Agenda
Exploratory Research
–Depth Interviews
midterm

Both text and lecture (and library class)
 Some on direct concepts
 Most are Applied knowledge
 Example: if a research problem was
defined as: “which of our customers buy
red cars?” the most appropriate type of
research would be:
– Exploratory
– Descriptive
– causal
Focus groups
A group interview
Focus groups and Depth
Interviews
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Group interaction
Group/peer pressure
Respondent competition
Influence
Subject sensitivity
Interviewer fatigue
Amount of information
Stimuli
Interviewer schedule
Depth Interviews
INTERVIEW TYPES
casual interview
 semi-structured interview

– (also: “partially unstructured” or
“partially structured”)
structured (survey interview)
 in depth interview

– (also: “open-ended” or “unstructured”
or “experience survey”)
Structured Interviews

advantages over written
survey
– can ask illiterates
– respondents can ask for
clarification of question
– “while you wait” responses
Structured Interviews
– can record unexpected answers
– can record more open-ended
responses
– less leading than written survey
Structured Interviews

advantage over other types of
interviews: best for large scale
studies
– can use assistants
– responses can be more easily
recorded and statistically
analyzed
Structured Interviews

disadvantage
– have to ask the right questions
– categories imposed by researcher
Unstructured Interviews
Advantages
 disadvantages

Triangulation
with surveys
 with participant observation

Funnel Method
let respondent do all the talking
 can be a diagnostic interview
 the idea is to let the subject direct
the interview.

Inverted funnel method

Inverted funnel: Specific to general
– You want to jog the interviewees
memory
– You want to motivate a reluctant
participant
– You want to get specific facts before
general impressions
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE
silent probe
 encouragement probe
 immediate elaboration
 immediate clarification
 retrospective elaboration
 recapitulation probe
 retrospective clarification

INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE
echo probe
 reflective probe
 interpretive probe
 summary probe
 mutation

INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE
probes must probe
 formulate question before speaking
 keep questions simple

– no preface
– do not give respondent your lit review

note taking controls flow
INTERVIEW ISSUES
avoid leading questions
 avoid ritual agreement
 monitor the universe of discourse

INTERVIEW ISSUES
avoid leading questions
 avoid ritual agreement
 monitor the universe of discourse

Universe of Discourse
INTERVIEW ISSUES
avoid leading questions
 avoid ritual agreement
 monitor the universe of discourse
 observe body language

INTERVIEW ISSUES
avoid leading questions
 avoid ritual agreement
 monitor the universe of discourse
 observe body language
 convey expectation of cooperation

INTERVIEW ISSUES
avoid leading questions
 avoid ritual agreement
 monitor the universe of discourse
 observe body language
 convey expectation of cooperation
 avoid unprofessional statements

To Tape or Not to Tape

Advantages
– more accurate and less distracting
– better than relying on your memory
– excellent training tool for interviewer

Disadvantage
– one thing to tell you, another to go on
permanent record
– worry about sound of their voice
– worry who will hear tape
IF Using a Tape Recorder
tell respondent who will have access
to tape
 erase tape as soon as transcribed
 place recorder in obvious place

– you can turn off/on; confirm working...
– no question of subterfuge
IF Using a Tape Recorder

check recorder before you show up
– tape blank?
– bring extra tape
– check batteries
– confirm that it is working!
– move tape past leader
– check volume control
– practice with tape recorder
Who
does this person have access to
information that you want?
 approaching interviewees & their
organizations

When
schedule when no
competing demands
 approach with attitude
that their time is more
important than yours
 do not schedule too
closely together

– 45 minutes typical; 90
minutes longest

sequencing
Where
respondent’s place of business
 respondent’s home
 neutral spot

What

interview blueprint
– list research objective or research
question, actual question and sample
prompts (listing any specifics you
would like to elicit) in table/chart form
The interview blueprint should
guide you, not confine you
Sample Interview Blueprint
Research
Question or
Objective
Describe the
characteristics
of our current
customers
preferred
cookie?
Who is the “end
consumer” of
the purchased
cookie?
Interview
Question
Probes
Describe the
“perfect”
chocolate chip
cookie.
How big would it
be?
Hard? Soft?
Big chips or
little chips?
You bring the
cookies home
from the store.
Who eats them?
Who eats the
most ____ or
____? How old
is ____?
Research
Question
Interview
Question
You’re standing in
front of the
display of
cookies—tell me
what’s going
through your
mind?
Estimate
When I say
advertising recall “cookie ads” what
ours versus
is the first thing
competition
that pops into
your mind?
Who factors
influence the
purchasing
decision?
Probes
What else?
And then…
Check for $,
nutrition, family
preferences…
Can you give me
more details?
Why do you think
you remember it?
What

