CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS Preparing for your documentary
Dec 15, 2015
CONDUCTING INTERVIEWSPreparing for your documentary
Before You Enter the Field• Review the topical and
interview literature• Develop the purpose of your
study• Develop research questions • Design the interview• Decide how to find and select
respondents• Determine how many
respondents are needed
Ethics of Doing Interviews• Beneficence – study
must benefit participants.
• Respect for Persons - Treat individuals as capable of making decisions
• Get IRB Approval
Informed Consent• Information must be given to participants any
time data are collected from them• Creates obligations and responsibilities for the
researcher• Participant consent must be given voluntarily• Written in a manner participants can understand –
clear and accurate
Elements of Informed Consent• Identification of researcher and
organization
• Purpose of study
• Features of research process
• Expected duration
• Possible risks and benefits
• How confidentiality and anonymity assured
• Any physical or psychological harms
• If deception is used
• To whom follow-up questions can be directed
• Participation is voluntary
• Can discontinue or refuse to participate without penalty
• Indication that participant should have copy of form
Conducting the Interview• Select locations and times
comfortable and accessible for respondents
• Best done in pairs– One to interview; one to take
notes
• Establish context and frame for interview– Define situation, explain purpose,
ask about taping the interview, ask if participant has any questions
Asking Questions• Carefully construct questions to get
the information you need or to prompt discussion
• Prepare and use an interview guide• Ask relevant biographical questions
to contextualize information• Some questions should allow
respondent to tell his or her own story
• Open questions are better than closed questions
Specific Strategies for Documentaries
After the Interview• Debrief the participant– Summarize main points
and new information– Ask if participant has any
questions– Have them return a
video/image release
• Thank the participant
Recording with Phones• Light• Background Noise• Focus on the subject• Stabilization– Use two hands
• LANDSCAPE MODE!!!
Lets Try It• Work with your groups try to come up with 5
open ended questions.• Second, come up with follow up probes to
help you get more dialog for your participant.• TIME DEPENDENT: Try Recoding one