key to discover meaning and people’s understanding discover meaning and people’s understanding of their world.of their world.

Transcription rulesTranscription rules• Front-page interviewerFront-page interviewer

– Name interviewer; pseudonym or code interviewee; serial number / code interview; date Name interviewer; pseudonym or code interviewee; serial number / code interview; date transcript and date interview; durationtranscript and date interview; duration

• Ier = interviewer; Iee = intervieweeIer = interviewer; Iee = interviewee– Make a clear distinction between what Ier says and what Iee says: blank lines in between, Make a clear distinction between what Ier says and what Iee says: blank lines in between,

indication in frontindication in front• ( ) ( ) speaker says something the transcriber can’t hear/ understandspeaker says something the transcriber can’t hear/ understand• (word) (word) a word that is pronounced unclear, but what you think is being saida word that is pronounced unclear, but what you think is being said• WORD WORD capital letters give emphasis or loudly pronounced wordscapital letters give emphasis or loudly pronounced words• (….) (….) breakbreak• [G smiles][G smiles] description of the non-verbal act or other information that is notdescription of the non-verbal act or other information that is not

expressedexpressed• (overlap) (overlap) Give the overlap of expressions from the other while one is speakingGive the overlap of expressions from the other while one is speaking• .,?! .,?! Punctuation gives the intonation of the speakerPunctuation gives the intonation of the speaker• Back page interviewBack page interview

– Specific things before, during, and after the interviewSpecific things before, during, and after the interview


Dimensions of ‘question - construction’Dimensions of ‘question - construction’

1.1. Providing verbal contextProviding verbal context

2.2. The wording of the questionThe wording of the question

3.3. Is the question meant to be:Is the question meant to be:• broad or narrowbroad or narrow

• open or closedopen or closed

• direct or in-directdirect or in-direct

• neutral of loadedneutral of loaded


'the horns of dichotomy’ 'the horns of dichotomy’ PattonPatton

The grammatical structure:The grammatical structure:

• suggests a yes or no answersuggests a yes or no answer

• creates a dilemma for the interviewee creates a dilemma for the interviewee (motivate to answer extensive, in-depth, in (motivate to answer extensive, in-depth, in detail, vivid and nuanced)detail, vivid and nuanced)

A dichotomous question will easily become an A dichotomous question will easily become an initial question initial question


Asking ‘why – questions’: watch out! Asking ‘why – questions’: watch out!

(Patton 1990)(Patton 1990)

• implication: there is a reason / cause for everything implication: there is a reason / cause for everything & this is ‘knowable’ for the interviewee& this is ‘knowable’ for the interviewee

• Analytical competence of the intervieweeAnalytical competence of the interviewee

• Mostly a motive is a complex of factorsMostly a motive is a complex of factors

• Mostly answers concern a complex of dimensionsMostly answers concern a complex of dimensions

• The interviewee can get the feeling , the The interviewee can get the feeling , the interviewer doesn't believe what he / she is tellinginterviewer doesn't believe what he / she is telling


Non-verbal techniques:Non-verbal techniques:

Proxemic communication: spatial arrangementsProxemic communication: spatial arrangementsChronemic communication: pacing of speech, Chronemic communication: pacing of speech,

length of pauseslength of pausesKinesic communication: movement of body Kinesic communication: movement of body

posturepostureParalinguistic communication: tone, pitch, Paralinguistic communication: tone, pitch,

quality of voicequality of voice


• Listen actively and use prompts and probes Listen actively and use prompts and probes where appropriate for more elaboration. where appropriate for more elaboration.

• Do not assume that you share meanings about Do not assume that you share meanings about a particular word, phrase or event. a particular word, phrase or event.

• Do not assume that you understand, rather ask Do not assume that you understand, rather ask the participant to explain in more detail. the participant to explain in more detail. Example: “You mentioned … Could you tell Example: “You mentioned … Could you tell me more about it?” “You used the word … me more about it?” “You used the word … What do you mean by it?”What do you mean by it?”

qualitative interview. sanpad april 2007f. reysoo, j.heldens research path how do you deliver the...

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