Describe the main features of the interview as a reserch method.
(i) An interview is basically a guided conservation between the researcher and the respondent.
(ii) Although it has few technicalities associated with it, the simplicity of the format can be deceptive because it actually takes a lot of practice and skill to become a good interviewer.
(iii) The interview occupies the ground between a structured questionnaire of the type used in surveys, and the completely open-ended interactions typical of participant observation methods. Its chief advantage is the extreme flexibility of the format.
(iv) Questions can be re-phrased or even stated differently, the order of subjects or questions can be changed according to the progress (or lack of progress) in the conservation, subjects that are producing good material can be extended and built upon others that provoke unfavourable reaction can be cut short or postpond to a later occasion, and all this can be done during the course of the interview inself.
(v) On the other hand, many of the disadvantages of the interview as a research method are also related to its advantages. The very some flexibility can also make the interview vulnerable to changes of mood on the part of the respondent, or to lakes of concentration on the part of the interviewer. It is in this sense an unstable and unpredictable format it works very well known it works, and fails miserably when it doesnot.
(vi) Different styles of interviewing :
There are different styles of interviewing and opinons and experiences differ as to their relative advantages. Some prefer avery loosely structured format, with only a check-list of topics rather than actual questions, other like to have more structure, with specific questions to be asked of all respondents. How the interview is recorded can also differ according to circumstances and preferences, ranging from actural video or audio recording, detailed note taking during the interview, or relying on memory and writing up the interview after it is conluded ? The introduction of equipment like recorders and so on frequently makes the respondent uneasy and introduces a degree of formality into the conservation. One the other hand, important information can sometimes go unnoticed or not be recorded at all when other less comprehensive methods of record keeping are being employed. Sometimes the physical or social circumstances in which the interview is being conducted determine the mode of recording.
(vii) The way in which the interview is later written for publication or as part of a research report can also differ widely. Some researchers prefer to edit the transcript and present a ‘cleaned up’ continuous narrative, other wish to retain the flovour of the original conversation as much as possible and therefor include all the asides and digressions as well.
(viii) Advantage of Inviews as a method : The interview is often used along with or as a supplement to other methods, specially participant observation and surveys. Long conservations with ‘key informants’ (the main informant in a participant observation study) can often provide a concentrated account that situates and classifies the accompanying material. Similarly, intensive interviews can add depth and detail to the findings of a survey. However, as a method, the interview is dependent on personalised access and the degree of support or mutual trust between the respondent and the researcher.
