Interview: Types, Preparation and Conduct

Types of Research Interviews

A research interview is a purposeful conversation between a researcher and a participant, in which the researcher seeks to gain a deep understanding of the respondent’s experiences, opinions, perceptions, and motivations. Depending on the degree of structure, three main types of interviews are distinguished.

Structured Interview

The researcher asks a pre-determined set of questions in a strictly fixed order. All respondents receive identical questions, formulated in the same way. Answers are usually coded according to pre-set categories.

When to use: when data standardization is needed for quantitative analysis; with a large number of respondents; when comparability of answers between participants is important.

Advantages: high reliability, ease of analysis, minimization of interviewer influence. Limitations: does not allow for in-depth exploration of unexpected topics, restricts spontaneity of responses.

Semi-structured Interview

The researcher uses a guide (topic guide) — a list of key topics and sample questions, but has freedom to change the order of questions, ask clarifying questions, and follow the narrative of the participant. This is the most common interview type in qualitative research.

When to use: when studying complex phenomena requiring deep understanding; when the researcher has a preliminary grasp of the topic, but wants to leave room for new themes; when a balance between structure and flexibility is needed.

Advantages: combines systematicity with flexibility, allows collection of rich data, ensures comparability between interviews. Limitations: requires high interviewer qualifications, analysis is more labor-intensive.

Unstructured (In-depth) Interview

The researcher defines only the general topic of conversation. The interview progresses as a free-flowing discussion, guided by the participant’s answers. Questions are formed spontaneously depending on the course of the conversation.

When to use: when investigating little-studied phenomena; when maximal depth of individual experience understanding is needed; in ethnographic and phenomenological studies.

Advantages: maximal data depth, chance to discover unexpected topics. Limitations: difficulty comparing data between participants, high dependence on interviewer skills, lengthiness of conduct and analysis.

Developing a Guide (Topic Guide)

The semi-structured interview guide is a structured plan containing main topics and sample questions. It is not a rigid script, but serves as a reference point for the interviewer.

Guide Structure:

1. Introduction — researcher introduces themselves, explains the research purpose, obtains informed consent, permission for recording
2. Warm-up Questions — simple, general questions for establishing rapport (e.g., “Tell me about your position and responsibilities”)
3. Main Thematic Blocks — 4–6 key themes with sample questions and prompts for deeper exploration
4. Concluding Questions — opportunity for participant to add something, summarizing
5. Closure — thanks, information on next steps

When developing a guide, it is recommended to start with broad, descriptive questions and gradually move to more specific and analytical ones (funnel principle).

Types of Interview Questions

Opening Questions

Aimed at establishing rapport and introducing the topic. Should be easy and neutral. Example: “Please tell me a bit about your professional experience.”

Probing Questions

Used to delve deeper into the topic and obtain more detailed information. Main probing techniques:

• Clarification: “What exactly do you mean when you say...?”
• Elaboration: “Could you tell me more about that?”
• Completion: “What happened after that?”
• Evidence: “Can you give a concrete example?”

Follow-up Questions

Develop the topic touched upon by the participant, demonstrating attentive listening. Example: “You mentioned this caused difficulties. What kind of difficulties arose?”

Closing Questions

Summarize and give the participant a chance to add information. Example: “Is there anything important we haven’t discussed?”, “Would you like to add anything?”

Conducting the Interview

Building Rapport

Rapport is an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect between interviewer and participant. To establish it: show genuine interest in the participant’s story; use open, friendly posture; start with informal conversation; explain confidentiality and the absence of “right” or “wrong” answers.

Active Listening

The interviewer demonstrates attention through: verbal confirmations (“yes”, “I understand”, “interesting”); non-verbal cues (nods, eye contact); paraphrasing participant’s responses to confirm understanding; appropriate pauses, giving the participant time to reflect.

Time Management

Typical duration of a semi-structured interview is 45–90 minutes. The interviewer must ensure all key topics are covered, without interrupting the participant during an important narrative.

Recording and Transcribing Interviews

Audio Recording

Recording the interview on a voice recorder (with participant’s consent) is standard practice. Recommended to use two recording devices in case of technical failure. Audio recording allows the interviewer to focus on the conversation, not on note-taking.

Verbatim Transcription

Complete decoding of the audio recording, including all words, pauses, repetitions, and unfinished phrases. Transcribing one hour of interview takes an average of 4–6 hours of work. Transcription is the main material for further qualitative analysis.

Field Notes

In addition to audio recording, the interviewer keeps brief notes about the participant's non-verbal behavior, interview setting, own impressions, and emergent ideas. Notes provide context to complement the transcription.

Recruiting Participants

Qualitative research uses purposive sampling: participants are selected based on their suitability to the study criteria (experience, characteristics, knowledge). Main strategies:

• Criterion Sampling — selection by pre-set criteria (e.g., managers with more than 5 years of experience)
• Snowball Method — participants recommend other potential participants
• Maximum Variation — selecting participants with maximally varied experience to cover different perspectives

Sample size in qualitative research is determined by the principle of data saturation: interviews are conducted until new participants stop providing fundamentally new information. This usually occurs after 12–20 interviews.

Practical Tasks

Task 1

Question: The researcher is studying how middle managers make decisions under uncertainty. Which interview type is most suitable and why? Compose three sample guide questions.

Solution: Most suitable type is semi-structured interview, because: the topic is complex and multifaceted, requiring deep investigation; the researcher has a theoretical base (decision-making theories) for question formulation; a balance between data comparability and flexibility is needed.

Sample guide questions:

1. “Tell me about a recent situation where you had to make a decision under high uncertainty. What was happening?” (opening, descriptive)
2. “What information did you look for before making this decision, and how did you assess its reliability?” (main, analytical)
3. “Looking back, would you change anything in your approach to this decision? Why?” (reflective)

Task 2

Question: Identify errors in the following interview questions and suggest improved wording: a) “Don’t you think that management is unfair to the employees?” b) “Tell me about your work and family and how they are connected?”

Solution: a) Error: leading question, contains an evaluative judgment (“unfair”). Improved wording: “How would you describe the relationship between management and employees in your organization?”

b) Error: double-barreled question — simultaneously asks about work, family, and their connection. Improved wording: first — “Tell me about your professional activity,” then — “How does your work affect your family life?”

Task 3

Question: Which probing techniques are appropriate in the following situations? a) Participant says: “Well, overall, everything was complicated.” b) Participant says: “We used a non-standard approach.”

Solution: a) Appropriate techniques are elaboration and clarification: “Could you tell me more about what exactly was complicated?” or “What specifically do you mean by 'complicated'?”

b) Appropriate techniques are evidence and elaboration: “Can you give a concrete example of this non-standard approach?” or “What exactly made it non-standard?”