Advantages disadvantages structured interview allows researcher to prompt interviewee by providing a set of example responses has the potential to be quick and easy to conduct speci. Structured and semistructured interviews sciencedirect. Using interviews in a research project simmons university. There are however, a number of disadvantages to consider before attempting an interview using the semistructured method. Disadvantages of interviews as data collection tool in research are. Albeit the disadvantages accompanied with semistructured interviews as a method of data collection, they were selected in this study due to the fact that they offer convenience in data collection cohen and crabtree, 2006. Jan 23, 2016 semistructured interviews are those in which respondents have a list of questions, but they are free to ask further, differentiated questions based on the responses given. Structured vs unstructured vs semistructured interviews. In the last two decades, telephone interviewing became more and more common. Structured interviews are conducted with the prestructured set of questions.
Semistructured interviews contain mostly prepared questions that can be supplemented with additional questions. A structured interview is an interview that has a set of predefined questions and the questions would be asked in the same order for all respondents. However, they are frequently used to generate quantitative rather semi structured. Interviews are commonly used in survey designs and in exploratory and descriptive studies. The next section of this essay will discuss the key aspects of three of the five types of interviews. May 09, 2001 unique in its conceptual coherence and the level of practical detail, this book provides a comprehensive resource for those concerned with the practice of semi structured interviewing, the most commonly used interview approach in social research, and in particular for indepth, biographic narrative interviewing. Semi structured interviews are a widely used technique in development research. Summarise the advantages and disadvantages of facetoface and telephone interviews, and of individual and group interviews. The researcher can take the interview by himself or he can hire someone who has knowledge of conducting the interview as well as the subject of the interview.
Name of method focused semistructured interviews brief outline of method this technique is used to collect qualitative data by setting up a situation the interview that allows a respondent the time and scope to talk about their opinions on a particular subject. Th ese techniques are commonly used in policy research and are applicable to many research questions. Click on any of the buttons here for a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each of the methods. Pdf conducting semistructured interviews researchgate. A semi structured interview is a method of research used most often in the social sciences. Apr 10, 2017 the researcher can take the interview by himself or he can hire someone who has knowledge of conducting the interview as well as the subject of the interview. Unlike a structured interview which contains a series of set questions asked the same way to all interviewees, a semistructured interview is organised around a topic guide. As with msn messenger, beside advantages and disadvantages due to the asynchronous communication of time and place, there are also some advantages and disadvantages due to the technology used. This quiz and worksheet can help check your knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of unstructured interviews.
Now that you know when to use a semistructured interview, lets talk about some of the advantages and limitations of this method. Advantages and disadvantages of interviews as a research method advantages disadvantages structured interview allows researcher to prompt interviewee by providing a set of example responses has the potential to be quick and easy to conduct speci. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of a semistructured interview. The semi structured interview is the most common form of interviewing people and is a common and useful tool in the exploring phase of a planned sswm intervention. The following are examples of some of the basic questions asked in a structured interview and tips on how to answer them. The interviewer in a semistructured interview generally has a framework. Within these there are also choices to be made, each with advantages or disadvantages. Semistructured interviews and focus groups margaret c. Describe the features of, and differences between structured, semistructured or unstructured interview. Difference between structured and unstructured interview structured interview.
About one hour is considered a reasonable maximum length for ssis in order to minimize fatigue for both interviewer and respondent. The interviewer can deviate from the original questions and therefore this type of interview typically produces rich qualitative data. Semistructured interviews and focus groups rand corporation. There are a range of approaches to interviewing, from. Seven 7 disadvantages of interview as data collection tool. Pdf the joys and challenges of semistructured interviewing. In an interview, the openended questions obtain several advantages. The semi structured interview guide provides a clear set of instructions for. Advantages and disadvantages of structured interview and unstructured interview. Difference between structured and unstructured interviews. As a result, i chose semistructured interview as the method i would try out for this assignment. Using interviews in a research project introduction the interview is an important data gathering technique involving verbal communication between the researcher and the subject.
