Interviews

Data Collection Techniques: The Interview
(Bill, Ellie, Stephanie)

Interviewing One-Page Handout!
Review this handy, easy-to-read document for tips on interviewing for ETEC projects. (interview.pdf - 55kb)

Article for Class to Read:
Click Here Review the Case Study 8, "Motivating Adult Learners" that many of you read two weeks ago from the Action Research PDF Workbook.

Interviewing Resources

 * **A great overview of interviewing** - Concise and comprehensive, bookmarking this website will be a great interviewing reference for you in the future.
 * **The "do"s and "don't"s of interviewing** - A quick list!
 * **A one-minute video with interviewing tips** - While this interviewing expert is talking about interviewing people for genealogical reasons, the principles also apply to the interviewing we might do in ETEC.

=Interviewing=

Interviews are a qualitative research method utilized to gather data through //questioning//. The data gathered is an individual’s personal knowledge, opinions, and beliefs. Researchers that utilize this method should be versed in the art and science of exploring, capturing and appropriately integrating this data type into research efforts. The data gathered during the interview process, namely answers to questions, must be examined holistically rather than literally. A holistic approach to data interpretation may involve examining interviewee emotions, body language and contradictions in responses and the interviewers own potential influence in the recorded response.
 * 1. What is an Interview?**


 * 2. Types of Interviews**


 * Informal**: The //unstructured// interview is free-flowing and done in a conversational style. Interviewers are free to take the questioning in any direction they desire, and questions can be adjusted according to how the interviewee is responding. Having a base set of questions, formed from //who//, //what//, //when//, //where//, //why// and //how// prompts, may help make this more difficult style of interviewing easier.


 * Formal**: The //structured// interview consists of gathering responses from a //set// list of questions. The interviewer does not stray from this list by injecting extra comments or questions. The interviewer may request clarification or elaboration, but must not attempt to influence the responses or share personal beliefs and opinions.


 * 3. Interviewing Tips**
 * You should**:
 * Introduce yourself
 * Describe the project
 * Get consent
 * End well
 * Record the interview
 * Make the interviewee comfortable
 * Ask open ended questions
 * Give your audience the opportunity to respond
 * Meet face to face
 * Maintain eye contact
 * Show enjoyment or enthusiasm
 * Respect their right not to answer
 * Ensure questions are simple & clear
 * You should not**:
 * Interrogate
 * Ask leading questions
 * Ask compound questions
 * Set the pace
 * Interrupt
 * Pass judgment
 * Disrespect interviewees time


 * 4. Content vs. Process**


 * Content** is literally what the interviewee said, for example: “I believe that my 6th grade math class should make better use of available computer software.”


 * Process** is the act of taking that literal string of words and examining it for deeper meaning, for example:

· Was the statement said with a certain emotion? What might that mean? · Was the response coupled with a particular body language? What might that mean? · Was the response later contradicted by another response? · I yawned prior to asking the question. How might that have influenced the response?

Content is easy to gather. The process of interpreting the data is what often separates novice interviewers from the seasoned.

All content on this wiki was created by graduate students in the Educational Technology Master's degree program at the University of Hawaii - Manoa. (2010)