QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES An interview is a conversation that has structure and a purpose. (Kvale & Brinkmann, p. 3).

Semi-structured life world interview purpose to obtain descriptions of the interviewees world. To understand the world from your point of view, walk in your shoes, explain things as you explain them, to become my teacher and help me understand. Many interviews contain a combination of fact gathering and life-world exploration. They do not on any one extreme of the interview spectrum with explorer on one extreme and miner on the other. They fall somewhere in between. Exploratory is somewhat openended. Miner, is more of looking for certain opinion. An interview is a form of triangulation for data collected through observation. Through observation you can get a sense of peoples feelings, emotions, deep thoughts about things but you cant get history or reasons for their actions. You can observe history as it unfolds but you cant go back in time. Different techniques for conducting qualitative interviews. Life world everyday world of interviewee and what it means to him or her Meaning - Pay attention to peoples language, the body language, to reveal how they feel about the subject. Qualitative not aimed at quantification, if closer to miner side should try to resist the temptation to quantify. Descriptive aiming to capture the texture of their thoughts and not just putting their sresponse into a box. Specificity digging deeper into interviewees statements,e.g. local govt is corrupt, Deliberate naivete Focused go with a set of possible questions jotted down but be ready to elaborate and expound on those questions. Expect to go onto areas that are unexplored but still relevant to your interview. You can even skip ahead in your schedule and then go back. So you need to be keen and flexible. Sometimes interviewees may divert you to outside what you want, find ways of bringing the interview back on track. Ambiguity Change knowledge is co-constructed in qualitative interview. Sensitivity be aware of that. Interpersonal situation you are part of the process and is a relationship, you are not removed from it. Beware of how you are influencing the process. Its a kind of performance where both persons adopt certain roles. You should try to break through those roles.

Positive experience Techniques of QI When doing background research, know something about the organisation you are going to research. Have an idea. Make an interview guide with questions in mind. May not be very ... break them into research questions. Have theoretical categories you are interested in, e.g. public goods but break these into smaller questions that ask more directly about concepts of public goods. Formulate short, clear and easy to understand questions. Act interested this attracts people to come out well, give encouraging responses, and look eager. Probe in different directions may be you have some hunches, put some checking questions to given opportunities to offer different points of view. Ask leading questions in order to draw people out. All of these however should not lead in the same direction. Let them give you another point of view that may disconfirm your hunch or hypothesis. Send your interpretations back to the interviewee e.g. so what you are saying is...? or what you mean is...? Their response will give you more insight. Explore ambiguities e.g. when people have mixed feelings about subjects. Dont just assume the guy doesnt know anything about the topic. May be the mixed feelings are actually conflicts they have that may bear upon your research question. Negotiate avoidance rituals some would deflect you if they are uncomfortable with a topic. Beware of it, dont box them into answering especially in a qualitative interview. Find a way to get around it and come back to it later. When finished, take time to jot a reflective memo - some things were not captured in your notes coz there is a lot going on yet something struck you. Find a quiet place and jot it down before you forget. RECORDING AND TRANSCRIPTION You can take notes by hand. Its ok especially in the middle of the spectrum. It captures basic facts, thoughts, feelings and reflections. Later you can put it together when you have more time. Tape record it if the language would be very important to your work. Of course you ask permission and if there is anything they want to say that they dont want recorded then you switch it off at that point. It all depends on your judgment. For socio-scientific research you need to get consent for recording interview. Take a few notes even if you are recording. Many qualitative researchers have conducted several interviews when they could have just done one. Ask relevant follow-up questions. You will not only ask the questions you came with. The process is dynamic.