For a study in the domain of virtual teams, i used various communication possibilities to interview informants as well as facetoface interviews. Semi structured interviews are the best of both worlds but do offer some unique challenges. While a structured interview has a rigorous set of questions which does not allow one to divert, a semistructured interview is open, allowing new ideas to be brought up during the interview as a result of what the interviewee says. Seven 7 disadvantages of interview as data collection. The semistructured indepth interview i will be focusing on semistructured. Semi structured interviewing is an important tool for gathering data in qualitative research. Advantages and disadvantages of semi structured interviews. Choosing between an interview and a self completed questionnaire on which the respondent writes their answers is an important decision. Thus, interviews can be done face to face or by telephone. A quick guide to semistructured interviews fuel cycle. The advantages and disadvantages of structured interviews. Semistructured interviews still allow for replication of the interview with others, but are be less controlled. Advantages and disadvantages of four interview techniques in qualitative research. Albeit the disadvantages accompanied with semi structured interviews as a method of data collection, they were selected in this study due to the fact that they offer convenience in data collection cohen and crabtree, 2006.
This is the most common format of data collection in qualitative research. A al oduction h iewing alan morris sage publications ltd. Advantages and disadvantages of structured interview and. Analysis of data can be difficult and time consuming. Data preparation and analysis is end loaded compared with, for instance, questionnaires, which are preceded and where data are ready for analysis once they have collected. Forthright and frank in his comments about the limitations and practical implications of varying choices which investigators have to make in designing their research projects. The semi structured indepth interview i will be focusing on semi structured indepth interviews in this book is similar to a conversation in that there are two individuals discussing a topic of mutual interest and ideally the discussion is. Since semistructured interviews combine both the structured and.
Interview methods structured, semistructured, unstructured. Each type has advantages, and regardless of whether your interview is on. A great deal of qualitative research uses semi structured interview material. However, they are frequently used to generate quantitative rather semistructured. Semistructured interview description interviewer has substantial latitude to follow up on responses for questions typically asked verbatim. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of a semi structured interview. Semistructured interviews are best applied when you will not get more than one chance to interview someone and when you will be sending several interviewers out into the field to collect data. Advantages and disadvantages of four interview techniques. How to do semi structured interviews copyright tools4dev, 2014. Semistructured interviews are superbly suited for a number of valuable. Qualitative research methodinterviewing and observation. Tell me about yourself or tell us about your previous jobs i. These limitations can be dissipated by combining indepth interviewing. According to oakley, qualitative interview is a type of framework in which the practices and standards be not only recorded, but also achieved, challenged and as well as reinforced.
May 04, 2011 advantages interviewer can explain the questions and overcome illiteracy problems data can be seen as reliable as all the participants are answering the same questions these interviews use precoded questions, which make the data easier to compute and analyse than the data gained in unstructured interviews the interviewer has little interaction. Bradley th is course provides an overview of two types of qualitative data collection methodologies. Advantages and disadvantages of four interview techniques in. Semistructured interview is a type of interview in which some questions are predetermined and others arise spontaneously during conversation. Conducted conversationally with one respondent at a time, the semi. For example, there are limitations on software applications that can be. Each interviewer is focused in asking the relevant set of. It usually takes a skilled interviewer to get to the truth, so the validity of the results are often questionable. Semi structured interviews contain mostly prepared questions that can be supplemented with additional questions. Your background as to what your current qualification is, it is difficult to guide the best stream.
Advantages and disadvantages of four interview techniques in qualitative research interview is important for the interviewer, even if the interview is tape recorded. Semistructured interviewing is an important tool for gathering data in qualitative research. Structured and semistructured interviews 1 4 1 diagnostic interview schedulemhamilton rating scale for depression the diagnostic interview schedulehamilton rating scale for depression dishrsd. The semistructured interview is the most common form of interviewing people and is a common and useful tool in the exploring phase of a planned sswm intervention. Synchronous communication of time, asynchronous communication of. An interview can also be defined as a purposeful conversation berg. In this article a comparison will be made concerning the advantages and disadvantages of facetoface, telephone, email and msn messenger interviews.
Facetoface interviews have long been the dominant interview technique in the field of qualitative research. Interviewer can modify or augment the standard inquiries with individualized and contextualized probes to more accurately rate specific symptoms. Disadvantages of an unstructured interview because unstructured interviews do not involve using a set of uniform questions and allow for unique responses, it can be difficult to analyze or. They are an effective method for providing reliable, comparable qualitative data. Advantages interviewer can explain the questions and overcome illiteracy problems data can be seen as reliable as all the participants are answering the same questions these interviews use precoded questions, which make the data easier to compute and analyse than the data gained in unstructured interviews the interviewer has little interaction.
