RESEARCH METHOD COHEN ok

352 INTERVIEWS
returns, the interviewer is able to answer questions
concerning both the purpose of the interview
and any misunderstandings experienced by the
interviewee, for it sometimes happens in the
case of the latter that the same questions have
different meanings for different people. If only
closed items are used, the questionnaire will be
subject to the weaknesses already discussed; if
only open items are used, respondents may be
unwilling to write their answers for one reason
or another. Questionnaires also present problems
to people of limited literacy, and an interview
can be conducted at an appropriate speed whereas
questionnaires are often filled in hurriedly.
By way of interest, we illustrate the relative
merits of the interview and the questionnaire
in Box 16.2. It has been pointed out that the
direct interaction of the interview is the source
of both its advantages and disadvantages as a
research technique (Borg 1963). One advantage,
for example, is that it allows for greater depth than
is the case with other methods of data collection.
Adisadvantage,ontheotherhand,isthatitis
prone to subjectivity and bias on the part of the
interviewer.
Oppenheim (1992: 81–2) suggests that
interviews have a higher response rate than
questionnaires because respondents become more
involved and, hence, motivated; they enable
more to be said about the research than
is usually mentioned in a covering letter to
a questionnaire, and they are better than
questionnaires for handling more difficult and
open-ended questions.
Types of interview
The number of types of interview given is frequently
a function of the sources one reads!
For example, LeCompte and Preissle (1993)
give six types: standardized interviews; in-depth
interviews; ethnographic interviews; elite interviews;
life history interviews; focus groups. Bogdan
and Biklen (1992) add: semi-structured interviews;
group interviews. Lincoln and Guba (1985)
add: structured interviews. Oppenheim (1992: 65)
adds: exploratory interviews.
Patton (1980: 206) outlines four types: informal
conversational interviews; interview guide
approaches; standardized open-ended interviews;
Box 16.2
Summary of relative merits of interview versus questionnaire
Consideration Interview Questionnaire
Personal need to collect data Requires interviewers Requires a secretary
Major expense Payment to interviewers Postage and printing
Opportunities for response-keying
(personalization)
Extensive
Limited
Opportunities for asking Extensive Limited
Opportunities for probing Possible Difficult
Relative magnitude of data reduction Great (because of coding) Mainly limited to rostering
Typically, the number of
respondents who can be reached
Limited
Extensive
Rate of return Good Poor
Sources of error Interviewer, instrument, coding, sample Limited to instrument and sample
Overall reliability Quite limited Fair
Emphasis on writing skill Limited Extensive
Source:Tuckman1972