Interviews can allow you to gain an in-depth understanding of your research topic. Social science researchers use interviews to gather information about the beliefs, values, and detailed experiences of individuals or groups. Interviews range from unstructured to structured, and are flexible in terms of where and how they are conducted. This freedom allows for adaptability as researchers collect their data.
Social science researchers often use interviews to gather qualitative data, or non-numerical data, with the goal of discovering something about a certain population. Interviews are a method of collecting data through conversations between two or more people in a series of questions and answers. Interviews are ideal for gathering information that cannot be directly measured in a survey or observed in an ethnographic setting, such as feelings, thoughts, and intentions. While great interviews may resemble casual conversations, they require a lot of preparation by researchers to ensure that participants share valuable perspectives and contributions.
Interviews can be used as the sole method of data collection or can be paired with other methods to gain a deeper understanding of the data. Often, researchers will use interviews as follow-ups to surveys. This allows the researchers to understand the story behind a participant’s experiences, and go beyond the factual level into the deeper meaning of the data.
Most of the time, interviews are conducted one-on-one, though group interviews may also be utilized. This module focuses on one-on-one interviews; you can learn more about group interviews in the Types of Interviews section. For now, keep in mind that any type of interview you choose should allow you to build rapport and create a comfortable environment for your participants.
At this point, you should have a good grasp of what an interview is in the context of the social sciences. If you are still not certain whether interviews are the appropriate method to answer your research question, read on!