The interviewer needs to be skilled at opening up the conversation. The semistructured interview guide provides a clear set of instructions for interviewers and can provide reliable, comparable qualitative data. Difference between structured, unstructured and semistructured job. Disadvantages can include missing out on a candidates strengths because the questions asked did not cover them, and the interview had an impersonal feel, which can turn some candidates off. Semistructured interviews may be conducted in various modes. Semi structured interviews are conducted with a fairly open framework, which allow for focused, conversational, twoway communication. A structured interview is a quantitative research method where the interviewer a set of prepared closedended questions in the form of an interview schedule, which heshe reads out exactly as worded. Beck 2006 differentiate between structured, semi structured and unstructured interviews. A structured interview is a quantitative research method where the interviewer a set of prepared closedended questions in the form of an interview schedule, which heshe reads out exactly as worded interviews schedules have a standardized format which means the same questions are asked to each interviewee in the same order see fig. When to use semistructured interviews semistructured interviewing, according to bernard 1988, is best used when you wont get more than one chance to interview someone and when you will be sending several interviewers out into the field to collect data. A semistructured interview is a method of research used most often in the social sciences. The advantages and disadvantages of postal questionnaires.
The basic information required will vary from one study and context to another, and if an interviewee has requested anonymity this should also be taken into account. In the first place the outcome of an email interview can directly be downloaded on the computer, so there is no transcription time. One obvious disadvantage is the propensity for people to grossly exaggerate or to simply lie. As no research interview lacks structure most of the qualitative research interviews are either semistructured, lightly. You will also be presented questions that ask you to identify types of interviews. Structured interviews use a questionnaire format with closed questions and can be beneficial, particularly when participants have either a speech or language impairment. When you are ready to move on, select continue to answer a question. When to use semi structured interviews semi structured interviewing, according to bernard 1988, is best used when you wont get more than one chance to interview someone and when you will be sending several interviewers out into the field to collect data.
What are the disadvantages of interviews in research. While a structured interview has a rigorous set of questions which does not allow one to divert, a semi structured interview is open, allowing new ideas to be brought up during the interview as a result of what the interviewee says. Date of interview and full name and contact details of interviewer. To achieve optimum use of interview time, interview guides serve the useful purpose of exploring many respondents more systematically and comprehensively as well as to keep. Hannah creane follows on from this, stating that a semistructured interview, would allow me to gain the research i wanted without pigeonholing the response of those i was interviewing bryman, 2008, p. Critiquing interviewing as a data collection method. This kind of interview is also known as a hybrid interview, combined interview, or moderately structured interview. Unlike formal interviews, which follow a rigid format of set questions, semi structured interviews focus on specific themes but cover them in a conversational style. Advantages and disadvantages of structured interviews term. The transcribing and coding of interview data is a major task for the. Advantages and disadvantages of structured interviews. The interview effect and the interviewee effect may occur see structured interviews. Advantages and disadvantages of the four interview techniques 2. Semistructured interview topics psychology tutor2u.
The semistructured indepth interview i will be focusing on semistructured indepth interviews in this book is similar to a conversation in that there are two individuals discussing a topic of mutual interest and ideally the discussion is. The best part of the structured interview is that it is effective, consistent and fair. Semistructured interviews sswm find tools for sustainable. Semi structured interview description interviewer has substantial latitude to follow up on responses for questions typically asked verbatim. The pdf file you selected should load here if your web browser has a pdf reader plugin installed for example, a recent version of adobe acrobat reader if you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with pdfs, highwire press provides a helpful frequently asked questions about pdfs alternatively, you can download the pdf file directly to your computer, from where it. Group interviews interviews can be conducted either one to one individual interviews or in a a group, in which the interviewer interviews two or more respondents at a. Advantages of structured interviews include their onesizefitsall approach and the standardized results which make it easier to compare candidates. Many researchers like to use semistructured interviews because questions can be prepared ahead of time. Beck 2006 differentiate between structured, semistructured and unstructured interviews. The semistructured interview guide provides a clear set of instructions for. This paper explores some of the joys and challenges associated with research interviewing. Normally females have a problem in office hours of the companies. Jun 14, 2016 advantages of structured interviews include their onesizefitsall approach and the standardized results which make it easier to compare candidates.
The advantages of semi structured interviews include. Interviews schedules have a standardized format which means the same questions are asked to each interviewee in the same order see fig. Semi structured interviews and focus groups margaret c. Conducted conversationally with one respondent at a time, the semistructured interview ssi employs a blend of closed and openended questions, often accompanied by followup why or how questions. Semistructured interviews are conducted with a fairly open framework, which allow for focused, conversational, two. All candidates go through the same process, are treated objectively and asked the same set of questions. The advantages and disadvantages of each method will be dealt with, briefly. Semistructured interviews are a good way to both cover a range of topics, and make sure that important information is not missed in a onetoone interview.