Introduction
As a rule, when someone first hears the word ‘interview’, they think of it as the possibility of at least two individuals talking to each other. Nunkoosing (2005) was of the view that “Interviews are mostly about contemplation and talk that are later changed into writings”. However, Rollnick and Miller (1995) characterized interviews as motivational talking and explained them as “a commanding, client-focused advising style for evoking behaviour change by helping clients to investigate and resolve indecisiveness”. In the 1970s, there was a response against the authority of quantitative techniques, which split specialists into two groups: qualitative and quantitative analysts (Seidman, 2012).
For researchers who tend to be inclined towards qualitative research, the most broadly utilized instrument for gathering data is interviews (Cassell, 2005). Even in everyday life, everyone generally takes part in a type of interview once a day, either as a questioner or interviewee. On the off chance that people are investigating participants’ meetings, opinions or characters, at that point, one may utilize personal meetings (Mann, 2011). Conducting research interviews is not as easy as it may seem. This conceptual paper suggests the basic ways of conducting research interviews for novice researchers so that they have a basic outline of how to go about the process. It discusses how an interview is designed, planned, and conducted, in addition to discussing what to do with the interview data. This can further help the researchers with research interviews of an extraordinary nature. There are a myriad of limitations to using interviews as a data collection method, which have also been discussed. There are mainly conceptual problems which need to be addressed.
Interviews are one of the ways of gathering data and getting in-depth information about the topic, which can be further analyzed. Interviews enable the researcher to assemble an extensive variety of open-ended and subjective information. They can give data about individuals’ inspirations, sentiments, states of mind, and what they recall. They are typically an essential piece of any venture to explore the use and effect of digitized assets. Before anyone begins to outline their inquiries and process, they need to see what issue or need is to be addressed, utilizing the data to be assembled by the interviews. This encourages the researcher to maintain a clear spotlight on the purpose of each inquiry.
Types Of Interview
Three types of interviews have been mentioned: structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and semi-structured interviews. The main difference between them is the extent of control the interviewer has over the meeting and the goal of the interview.
Structured Interview
After asking a list of particular questions, the researcher evaluates the marked responses selected from various options. This is the average type of interview utilized as a part of social study examination, and it can give quantitative information. The questions were asked amid an organized interview control, and the information was firmly inspired by the respondent. This would be proper to utilize when interviews require that the member give a response to each requested inquiry, which is regularly shorter in nature. Since inquiries are routinely solicited, a larger number of participants regularly participate in these investigations. The questionnaire records the reactions as indicated by a coding plan that has been set up as indicated by the examination question (Bryman, 2008).
There are limitations to this technique as well. In any case, this sort of interview needs richness and limits the accessibility of top-to-bottom information. The variety among responses is constrained because of the stringent interview format that is utilized. Along these lines, the adaptability of the questioner regarding being ready to intrude and the interviewee to elaborate is confined. It has been featured in the writing that this sort of meeting is reasonable for specialists who know precisely what sort of data they are looking for.
Unstructured Interview
These are interviews that occur with scarcely any inquiries or questions. They frequently advance in the way an ordinary discussion would, be that as it may, concern the exploration subject under audit. It is a generally shapeless interview style that scientists use to build up a positive relationship with the participant, and it is, to a great degree, accommodating when specialists are talking about sensitive points. The analyst is relied upon to test participants with a specific end goal of getting the richest and top-to-bottom data conceivable(Dörnyei, 2007). In the event that a person selects this interview style, simply remember that they may need to direct a few rounds of meetings with their participants, keeping in mind the end goal of assembling all the data they require. Since one does not utilize a standard interview procedure, once in a while, participant’s stories move the discussion far from different parts of the exploration point one needs to investigate; it is a piece of the conversational style this interview technique requires (Bryman, 2008)
Semi-Structured Interviews
These are interviews that utilize an interview protocol to help control the analyst through the meeting procedure. While this can fuse conversational viewpoints, it is generally a guided discussion between the scientist and the member. It maintains some structure; however, it likewise furnishes the analyst with the capacity to test the participant for extra points of interest. In the event that one chooses to pick this meeting technique, comprehend that it offers a lot of adaptability for a person as an analyst. The person doesn’t need to stress over expecting to direct a few rounds of meetings in light of the fact that their meeting convention will keep them concentrated on social affairs and all the data that they have to answer the exploration question. Despite the fact that that is the objective of a meeting convention, there might be a requirement for extra examination so one can get more insights into participants’ reflections, emotions, and assessments (Dörnyei, 2007).
