CONDUCTING
INTERVIEWS
Miriam Matejova, PhD
October 11, 2021
Agenda
1) Interview design and access
2) Interview process
1. Interview design and preparation
◦Design depends on research aims / questions /
purpose
◦Design should be flexible and open to changes
◦Do your ‘homework’
◦Preliminary research
Sampling/selection process
1) Identify a sample frame
◦ Who is your ‘population’? Who is needed for your research?
2) Choose and set priorities on selection criteria
◦ How will you choose your participants? Based on what criteria?
3) Design a sample matrix
◦ What is the size of sample you will need? What categories of interviewees do you need to include?
How many participants from each category will you need?
4) Gain access
◦ How will you gain access to your participants? How will you present yourself and your project?
What are some access barriers? How will you overcome them?
5) Document outcomes
◦ Who was left out from participation? Transparency of strengths and weaknesses of the process
What motivates people to participate?
Barriers to access
◦ The higher the social class, the greater access barriers
◦ Gatekeepers: secretaries, personal assistants, community
leaders, etc.
◦ Lack of time (academic research not a high priority)
◦ Vulnerability to political or legal harm
◦ Organizational policies
◦ Inferiority complex
Minimizing barriers to access
◦ First contact has to be well prepared
◦ Provide your professional credentials and standing
◦ Emphasizing academic neutrality and professional competence
◦ Use personal contacts
◦ References to commonalities (e.g., the same university, coming
from the same city, etc.)
◦ Importance of networks and recommendations (snowball sampling)
Participant recruitment
◦Include:
◦Presentation of the researcher/interviewer
◦Presentation of the research, purpose, aims
◦Terms and conditions of the interview
◦Confidentiality and data usage
◦Date, place, duration
2. Interview process: arrival
◦ Greetings and introductions (remember cultural sensitivity and
norms)
◦ The participant might feel anxious and hostile: need to feel like they
have control
◦ The researcher is a guest
◦ Avoid the research topic until the interview begins (if possible)
Introduce your research
◦ Introduce research topic, purpose and nature of the interview
◦ Consent form and confidentiality
◦ Seek permission to record the interview
◦ Ensure the environment is suitably quiet, private, and comfortable
◦ Minimize interruptions
Begin the interview
◦Small talk and icebreakers
◦Opening question(s)
◦Choose topic the participant is familiar with
◦An indicator of how the rest of the interview will go
(talkativeness and openness, level of trust, relationship,
emotions, cooperation)
During the interview
◦ Guide the participants through questions/themes
◦ Deal with planned/anticipated as well as emergent questions and
themes
◦ Consider following where the participant wants to lead
◦ Take notes of important issues, follow-ups, turns and their influence
on your data
◦ Explore emerging issues in-depth (follow-up and probes)
Probing
End the interview
◦ Signal that the interview is coming to an end (5-10 minutes before)
◦ “The final topic…” “One last thing…” “One last question…”
◦ Summarize the topic and what others have said
◦ Check that there is no ‘unfinished business’
◦ Avoid opening entirely new topics (unless the participant does so)
◦ Gradually return to everyday level of social interaction
◦ Thank the participant and repeat how the interview will benefit
research; reassurances about confidentiality and data usage
A good working relationship
◦Put the participant at ease and create climate of trust
◦Express interest and attention
◦Ethical treatment, respect and dignity
◦Flexibility, patience
◦Respect rights and boundaries (trauma, personal ethics,
sensitive areas, legal requirements, etc.)
◦Reciprocity – what are you giving back?
Interview context
◦Gender in interviewing
◦Power imbalance
◦Cultural implications
◦Appropriateness vs. inappropriateness
◦Relationship establishment and management differ
across cultures
Interviewer: key qualities
◦Active listening and concentration
◦Clear, logical mind and quick thinking
◦Good memory
◦Efficiency (get relevant information, stick to the
purpose)
◦Time management (pacing the interview)
◦Curiosity, confidence, composure, modesty, empathy