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Interviews! Interviews! Interviews!

Interviews?


Yesterday module 2 had a really insightful discussion session with supervisor Sam Murray who specialises in ethnographic research.


Below are some of the key points that Sam raised in the discussion for anyone that missed it! Also this will be helpful to revisit and reflect on when we are in module 3 and actually have to create our interview questions!!! (dun dun duuuuuunnnn!!!!!!!- This scares me haha)


Sams Interview Hints and Tips


-In an interview think of being a data collection computer, you want to take in lots of information and learn new things!


-Don’t ask leading questions and don’t have a fixed idea. You want to be open and use broad questions to get as much out of the discussion. Don’t force your opinion.


-Let the data speak for its self 


-In an interview you will always be surprised by peoples answers, so don’t presume what they are going to say.


-You are collecting peoples stories


-Create a set of questions that are open and that you feel confident asking!


-When you first start you interview start with an ice breaker question. This can be quite loosely related to the topic, but you want you participant to feel relaxed and ease. An example could be ‘How did you first get involved in your practice?’, ‘What made you get into dancing?’. It’s a broad question that will be a good warm up!


-Remember to actively listen to your participant so you can ask probing questions. Pick out key points they make and ask follow up questions. Remembering to always allow them to finish speaking, don’t interrupt.


-Always be an active listener, give eye contact, show you are interested and be engaged. The participants have given up their valuable time to help you!


-When you respond to your interviewee, be respectful and don’t show bias and your opinion. You should always acknowledge their opinion, even if you disagree.


-Remember both you and the participant have the right to terminate the interview if things go sour or either of your feel uncomfortable in a situation (which won’t happen, but ‘if’ it did)


...


Sam then went onto do a mock interview with his colleague. This was spontaneous and neither knew what they were going to ask or talk about. This was to show us how to think about the structure of the interview and that we will always be surprised by peoples answers.


1.Introduction - Give your participant a quick overview and reminder of the project and the topic to be discussed. Even though they have already consented to the interview, just remind them that you will only go ahead with their consent.


2.Make a statement when you press record on the recording device to let them clearly know that now they are being recorded.


3.Ask your set questions and then continue with appropriate follow up questions.


4.Remember to check in with the time. If you feel like you are going to run over or are close to finishing, just check they are ok with continuing or if you need to finish. Equally if you feel like you have all the relevant information out of them before the times up you can terminate the interview sooner with explanation.


5.Ask them if they have any questions


6.Formally close the interview, naturally come to a conclusion and then remember to thank your participant for their time!



Hope this helps :)

Comments

  1. Hi Emily,
    These are some great points you've picked up on. I found when doing my interviews, I liked to be over prepared, and then when you are in the interview situation you can be more open to whatever may come up. It is really interesting listening to other peoples experiences! Thank you
    Alys x

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for the advice! I think I am certainly an over prepared kind of person! I am already so interested with how the interviews will go and I haven't even wrote out some question ideas yet!! I hope you are getting on well with module 3! The finish line is so soon!

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  2. Hi Emily! This scares me too lol... but it was nice to have a discussion about it as we now have a better understanding of what is expected of us next module. Thanks for sharing your notes, they have been really helpful! I hope everything is going well x

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    Replies
    1. Yes I actually really enjoyed that it felt like a lecture like more information and then a discussion, I felt like I go a lot of out that session! I am good I am just mainly trying to apply my feedback which I sometimes find harder than writing in the first place! But not long left until we complete module 2 (fingers crossed) how are you getting on?

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  3. Hi Emily thank you so much for this blog it was very helpful for me, i am also doing interviews which i was struggling to know what questions to actually use, the tips from sam that you shared was also very helpful i will be using those tips for my interviews.

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    Replies
    1. Yes I think Sam's tips will help us loads!! I actually have attempted since this Skype to write down a few questions and in some ways it was easier than I thought as I knew some rules on what to ask and what not to! But it's hard as you have to ensure not to be leading and to keep the questions open!

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