Gathering information from interviews for Study Research
Interviews are a very common form of data collection in case study research. Interviews of individuals or groups allow the researcher to attain rich, personalized information. To conduct a successful interview, the researcher should follow several guidelines.
First, the researcher should identify key participants in the situation whose knowledge and opinions may provide important insights regarding the research questions. Participants may be interviewed individually or in groups.
Second, the researcher should develop an interview guide. This guide will identify appropriate open-ended questions that the researcher will ask each interviewee. These questions are designed to allow the researcher to gain insights into the study’s fundamental research questions; hence, the quantity of interview questions for a particular interview varies widely.
Third, the researcher should consider the setting in which he or she conducts the interview. Although interviews in the natural setting may enhance realism, the researcher may seek a private, neutral, and distraction-free interview location to increase the comfort of the interviewee and the likelihood of attaining high-quality information, which ultimately helps in high-quality information structure.
Fourth, the researcher should develop a means for recording the interview data. Handwritten notes sometimes suffice, but the lack of detail associated with this approach inevitably results in a loss of valuable information. The best way to record interview data is to audiotape the interaction.
Fifth, the researcher must adhere to legal and ethical requirements for all research involving people. Interviewees should not be deceived and are protected from any form of mental, physical, or emotional injury. Interviewees must provide informed consent for their participation in the research.
Identifying and gaining access to interviewees is a critical step. Selection of interviewees directly influences the quality of the information attained. Although availability is important, this should not be the only criterion for selecting interviewees.