Type Of Questions To Be Asked
Moving on to the types of questions that can be asked during the interview, we will discuss how they can vary. It depends on the topic and also the situation as to how and when to improvise the question according to the client’s needs. The questions included in the interview are mainly dependent on the type of research question which needs to be addressed. Interview questions can be based on theory, experience or practice. Hence, there is no definite answer to “what kind of questions need to be picked for the interview” because there is no single formula.
Then comes the point of duration, which is how much time one should take to conduct an interview. It also depends on various factors, namely the kind of research, the willingness of the participants, and whether the interviewer can stay consistent and maintain a good rapport over time. However, if one has collected sufficient data in a short period of time, then there is no need to extend the interview sessions. There are two ways to enlist potential interviewees. First, I will provide a basic profile of them, and second, I will see the willingness and availability of the participants. The mode of interview should also be discussed with the interviewee, and his convenience should be kept in mind. As indicated by Dörnyei), a good interview should;
(a) “stream normally” and
(b) “be rich in detail”.
During practice, the questioner ought to limit his/her interferences to the base and give the interviewee as much time as important to expand and clarify a specific issue. In spite of the fact that it is critical for the analyst to be impartial, the skilful questioner should keep the meeting concentrated on the objective theme without interference. On the contrary, Robson (2011) cautions questioners not to make long inquiries, as it might diminish the interviewee’s comprehension of the entire inquiry. Likewise, he prompts the questioner not to utilize twofold or multi-barrelled inquiries. These kinds of questions will make it troublesome for the interviewee to react precisely. Additionally, the utilization of language is not suggested in interviews. Inquiries driving the interview in a specific course ought to be avoided.
Before anyone begins to outline their inquiries and process, they need to see what issue or need is to be addressed, utilizing the data to be assembled by the interviews. This encourages the researcher to maintain a light spotlight on the purpose of each inquiry. The questions should be understandable by a layman and should not reflect the interviewer’s academic language. The order and difficulty level of the questions should also be according to the needs of the research and relevant to the topic. Lastly, a pilot study can be conducted to make sense of the questions and be sure to include them in the interview. How a conversation should go and how to make sure it keeps going is the art of an interview. Even the silence shared between the interviewer and interviewee should be productive and add to the fund of information that is already present. To make sure that the interviewee stays engaged, the researcher needs to employ suitable techniques in such a way that the alliance is not ruptured. There are a number of ways to analyze the interview data and then report the findings.
This article has investigated the key stages associated with utilizing research interviews, namely, planning and outlining research interviews, leading exploration interviews, and comprehending the information. Each exploration is extraordinary, so it isn’t conceivable in this article to cover each consequence, yet this article should empower learner analysts to make progress with their first cycle of meetings and, en route to creating abilities in setting up proficient coordinated gatherings, taking an interest in those gatherings, tuning in, and comprehension, and translating. With regard to managing human participants, ethical considerations are of utmost importance. As per Cohen et al. (2007), interviews mean an interruption into a participant’s private life, so a researcher should be mindful of the time allotted to the interview and the type of questions he is asking. He should be cognizant of the ethical issues while planning, designing and conducting interviews and all their respective stages. Informed consent should be obtained from the participants before they participate in the research. Confidentiality should also be thoroughly exercised.
There are a few limitations of this study: it has ignored the connection between research philosophies and strategies and the design, conduct and analysis of interviews. It implies that the interview gauges the existing information (Silverman, 2010) whereas there is another way in which we can look at this entire phenomenon in the words of Kvale and Brickman (2008) who state that the process of interview goes beyond attaining the existing information. Instead, it is more about the creation and improvisation of information during the process. Hence, it can be concluded that there are many conceptions offered by different people as far as interview styles and interpretations of interviews are concerned.
To further explain the idea, three conceptions of the interview are given: n, romantic, and constructional. The first one depicts a neutral stance on the part of the interviewer, who is very careful in the selection of his questions and makes sure he adheres to ethical standards to gain accurate results. T The second one is all about building a positive relationship with the client so that his inner world is revealed to the interviewer, and with that bond, they can both actively steer towards their goal. The last constructional interview demands the researcher and the interviewee both to understand the topic of research and have a common ground to work on. Hence, there are a number of ways of looking at the interaction between the researcher and the interview. This article mainly focuses on neo-positive interviews as a first step for researchers, but one needs to have a better understanding of all the other approaches so they can be integrated and used as needed. It also depends on the purpose of the study and research strategy as to which sort of interview should be employed.