interview guide
– questions simply worded
– listed in order
– key points of introduction & conclusion
– leave space for notes
Sample Interview Guide
Interview
Question
Probes
Describe the
“perfect”
chocolate chip
cookie.
How big would it
be?
Hard? Soft?
Big chips or little
chips?
Who eats the
most ____ or
____? How old is
____?
You bring the
cookies home
from the store.
Who eats them?
Notes:
Interview
Question
Probes
You’re standing in What else?
front of the
And then…
display of
Check for $,
cookies—tell me nutrition, family
what’s going
preferences…
through your
mind?
When I say
Can you give me
“cookie ads” what more details?
is the first thing
Why do you think
that pops into
you remember it?
your mind?
Additional comments:
Notes:
The interview blueprint and
interview guides should serve as a
road map. They can be used when
you feel you are getting lost and
to keep you focused on your
destination….
But, remember, that sometimes
the scenic route provides
surprising discoveries.
Interview Procedure
phone ahead to confirm appointment
 when you arrive

– reintroduce yourself and your study
– explain how they were picked for study
– confirm use of tape recorder
– explain confidentiality and explain that
they can end interview at any point
– start tape (if using)
Interview Procedure

when tape is rolling
– say, “I’ve prepared some questions, but if they
don’t seem to be hitting at the core of the
issue, feel free to correct me”
– start questions
• if ask tape be turned off for one question, remember
to start again after
– after last question, always ask “Is there
anything else you’d like to add? Anything you
think I’m missing?”
Interview Procedure

after interview is over
– don’t bolt….
– thank them for their participation
– say into tape recorder “the foregoing was an
interview with Jane Doe (D-o-e) for project 43,
date, time, location, by your name
– turn off tape, but hang around making small
talk — will often get best stuff yet, now that
formal interview is over

once out of sight, debrief
Interview Procedure

Debrief
– check that tape has recorded properly
• tape is blank
• background noise obscures portions of tape
• reconstruct missing data — but distinguish in
transcript between verbatim and reconstructed
paraphrasing
– record details (such as body language) not
recorded on tape while still fresh in your
memory
– note your own preliminary interpretations and
ideas
Transcription

choose a format
– standard dialog format
– timed format (e.g., Discourse of
Medicine by Mishler)
– “postmodernist format” (e.g., Rebecca
Luce Keplar)
choose verbatim vs journalistic
standard
 choose coding conventions

Analysis

impressionistic vs coding
– present all raw data and let reader decide?
• voice of respondents come through clearly
• but very tedious to read
– present researcher’s interpretation
• easy to read
• but open to researcher’s bias
– have several observers code
• objective
• attempt to reduce interview data for statistical
analysis
Neuman’s (1997) process of Coded
Analysis of qualitative data

Thematic Conceptualization

 Open Coding

 Axial Coding

 Selective Coding
Step 1:
Thematic Conceptualization
Begin the analysis with a tentative list of
concepts that may be supplemented or
discarded as the coding continues (Miles &
Huberman, 1994).
Step 2: Open coding
The first pass through data in an attempt to
formulate several general categories of responses
within themes.
Step 3:
Axial Coding
During this second pass through data, subcategories are formed and linkages begin to be
formulated between causes and consequences,
interactions, strategies, and processes.
Step 4: Selective Coding
During this final pass through the data, specific
responses are selected as cases to support the
relationships formed through axial coding. From
this, generalizations may be formed and
conclusions drawn.
Guidelines for qualitative data collection
 Triangulate data by using various types of
data collection.
 Clearly
separate description from judgment.
 Be cognizant of trust and rapport issues.
Electronic Data Analysis Resources

http://www.qsr.com.au/home.asp

http://www.alberta.ca/~jnorris/qda.html

http://www.atlasti.de/
QDA Software
NUD*IST
 SPSS Qualitative
 The Observer
 CAQDAS Network (Computer Assisted
Qualitative Data Analysis Software)
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References

Gay, L.R. (1996). Educational Research. Columbus:
Merrill.

Miles, M. & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative Data
Analysis. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Neuman, W.L. (1997). Social Research Methods. Toronto:
Allyn & Bacon.