One of most important ways to obtain information. Important to note:
- Interviewing is a skill. Interviewers will have varying degrees of ability.
- Interviewing skills can be learnt & developed.
- Respondents differ in motivation and knowledge.
- Interviews differ in complexity.
- Subjective process, to be effective must involve people who communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally.
- Can be categorised as both:
- Informal process
- Like a conversation – asking questions to obtain information.
- Questions can lead to other questions, e.g. “What do you mean?” and “Why do you think that?”.
- formal process
- Follows predetermined pattern.
- More valid for research project as interviewees all asked same questions.
- Informal process