Qualitative Data and Interviews

SOCIOLOGICAL METHODS

TYPES OF DATA

Sociologists have two types of data available to them: information they have self-generated for their own research purposes (primary data), and already existing data that was not specifically created for sociological purposes (secondary data). Primary data can result from, the employment of questionnaires, structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews, and observation techniques. Secondary data is more or less, anything else: statistics produced by the state, and private companies, and also letters, books and television. Secondary data has the advantage of being cheaply, quickly and easily obtained, but has the serious disadvantage of not being produced by sociologists. Both primary and secondary data can be quantitative or qualitative in form.

Qualitative data

Any data used for sociological purposes, whether derived from primary or secondary sources, can be described as qualitative or quantitative in form. Qualitative data deals directly with people’s experiences, as well as their feelings about, and interpretations of, the situations they find themselves in. Interpretive, interactionist sociologists who believe that individuals create society through their joint activities, needs to understand individual interpretations, in order to explain social behavior.

Qualitative data is the data rich in ‘quality’ and depth of meaning. This data is generated from in-depth contact with sociologists, interviews or through observation, and will normally appear in prose from or in the form of transcripts or conversation. The term ‘ethnography’ is used to refer to studies that generate an in-depth understanding of the way of life of an individual or group. Interactionist sociologists may see greater validity in qualitative data than quantitative data, since it allows them a more detailed understanding of the small groups and individuals they study.

Interviews

An interview can either be a series of questions asked directly by the researcher to the respondent (person answering), or it can be conducted as a discussion. Interviews can be of three main types; structured, semi-structured, and unstructured.

Structured Interviews

Structures are in many ways the same as questionnaires, in that they contain pre-set questions that are asked in the same order every time. It is tightly organized with the organizer reading out questions from a set questionnaire. The only real difference is that a structured interview consists of a spoken question and answer session between the interviewer and the interviewee, whereas a questionnaire will be given to the respondent to complete privately.

Unstructured Interviews

Unstructured interviews more resemble conversations than the tightly structured schedule of a structured interview. The interviewer simply has a basic area for discussion and asks any questions that seem relevant. The purpose of unstructured interviews is to gain an in-depth understanding about the interviewee’s perception of particular issues or subjects. The interviewer will allow conversation to develop freely, and they will be non-directive and non-judgmental in their own contributions.

Unstructured interviews are designed to produce qualitative data, and are likely to be favored by sociologists with the interactionist perspective. They have the advantage that they can be used flexibly to explore issues at a range of levels. They allow respondents to feel empowered and have some influence on the research process, allowing them time for thought and reflection.

Semi-structured Interviews

A semi-structured interview is a mixture of structured and unstructured interviewing methods, where a number of questions may be pre-determined, but the interviewer may feel free to deviate from these questions to explore issues raised by the answers. It is seen as simply more natural.

Advantages of Interviews

← The interviewer can help explain questions if necessary.

← Researchers are also sure that they are getting information from the right person.

← They can be organized on the spot, and therefore done immediately.

← There is a much higher response rate with interviews as the process is more personal, and it is difficult to refuse a researcher when approached politely.

Disadvantages of Interviews

← Likes and dislikes emerge. It has to be ensured that the interviewer does not influence the replies provided by the respondent in any way (interviewer bias).

← There is no reason why people should tell the truth to researchers, and therefore lying may occur. People may even exaggerate to impress the interviewer.

← Unstructured interviews are generally recorded and require transcribing (writing up). This has to be done after the interview since writing down replies during the interview is slow and can disrupt the flow of an interview. It is therefore very time consuming.

Interviews are therefore a good source of qualitative data, since it provides a more personal perspective on the subjects at hand.