Essay Example on How Long Should a Qualitative Interview Last?

Introduction

One of the considerations which should be examined when developing good qualitative interviews is the issue of time. That is, what is the optimum time that a qualitative interview should take? This question has been succinctly explained by many authors. For instance, according to Morrison, Haley, Sheehan, and Taylor (2012), a good qualitative interview should last from between a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours. However, the exact minutes between the minimum and the maximum duration is not of significance than the need for the interviewer to ensure that the respondent or the interviewee has enough time to say all s/he has regarding the question asked or the phenomenon of interest to the study. Also, the interviewer should have adequate time to hear all that the interviewee has to say.

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The second characteristics of an excellent qualitative interview are the presence of probing questions (Bryman & Bell, 2015; Mligo, 2016; Pradhananga & Davenport, 2014). Probing questions are useful in qualitative data interviews because of their crucial role in providing a signal to the informant or the respondent that the interviewer needs more information regarding a question asked or a phenomenon of interest to the study. That is, a probing question is aimed at seeking more clarification or aimed at making the respondent elaborate more about a specific issue (Tewksbury & Mustaine, 2014). An example of a probe that is intended to obtain more clarification or elaboration about a specific issue is a silence (Jugenheimer, Kelley, Hudson, & Bradley, 2015).

Thirdly, well-constructed qualitative interview questions should be characterized by a good rapport between the interviewer and the interviewee. This is because the presence of good rapport between the interviewer and the interviewee makes the interviewee feel comfortable and accepted. Consequently, the interviewee will be free to answer all the questions posed to him by the interviewer.

Yob and Brewer's interview guide also informs my proposed study in many ways. Primarily, the interview questions found in Yob and Brewer's article are useful because it guides how interview questions should be constructed. From Yob and Brewer's article, it can be seen that good interviews should start with general questions and later narrow down to specific questions. Moreover, qualitative interview questions should be descriptive (Taylor, Bogdan, & DeVault, 2015). Lastly, qualitative interview questions should be open-ended (Hoque, Parker, Covaleski, & Haynes, 2017; Swaminathan & Mulvihill, 2017; Taylor, Bogdan, & DeVault, 2015).

What Makes A Good Interview Guide?

Apart from examining what makes well-formulated qualitative interview questions, it is crucial to understand what makes a useful interview guide because it is an integral part of the interview process. One of the requirements of a useful interview guide is the presence of a good introduction. In the introduction section of the interview, the interviewer should introduce himself by stating his or her name. The welcoming of the interviewee should follow this into the study. By introducing himself or herself and welcoming the interviewee, the interview creates a rapport necessary in ensuring that the respondent becomes comfortable and reduce anxiety characterized in most interviews. Consequently, the interviewee will be more likely to respond to each of the interview questions in a manner anticipated by the interviewer.

Moreover, in the introduction, it is crucial for the researcher or the interviewer to state the purpose or the reason why he or she would like to carry out the interview. For instance, the purpose of an interview could be "the purpose of this interview is to talk about what motivation means to you as a Walden graduate Student." Additionally, in the introduction section of the interview guide, the interviewer should tell the interview how long the interview will take. This could be phrased as follows: 'this interview will last about 30 minutes.' Also, the introduction section of the interview guide should succinctly inform the interviewee how the data collected will be utilized. Specifically, the interviewee should be made aware whether interview notes will be taken and whether the interview will be recorded.

Moreover, the interview guide should explain how the data will be analyzed and whether it will be shared with other individuals or organizations. Furthermore, the interview guide should inform the respondent of his or her rights. The rights of the interviewee include voluntary participation, freedom to withdraw from the interview at any time, freedom to refuse to answer any questions posed if he or she is not comfortable with the questions, and confidentiality and anonymity of the data. Also, before conducting an interview, it is vital to ask the interviewee whether they have any questions or clarifications regarding the interview. Lastly, just before starting to ask the first question, the interviewee should ask whether he or she is ready for the questions (Dennis, Wixom, & Tegarden, 2015). This is meant to give room for the interviewee to understand all aspects of the interview and to clear any doubts in his or her mind. When the interview affirms his or her readiness, the interview starts.

References

Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2015). Business research methods. Oxford, OX: Oxford University Press.

Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H., & Tegarden, D. (2015). Systems analysis and design: An object-oriented approach with uml. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Hoque, Z., Parker, L. D., Covaleski, M. A., & Haynes, K. (2017). The Routledge companion to qualitative accounting research methods. Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis.

Jugenheimer, D. W., Kelley, L. D., Hudson, J., & Bradley, S. (2015). Advertising and public relations research. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Mligo, E. S. (2016). Introduction to research methods and report writing: A practical guide for students and researchers in social sciences and the humanities. Oregon, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Morrison, M. A., Haley, E., Sheehan, K. B., & Taylor, R. E. (2012). Using qualitative research in advertising: Strategies, techniques, and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Pradhananga, A., & Davenport, M. A. (2014). An assessment of agricultural conservation practices and Minnesota farmwise in the canon river watershed. Retrieved from https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/170680/Staffpaper234.pdf;sequence=1

Swaminathan, R., & Mulvihill, T. M. (2017). Critical approaches to questions in qualitative research. Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis.

Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R., & DeVault, M. (2015). Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Tewksbury, R., & Mustaine, E. E. (2014). Controversies in criminal justice research. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.