A topic in research methodology
Interviews can take a range of forms.
"While all interviews are used to get to know the interviewee better, the purpose of that knowing varies according to the research question and the disciplinary perspective of the researcher. Thus, some research is designed to test a priori hypotheses [i.e., confirmatory research], often using a very structured interviewing format in which the stimulus (questions) and analyses are standardised, while other research seeks to explore meaning and perceptions to gain a better understanding and ⁄ or generate hypotheses [i.e., discovery research]"
DiCicco-Bloom & Crabtree, 2006
Key characteristics of interviews
Interviews, and related types of research techniques, vary in a number of ways.
Important considerations are:
- How much predetermined structure is imposed by the researcher?
- Are materials or activities employed to mediate the conversation?
- Is the interview a two-way conversation with one research participant (interviewee) or are there several participants?
Research interviews may be labelled in various ways: as clinical interviews, ethnographic interviews, structured, unstructured and semi-structured interviews, etc.
Read about clinical interviews
Read about semi-structured interviews
Read about structured interviews
Read about unstructured interviews
Source cited:
- DiCicco-Bloom, B., & Crabtree, B. F. (2006). The qualitative research interview. Medical Education, 40, 314-321.
My introduction to educational research:
Taber, K. S. (2013). Classroom-based Research and Evidence-based Practice: An introduction (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
