Hung Yen University of Education and Technology
Faculty of Foreign language
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Lecturer: Nguyễn Thị Bích Vân
Group: 3
Class: A1K6
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Members:
1, Trương Thu Hiền
2, NguyễnThị Yên Hoa
3, Phạm Thị Hoa
4, Trần Thị Hoàn
5, Nguyễn Thế Hưởng
6, Nguyễn Thị Láng
7, Cao Thị Loan
8, Cao Thị Nữ
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What is topic?
Chapter III
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Contents
1. Interview data
2. Types of Interviews
3. Interview planning and conducting
4. Ways to use interview data in your paper

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Part 1
INTERVIEW DATA
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1, Interview data
The oral interview has been widely used as a research tool in applied linguistics.

In addition to its use in survey research, it has been used by second language acquisition researcher seeking data on stages and processes of acquisition ( Johnston, 1985),
1, Interview data
And also by language testers, who use the oral interview as a means of assessing of proficiency ( Ingram, 1984).

The “sociolinguistic interview” has also been used to investigate linguistic variation, conversational analysis, pragmatics, and cross-cultural
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Part 2
Types of Interviews
2, Types of Interviews
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Types of Interviews
Unstructured
Semi- structured
Structured
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2, Types of Interviews
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Types of Interviews
Unstructured
Semi- structured
Structured
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2, Types of Interviews
- Unstructured Interview:
 An unstructured interview is guided by the responses of the interview rather than the agenda of the researcher.
 The researcher exercises little or no control.
 The direction of the interview is relatively unpredictable.
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Advantages of Unstructured Interview

Unstructured interviews have the most relaxed rules of the three. In this type, researchers need only a checklist of topics to be covered during the interview.
There is no order and no script. The interaction between the participant and the researcher is more like a conversation than an interview.

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Advantages (cont.)

- Unstructured interviews are most often used in ethnographies and case studies (types of qualitative studies).
- They are best used when researchers want to find as much information as possible about their topic.
- The benefit is that unstructured interviews often uncover information that would not have been exposed using structured or semi-structured interviews.
- The researcher and participant are not limited by the protocol. Data sets collected using unstructured interviews will be larger than the rest.

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What about limitations?
While the flexibility of unstructured interview offers a number of advantages there are three main challenges that researchers face when using unstructured interview as a data collection method.

The first challenge is that this method requires a significant amount of time to collect the needed information, especially when the researcher first enters the field and knows little about the setting.
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The second challenge for researchers is to exert the right amount and type of control over the direction and pace of the conversation.
+ It is difficult to control the degree of defectiveness of the questions and statements posed during the conversation.
+ Furthermore, when the interviewee moves the conversation/interview in a direction that is not useful, the interview will need to decide when and how to interrupt the conversation gracefully, to return it to a topic of interest for the purposes of the research.
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The third challenge is analyzing the data gathered by unstructured interview.
+ The question asked in each unstructured interview were depend on the context of the interview and so can vary dramatically across multiple interviews.
+ Different questions will generate different responses so that a great deal of effort has to be made to analyze the data systematically, to find the patterns within it.
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2, Types of Interviews
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Types of Interviews
Unstructured
Semi- structured
Structured
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Semi-structured Interview

In a semi-structured interview, the interviewer has a general idea of where he or she wants the interview to go, and what should come out of it, but does not enter the interview with a list of predetermined questions.
Topics and issues rather than questions determine the course of the interview.
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Advantages:
First of all, it gives the interviewee a degree of power and control over the course of the interview.
Secondly, it gives the interviewer a greater deal of flexibility.
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Advantages (cont.)
Finally, this form of interview gives one privileged access to other people’s lives:
+ The semi-unstructured interview is quite extraordinary – the interactions are incredibly rich and data indicate that you can produce extraordinary evidence about life.
+ It’s not the only qualitative research technique that will produce rich information about social relationships but it does give you access to social relationships in a quite profound way.
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Disadvantages:
Interviewing skills are required ( the ability to think of questions during the interview, for example ).

Need to meet sufficient people in order to make general comparisons.

Preparation must be carefully planned so as not to make the questions prescriptive or leading.
Disadvantages:
Skill to analyze the data can be a problem – risk of constructing too much.

