Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches to Interviews

• Chapter 9 discusses qualitative and quantitative approaches to interviews.

Interview Research

• A method of data collection involving two or more people exchanging information through a series of questions and answers.
• Typically involves an in-person meeting between an interviewer and an interviewee.
• Widely used across various fields like journalism, TV shows, and hiring processes.
• Useful when gathering very detailed information, asking questions requiring lengthy explanation, or when the topic is complex or confusing to respondents.
• Example: Gathering data on why people decide not to have children and how others respond to that choice.

Conducting Qualitative Interviews

• Qualitative interviews sometimes called in-depth interviews.
• In-depth interviews: semistructured meeting between a researcher and respondent in which the researcher asks a series of open-ended questions
• Open-ended questions require respondents to answer in their own words.
• This type of study contains open-ended questions.
• Develop a guide in advance to be referred to which includes a list of topics or questions that an interviewer hopes to cover.
• Interview guides result from thoughtful and careful work on the part of a researcher.
• The guides are used to conduct the interview, but it is not set in stone.
• Interview guides highlight key issues, since participants provide answers in their own words and may raise other important points, each interview is likely to unfold differently
• Though the opening question may be consistent, the interview's direction is shaped by the participant's responses as.
• Brainstorming an is usually the first step to creating an interview guide.
• One should also check scholarly literature to find related data.

Audio in Qualitative Interviews

• Recording interviews allows the researcher to focus on the conversation without distractions from note-taking.
• If participants are uncomfortable with recording or if the topic is too sensitive, the researcher must balance note-taking with asking insightful questions and active listening.

Analysis of Qualitative Interview Data

• Qualitative interview data analysis begins with transcripts of the interviews conducted
• Transcribing involves creating a written copy of a recorded interview by typing information, noting who said which words.
• It is best to aim for a verbatim transcription, which reports word for word exactly what was said in the recorded interview.
• Begin by reading through transcripts of their interviews to identify codes by Analysis qualitatively and inductively.
• Code: A shorthand representation of some more complex set of issues or ideas
• The process of identifying codes in one's qualitative data referred to as coding.
• Open coding is the first stage of developing codes in qualitative data.
  • Open coding involves reading data with an open mind and writing down patterns or ideas that come up.
  • requires multiple go-rounds.
• Focused coding: The second stage of developing codes in qualitative data
• Focused coding involves narrowing themes and categories identified in open coding, naming them, and describing them.

Strength of Qualitative interviews

• In-Depth Insights: Allows detailed exploration of topics beyond what surveys can capture.
• Participant's Voice: Participants share their views in their own words, offering richer perspectives.
• Social Processes: Useful for studying the "how" and "why" of phenomena.
• Non-Verbal Cues: Observing body language and setting adds valuable context.

Weakness of Qualitative interviews

• Recall Issues: Relies on participants' memory, which may not be entirely accurate.
• Time and Cost: Interviews are time-consuming and expensive, with extensive transcription and analysis required.
• Emotional Strain: Discussing sensitive topics can be emotionally challenging for researchers.
• Limited Objectivity: Focuses on what participants say, not necessarily what they do.

Quantitative Interviews

• Sometimes referred to as survey interviews because they resemble survey-style question-and-answer formats.
• also be called standardized interviews; these are interviews during which the same questions are asked of every participant, and survey-style question-and-answer formats are utilized.
• In standardized interviews questions and answer options are read to respondents rather the participants having to complete the survey:
• Interview schedule: A document containing the list of questions and answer options that quantitative interviewers read to respondents
• Usually more rigid than an interview guide.
• Qualitative researchers allow interviews to progress based on respondents' input, quantitative interviews prioritize consistency in how questions and answer options are presented.
• Quantitively they are usual to more concerned with gathering data from a large, representative sample.
• Quantitative phone interviews have drawbacks, such as:
• Limited accessibility (not everyone has a phone)
• More "fence-sitters"
  • Responses to sensitive questions are often less accurate compared to in-person interviews.

Strengths of Quantitative Interviews

• Response rates tend to be higher in comparison to mailed questionnaires as it is easier to deny a piece of paper than a person.
• In a questionnaire, respondents can't seek clarification, instead researches can explain or clarify confusing questions in an interview.

Weakness of Quantitative Interviews

• Interviews are more time-consuming and expensive compared to mailing questionnaires, this is why quantitative researchers often prefer to use written survey to reach a larger sample at a lower cost.

Issues to Consider for All Interview Types

• Interviewers must be aware of the power dynamic between themselves and interview participants. Two strategies to balance power:
• Researchers can:
  • share parts of their own story,
  • allow participants to review transcripts, and
  • offer them a chance to comment on analysis before publication.
• One way to balance the power between researcher and respondent is to conduct the interview in a location of the participants' choosing, where he or she will feel most comfortable answering your questions
• Unique feature of interviews is that they require some social interaction, which means that to at least some extent, a relationship is formed between interviewer and interviewee
• Rapport is the connection established between the researcher and participant, built on respect and genuine interaction
  • Show respect by being culturally sensitive, not judging, and valuing the participant's time and perspective.