Interview method

The interview method of collecting data involves presentation of oral-verbal stimuli and reply in
terms of oral-verbal responses. According to Neuman (1991) “the interview is a short term,
secondary social interaction between two strangers with the explicit purpose of one person’s
obtaining specific information from the other…. Information is obtained in a structured conversation
in which the interviewer asks pre-arranged questions and records answers, and respondent
answers.” Krishan Kumar (1992) defines “interviewing is a process of personal interaction between a
researcher and a respondent.” Ranjit Kumar in his book Research Methodology (1999) opined that
“any person- to- person interaction between two or more individuals with a specific purpose in mind
is called interview. In simple words we can say that survey interviewing is a face-to-face interaction
with the respondents to get specific information.

Types of Interview

Structured Interview

During structured interview the interviewer asks the pre-drafted questions. Here, he/ she cannot
change the questions, or their sequence. No freedom is given to add new questions or delete any
question. The interviewer is strictly instructed to ask the pre decided questions in verbatim and also
to record them. The interview scheduled is prepared in advance. It contains open ended as well as
closed ended questions. The question schedule may be given to the interviewee in advance so that
he/she can prepare the answers. There is a difference between interviewing and interview schedule.

Unstructured Interview

During the interview when the interviewer exercises autonomy in asking questions what ever comes
to his/her mind on a particular research problem under investigation, is called unstructured
interview. This type of interview can be conducted on one - to- one basis or with a group of
interviewees. Unstructured interview may permit the interviewee to give responses freely or it may
restrict free responses. Hence, the interviewer asks the respondents only such questions, which
comes under the area of research problem. There are no set typed questions. One question leads to
another and so on. The main aim of the interviewer is to get personal viewpoint of the respondents
on a given topic The interviewer should keep interview guide/schedule with him/her at the time of
the interview. It helps him/her to know the areas to be covered and it also provides guidelines for
smooth conduct of interview session.

Focussed interview

Focussed interview is conducted basically to get focussed, in depth information on any given issue
from the respondent.

Non-directive Interview

Interviewer in this type of interview acts like a catalyst. He/she prompts the respondents to give
information on the topic under investigation. Like in focussed interview here questioning is very less.
But the area(s) to be covered remains under the control of the interviewer.

Clinical Interview

This type of interview also comes under the category of unstructured interview. Adams and
Schvaneveldt (1985) reported that this type of interview has been used in social care work,
counselling and prison setting, and is also called personal history interview. This type covers basically
the feelings, life experiences, of the respondents

Advantages

• Through questioning in depth information can be obtained from the respondent.

• In personal interaction clarifications and explanations can be made.

• This is a very flexible method. Questions can be restructured to eliminate ambiguity.

• Through personal interaction complete responses can be obtained from the respondents.

• Personal information, as well as complex and sensitive information can be generated.

• Non- response percentage is very less. As compared to questionnaire method here participant rate
is high.

• The interviewer may come across information, which is most spontaneous.

• Interviewer can remould the questions, change the language according to knowledge, educational
background of the respondent.

• Many people do not want to answer questionnaires due to time constraints but at the same time
they may very willingly face the interview session. It takes less effort and time of the respondent.

• Quarterly data can be retrieved from interview session.

• Through personal interaction the interviewer can observe the respondent’s reactions, body
language, facial expressions vis-à-vis a particular question. These expressions help the
researcher/interviewer to reword or remold the questions spontaneously.

Some of these reactions, if observed carefully, may prove useful at the time of analysis.

• Face –to –face or group interaction gives respondent the feeling of direct participation in the
research process.

• Conducting interview is an art. A properly trained interviewer can make the respondent answer
even sensitive, emotional and sometimes complex questions with ease. Information gathered from
this method can be supplemented to the original findings of the research.

Limitations

There are some inherent weaknesses, limitations associated with this method. Some of them are
mentioned below:

• It is a very time consuming as well as very expensive method especially when the target population
is big in number and widely spread over a geographical area.

• There is a possibility of biased analysis, interpretations from the side of researcher or interviewee.
Biased reactions can also be received from the interviewee. Age, class, race, gender, social status,
etc. can play crucial role in generating biased opinions from both the sides. Biased reactions, analysis
and interpretation can hamper proper research results.
• If the interviewer/ researcher is not skilled, trained in the art, he/she may not able to conduct
successful interview session with proper control.

• There is a possibility if majority of the target population consists high and top-level management
groups, executives, therefore this method may not prove approachable to such clientele. Getting
information from such people is not under the control of interviewer.

• Proper training, selection and supervision of the interviewer are very essential to this method.

• Getting free, frank responses from the target population is not an easy task. Establishing proper
rapport with the target group is very difficult requirement.

• Information received from this method is difficult to analyse. Same set of questions may receive
diverse responses.

• Interview method may call for some errors, which are difficult to eliminate.

• The use of computers in data collection has its own set of limitations. Infrastructures, connectivity,
knowledge to operate such system are some of the essential requirements. Without them the
system may not run.