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Chapter 11. Conducting Interviews Introduction In the previous chapter we described how to construct a questionnaire: Now we turn to the process of using a questionnaire to interview respondents. We focus on interviewing because this technique is used most often in developing countries. Steps in interviewing The main steps in conducting a survey interview are:
In addition to our discussion of interviewing in this chapter, we suggest you view at least some of the following Web sites. Guidelines for Survey Interviewing, identifies sources of error in surveys, describes standard interviewing techniques, presents guidelines for recording answers for different kinds of questions, and provides suggestions for ensuring collection of valid and reliable data Interviews, a thorough and readable description of the entire process of preparing for and conducting interviews for research purposes; includes discussion of the role of the interviewer, suggestions for successful interviewing, and provides guidance on how to ask questions and record responses Internet Sites Related to Survey Research, provides links to sites related to many aspects of survey research, including links to journals and books, organizations, ethics, data editing aids, sampling, and other matters related to survey research Designing Structured Interviews for Educational Research, although intended for educational researchers, this site provides valuable guidance for all social researchers; the article covers basic steps and operations involved in interviewing, identifies problems that often arise and suggests ways to avoid them Viewing the discussion on some of these sites should give you a clearer and deeper understanding for planning and conducting successful interviews. |