Time consuming and resource intensive.

You have to be able to ensure confidentiality.
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2, Types of Interviews
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Types of Interviews
Unstructured
Semi- structured
Structured
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Structured interview
Structured interviews are the type used
most often by quantitative researchers. The
style is most useful when looking for very
specific information. The benefits are that
it keeps the data concise and reduces
researcher bias.
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Advantages:
1.To examine the level of understanding a respondent has about a particular topic.
2. To be a powerful form of formative assessment.
3. To be easy to standardize.
4. To provide a reliable source of quantitative data.
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Advantages (cont.)

5. To be able to contact large numbers of people quickly, easily and efficiently.

6. To be a formal relationship between the researcher and the respondent with the latter knowing exactly what is required from them in the interview.
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Limitations
Can be time consuming if sample group is very large.
The quality and usefulness of the information is highly dependent upon the quality of the questions asked. The interviewer cannot add or subtract questions.
A substantial amount of pre-planning is required.

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Limitations (cont.)
4. The format of questionnaire design makes it difficult for the researcher to examine complex issues and opinions.
There is limited scope for the respondent to answer questions in any detail or depth.
There is the possibility that the presence of the researcher may influence the way a respondent answers various questions, thereby biasing the responses.

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Limitations (cont.)
For example: An aggressive interviewer may intimidate a respondent into giving answer that don’t really reflect the respondent’s beliefs.

7. A common problem to both postal questionnaires and structured interview is the fact that by designing a “ list of question”, a researcher has effectively decided – in advance of collecting any data – the things they consider to be important and unimportant.
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Part 3
Planning and Conducting Interviews
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1, Preparing the interview schedule
2, Piloting
3, Selecting informants
4, Elements of interview
5, Conducting effective interviews
6, Steps in conducting the interview
Planning and Conducting Interviews

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1, Preparing the Interview schedule

Interview schedule is a list of every question in the exact order it should be asked in.

Interview schedule begins with a brief introduction explaining who the interviewer is and a little bit about the research project.




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1, Preparing the Interview schedule
Cohen and Manion (1985) recommend:
The variables under investigation be written down by name in order to facilitate this stage.
The question format and response mode need to be considered.
The researchers still need to decide on the type of questions to be used (open-ended versus closed , direct or indirect, etc) and in what form the responses are to be collected and analyzed.
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2, Piloting
 It is important that interview questions are piloted with a small sample of subjects before used.
 This gives the researcher the opportunity to find down if the questions are yielding the kind of data required.
 It also eliminates any questions which may be ambiguous to the interviewee.
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3, Selecting informants
Bell (1987) : Efforts should be made to rescue a representative sample, even in a small scale study.
Informant involves:
 Selecting appropriate proportions of subgroup of the population.
 Using whatever variables you have determined to be important.
 Negotiating access to informants or data collection sites with individuals or institutions.
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4, Elements of the interview
a, Briefing and explanation:
 Explaining the nature of the research and the purpose of the interview to the interviewee.
 Answering any question that the interviewee may have.
 Telling the interviewee how the data are to be used.
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4, Elements of the interview
b, Questioning:
Spradley (1979): The researcher may use a variety of other strategies to encourage the respondent to recount his or her experiences or opinions.
Walkers (1985):
 Sitting side-by-side can offer result in a more productive interview than sitting face to face.
 Tape-recording and note-taking are not simply alternative data collection techniques, but represent quite different ways of going about doing research.
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5, Conducting effective interviews
a, Preparation for Interview
b, Types of Interviews
c, Types of Topics in Questions
d, Sequence of Questions
e, Wording of Questions
f, Carrying out Interview
g, Immediately after Interview
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a, Preparation for Interview:
 Choose a setting with little distraction

 Explain the purpose of the interview

 Address terms of confidentiality

 Explain the format of the interview

a, Preparation for Interview:

 Indicate how long the interview usually takes

 Tell them how to get in touch with you later if they want to

 Ask them if they have any questions

 Don’t count on your memory to recall their answers
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b, Types of Interviews:

1, Informal, conversational interview : No pre-determined questions are asked.

