Qualitative Communication Research Methods
Com
473 —Baldwin—Communication—Illinois State University
Updated 10/12/09
In-Class Assignment: Interviews
1. Decide a topic that is
interesting to all members of the group (do this part quickly!). If you cannot
think of one, use the scenario at the bottom of the page.
2. Decide the TYPE OF
INTERVIEWS you will use. Why is this type the most appropriate for the
situation.
3. Discuss any LOGISTICS
of the interviews, based on what you have read in the texts for class (e.g.,
where, when, length, tape record?)
4. Write
out a SAMPLE OF THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS you will use (from 1 to 3
questions). If you have time, develop probes to follow up the questions. See if
the class can guess what type of question it is!
5. If you could use one other
method with or instead of interviews (or the type of interview you have
chosen!), what would it be, and what would be the differences and similarities
in types of data you obtain and the types of claims you would be able to make
from your data?
Sample Research Scenario
You have been signed on as
part of an intercultural communication class to do a class research project in
conjunction with Normal School District Unit #5’s Diversity Action Council. The
school board and DAC want to investigate perceptions of current school efforts
in K-12 schools for implementing diversity curriculum and addressing diversity
issues in testing, in representation (on faculties, school board, etc.), and in
family-, gifted education, and extracurricular
involvement. You have broad permission to talk to anyone you need to
within the school context.
NOTES/Questions for Exercise
How would you
characterize the qualitative interview? How might this differ from a
"standardized interview" used in either the organizational sector
(job interview) or in traditional scientific studies?
What would be the
benefits of using an interview. Specifically, when might you use an interview
over some other qualitative method? What are some limitations of the interview?
Be ready to describe the
characterizing features of--and differences between--five different types of
interviews.
PRAGMATICS OF THE
INTERVIEW
What about power
relationships in the interview?
How do you choose good
interviewees?
How do you establish
rapport?
What are different types
of questions you might ask?
What about lies--how can
you detect them and what can you do about them?
What does the McCracken
reading have to add to Lindlof and
In class, we may choose a
topic, develop interview questions, and do some mock interviews! :)
Why
Interview? (Lindlof & Taylor)
--why
interviews over observation?
--why
interviews over open-ended questionnaires?
--how
different from an everyday conversation?
Specific
Objectives
--What
claims can you make? What kind of data do you get?
--What
is the difference between accounts and explanations?
Explain
each. For example, how would one "infer comm properties"
How
might one use Iw's to "elicit distinctive language"
Which
of the purposes (more than one?) do you seek to serve in your study?
HOW
TO!
Types
of Interviews
·
Ethnographic Interviews
·
Informant Interviews
·
Respondent Interviews
·
Narrative Interviews
·
Focus Group Interviews
Understanding
the types
·
content comparability
·
depth and range of topics
·
kind of discourse
·
length and number of interviews for each participant
·
sample characteristics
·
Add: way the data is handled (e.g., cases versus categories)
Which
type will you use, and why
How does the form of the
interview help create the "social reality" of the interview? (status,
questioning, interviewer's context affects)
What does Lindlof mean by
calling an interview a "form of play"? Why would one do this?
How
do you do it?
Sample?
·
choosing interviewees
Rapport:
How gain?
To
tape, or not to tape? (depends on purposes)
Process: (4 steps): From
McCracken (1988)
Stage
1: Review of analytic categories and interview design (review of lit)
Stage
2: Review of cultural categories and interview design (personal analysis,
cultural analysis)
Stage
3: Discovery of cultural categories & interview (interviews)
Stage
4: Discovery of analytic categories & analysis / write-up
Interview Format
Types
of Questions?
q basic questions (a la
various sources)
--grand-tour
questions (ideal-typical, memorable story tour)
--probes
(indirect: eyebrow flash, pause, repeat key words, tell me more..)
--experience
questions, example questions
--motive
questions
--native-language
questions
--auto-driving
questions
--posing
the ideal
--structural
question
--contrast
question
--posing
emergent ideas (member check)
--devil's
advocate question
--highly
sensitive question
--loose
ends questions
q interviewing by comment
(Snow, Zurcher, & Sjoberg, 1982)
q semantic categories [using
data-analysis to drive interviews…]
How might you use Spradley’s semantic categories to
develop interview Q’s?
Lies,
evasions, misstatements, inaccuracies, ignorance…
How
can you tell?
What
do you do?
In
SUM: A series of choices:
Interview
Process:
1)
purposes of the interview (dictate number, depth, etc.)
2)
structure of the interview
3)
role of prior information: "human instrument" versus
"bracketing"
Analysis Process: Some different perspectives
A. Lindlof & Taylor
1) level of interpretation (reporting versus
critiquing)
2) data reduction: (themes, pieces, cases) &
"self" of the participants
B.
Dramaturgical Focus (Berg, 1989).
C. Overarching
narrative (Sue Jones): https://www.mlb.ilstu.edu/ereserve2/viewpdf.php?filename=JBCOMJON.PDF