Interview Schedule
INTERVIEW SCHEDULES
Interviews
Interviews are a far more personal form of research than questionnaires. In the personal interview, the interviewer works directly with the respondent. Unlike with mail surveys, the interviewer has the opportunity to probe or ask follow-up questions. And, interviews are generally easier for the respondent, especially if what are sought are opinions or impressions. Interviews can be very time consuming and they are resource intensive. The interviewer is considered a part of the measurement instrument and interviewers have to be well trained in how to respond to any contingency.
Interview schedules
Interview schedules are established protocols, usually written, detailing the procedures and the questions to be asked in a structured interview.
Constructing the interview schedule
The interview schedule has at least four distinct sections: the warm-up, exploration of discussion points, the core discussion section and a summary.
Structuring an interview Schedule
The warm-up: This section has the objective of creating an atmosphere conducive to an open and free-flowing discussion. One technique that can be used to break down the initial bashfulness among group members who, in most instances, are strangers to one another is to divide them into pairs and exchange simple facts about themselves (e.g. their names, details of the families, place of work, interests etc.). Each group member is then asked to introduce their neighbor to the rest of the group.
The warm-up phase of the session then moves on to encourage the group members to engage in a free-ranging discussion around the topic upon which the discussion will eventually focus. For example, a municipal authority considering establishing a new fruit and vegetable wholesale market positioned outside a congested city centre would ultimately wish to determine what innovative facilities might attract traders to use the new market which is less convenient to them in
Interviews
Interviews are a far more personal form of research than questionnaires. In the personal interview, the interviewer works directly with the respondent. Unlike with mail surveys, the interviewer has the opportunity to probe or ask follow-up questions. And, interviews are generally easier for the respondent, especially if what are sought are opinions or impressions. Interviews can be very time consuming and they are resource intensive. The interviewer is considered a part of the measurement instrument and interviewers have to be well trained in how to respond to any contingency.
Interview schedules
Interview schedules are established protocols, usually written, detailing the procedures and the questions to be asked in a structured interview.
Constructing the interview schedule
The interview schedule has at least four distinct sections: the warm-up, exploration of discussion points, the core discussion section and a summary.
Structuring an interview Schedule
The warm-up: This section has the objective of creating an atmosphere conducive to an open and free-flowing discussion. One technique that can be used to break down the initial bashfulness among group members who, in most instances, are strangers to one another is to divide them into pairs and exchange simple facts about themselves (e.g. their names, details of the families, place of work, interests etc.). Each group member is then asked to introduce their neighbor to the rest of the group.
The warm-up phase of the session then moves on to encourage the group members to engage in a free-ranging discussion around the topic upon which the discussion will eventually focus. For example, a municipal authority considering establishing a new fruit and vegetable wholesale market positioned outside a congested city centre would ultimately wish to determine what innovative facilities might attract traders to use the new market which is less convenient to them in
References: • Dillon, W. R. Madden, T. J. and Firtle, N. H. (1994), Marketing Research in a Marketing Environment, 3rd edition, Irwin, p. 124-125. • Endicott J, Spitzer RL (1978). A diagnostic interview: the schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia Archives of General Psychiatry, vol. 35, no7, pp. 873-43. • Kvale & Brinkman. 2008. Interviews, 2nd Edition. Thousand Oaks: SAGE. • Lindlof & Taylor. 2002. Qualitative Communication Research Methods, 2nd Edition. Thousand Oaks: SAGE. • MARSHALL, G. "Present State Examination." A Dictionary of Sociology. 1998. Retrieved November 08, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O88-PresentStateExamination.html • Patton • Tsuang MT, Woolson RF & Simpson JC. 1980. Iowa Structured Psychiatric Interview (ISPI) Acta Psychiatry Scand Supply. 283:96. • Welch, J. L. (1985). "Research Marketing Problems and Opportunities with Focus Groups", Industrial Marketing Management, 14, p. 247. • Wing, J. (1996) "SCAN and the PSE tradition." Social Psychiatry Epidemiology. 31.2: 50-54. • Wing, J. K., et al. (1990). "SCAN. Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry." Arch. General Psychiatry 47.6: 589-93.