2, General interview guide approach: To ensure that the same general areas of information are collected.
b, Types of Interviews:

3, Standardized, open-ended interview: the same open-ended questions are asked to all interviewees.
4, Closed, fixed-response interview: all interviewees are asked the same questions and asked to choose answers from among the same set of alternatives.
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c, Types of Topics in Questions
1, Behavior
2, Opinions/ Values
3, Feelings
4, Knowledge
5, Sensory ( Adjective of “Sense”)
6, Background/ Demographics
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d, Sequence of Questions:
 Get the respondents involved in the interview as soon as possible

 Before asking about controversial matters, first ask about some facts

 Intersperse fact-based questions throughout the interview
d, Sequence of Questions:

Ask questions about the present before questions about the past or future

 The last questions might be to allow respondents to provide any other information they prefer to add and their impressions of the interview
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e, Wording of Questions
 Wording should be open-ended.
Questions should be as neutral as possible.
 Questions should be asked one at a time.
 Questions should be worded clearly.
 Be careful asking “why” questions.
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f, Carrying out Interview
1, Occasionally verify the tape recorder is working.
2, Ask one question at a time.
3, Attempt to remain as neutral as possible.
4, Encourage responses.
5, Be careful about the appearance when note-taking.
6, Provide transition between major topics.
7, Don’t lose control of the interview.
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g, Immediately after Interview
1, Verify if the tape recorder, if used, worked throughout the interview.

2, Make any notes on your written notes.

3, Write down any observations made during the interview
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6, Steps in conducting the interview
a, Establish rapport:
Introduce yourself
Be polite, friendly, but also professional
b, Describe the project: Tell the person:
 Who you are
 What requirements the project fulfills for you
 Who is working with you in the project
 Why you are interested in this project
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6, Steps in conducting the interview
c, Obtain informed consent. Be sure:
 The form clarifies what the interview entails and how the information from it will be used in your project.
 To inform the person that you would like to tape record the session.
 To inform the person that you might be quoting them in your paper.
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6, Steps in conducting the interview
d, Go ahead with the interview:

 The goal is to get the person to express their ideas about particular issues.

 Techniques:
- Clarification: To get the person to clearly explain himself/ herself.

6, Steps in conducting the interview
- Reflection: To get them to expand on that idea.

- Encouragement: To pursue a line of thought.

- Summary: To see if you really understood what he or she was saying .
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6, Steps in conducting the interview
e, Ending the interview:
 Be sensitive to the person’s schedule and time limits.
Try to “wind down” rather than end abruptly.
f, Take notes: Always sit down immediately after the interview and jot down your impressions of the interview – things that the tape recorder could not pick up.
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Part 4
How to Use the Interview Data in your paper
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Brief quotes or references to what people said are a great waste of the interview. Quotes that are out of context in your paper are also insufficient.

The goal is to thoroughly INTEGRATE the interview data into the topics and themes of your paper
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Consider these questions:

Does the interview data support or contradict your thesis?
Did what the interviewee say support the articles you read?
Did what she say contradict the articles? What might this mean?
Did what he say support or contradict the other interviewees?
Consider these questions:

Did what she say add new dimensions to the articles or to what other interviewees said?

What was the “big picture” of each interviewee said and how does it relate to your thesis?

How did the “process” of the different interviews compare, and does this reveal any insights concerning your thesis?
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Consider these questions:

There are 3 ways to cite the interviewees and use quotes:
 Summaries in your own words what he or she said.
 Use short quotes that you ended into a paragraph.
 Use a separate indented paragraph for longer quotes

Note: The second and especially the third method will catch the reader’s eye, so make sure you are quoting something important.
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Identifying the interviewees

In the method section of the paper you should describe who each of interviewees is, why you asked them to participate in the study, and how you located them.

Interviewees who are professionals or “experts” on some topic should be identified by name, profession, where they work, the detail f their expertise, and any other information about them that is relevant to your project.

Other interviewees should be identified by age, material status, occupation, and why specifically they were selected for your project
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In some project the identifies of the interviewees must NOT be mentioned in your paper. You must always obtain permission to mention their names in your paper.
For people who wish to remain anonymous, you can mention their real age, marital status, occupation, and any other information about them that is relevant to your project. BUT USE A FALSE NAME. Also, never mention ANY information if that information is so specific or unique that it could reveal who they are.

Thank You !