Types Characteristics (2) Strengths (2) Weaknesses (2)
Structured - You have a - High - Little depth or
fixed list of reliability and detail
questions consistency - Cannot
- You ask - Easy to explore
them in the compare unexpected
same order responses answers (If
the
- Every participant
participant says
gets exactly something
the same interesting,
interview unusual, or
surprising,
you can’t
Why we use it? follow it up)
- When many
interviewers are
involved
- When you want
consistency and
easy comparison
Unstructured - No fixed - Rich, detailed - Low reliability
questions data - Hard to
- Each answer - High validity compare
decides the due to depth between
next participants
question
- Different
participants
may get very
different
interviews
Why we use it?
- When
exploring a
topic in depth
- When you
don’t know
exactly what
you’ll find
Semi-Structured - You have - Balance of - Requires
key depth and skilled
questions comparability interviewer
prepared - More natural - Some
- The order conversation inconsistency
can change between
- You can ask interviews
follow up
questions if
something
interesting
comes up
Why we use it?
- When you
want
comparabilit
y but also
deeper
understandi
ng
- When
conversation
flow matters
Focus Group - One - Generates - Group
moderator many ideas pressure may
asks quickly (bcs affect
questions come from honesty
- Several different - Dominant
participants people) participants
discuss - Shows group can influence
together norms and others
opinions
- Participants
can respond
to and build
on each
other’s
answers
why we use it?
- When you want
to see group
opinions or
social norms
- When
interaction
between people
is important
- When you want
many
viewpoints
quickly
PARTICIPANT BIAS
Types Description How to Avoid
Acquiescence Bias The tendency of participants Ask questions that include
to say ‘yes’ or agree with both agreement and
statements even when they disagreement options
do not truly agree.
Social Desirability Bias Participant gives answers Tell participants that their
that make them look good or identities/responses will not
socially acceptable be revealed.
Dominant Respondent One participant influences A moderator ensures all
Bias others’ responses, participants have equal
especially in group settings opportunities to share their
views.
Sensitivity Bias Participant avoids honest Avoid direct questioning on
answers due to personal or sensitive topics and ensure
sensitive topics responses remain
confidential.
RESEARCHER BIAS
Types Description How to Avoid
Confirmation Bias Researcher focuses on data Ensure the research
that supports their process is consistent and
hypothesis analyse all data fairly
Leading Questions Bias Questions are worded in a Use wording that does not
way that guides participants guide or pressure
toward a particular participants toward an
response. answer.
Question Order Bias Earlier questions influence Plan question order carefully
responses to later questions to avoid influencing
responses.
Sampling Bias Sample is not representative Use sampling methods that
of the target population give all members an equal
or fair chance of selection.
Biased Reporting Researcher selectively Report all results, including
reports results that support those that contradict the
conclusions hypothesis
TYPES OF INTERVIEWS EXAMPLE
Structured interview Topic: Exam stress in students
Research design example:
A psychologist wants to measure exam
stress levels in high school students. All
participants are asked the same 10 fixed
questions in the same order, such as “How
stressed do you feel before exams?”
Responses are recorded using a rating scale.
Multiple interviewers are trained to ask the
questions exactly the same way.
Semi-structured interview Topic: Coping strategies for exam stress
Research design example:
A researcher investigates how students cope
with exam stress. They prepare a list of key
questions (e.g. “How do you usually cope
with stress before exams?”) but are free to
ask follow up questions if a participant
mentions something interesting, such as
family pressure or time management.
Unstructured interview Topic: Personal experience of academic
pressure
Research design example:
A psychologist explores students’ personal
experiences of academic pressure. The
interview starts with one broad question,
such as “Can you tell me about your
experience with school pressure?” The
direction of the interview depends entirely
on the participant’s responses, with each
new question based on what they say.
Focus group Topic: Attitudes toward school workload
Research design example:
A researcher conducts a focus group with 6
students to explore attitudes toward school
workload. A moderator asks open-ended
questions and encourages discussion
between participants. Students respond to
each other’s opinions, allowing the
researcher to observe group dynamics and
shared views.