Page 47 - DLIS401_METHODOLOGY_OF_RESEARCH_AND_STATISTICAL_TECHNIQUES

Methodology of Research and Statistical Techniques

Notes formal in-depth interviewing the researcher’s identity is known and the respondent knows
that an interview is going on, while an informal in-depth interview appears to be (to the
respondent) just a conversation with someone (who is actually a covert researcher).
(c) Characteristics of In-depth Interviewing
In-depth interviewing has the advantage of being able to acquire a hermeneutic understanding
of the knowledge and attitudes specific to the respondent (without an “alien”, super-imposed
questionnaire). It is often called a more valid research method. However, this assertion needs
qualification: both in-depth and survey interviews approach human subjects with a perspective
in mind, but only in in-depth interviewing is this perspective amenable to change (given the
quest for what is unique to the person being interviewed), while in surveys it is not allowed
to change (given the quest for generalizability of the findings).
During a research process involving several in-depth interviews, the “big wheel of science”
can freely rotate between induction and deduction (finding new things and asking about
them, cf. grounded theory). In addition, the method is beneficial for explorative research on
a (sociologically) new issue. The main weakness of in-depth interviewing is its lack of reliability
without a fixed questionnaire, the interviewer’s flexibility, while allowing for new information,
may affect the research findings, not because of respondents’ characteristics, but because of
the different ways in which they were interviewed.
Since in-depth interviewing often does not rely on random sampling of respondents, issues of
generalizability cannot (but often do not have to) be addressed. Finally, the results of in-depth
interviews are harder to analyze than survey questionnaire findings, since they cannot easily
be transferred into numbers (allowing for statistical analysis) but have to be brought together
comprehensively in meaningful categories that do not destroy the uniqueness of the findings
(the recent use of computerized techniques of qualitative data-analysis is helpful in this regard).
3. Making Observations

In your observations, be sure to see as much as you can and to remain open-minded on what
you see; you want to understand, not to condemn or approve. Once you have taken up your
role, do not get over-involved, nor completely disengaged.
Very important is to record what you observe accurately, and best as soon as possible after
the event occurred. Therefore, you should keep a field journal (or tape). Field notes include
what is observed and interpretations of what is observed. Also, keep notes in stages, first
rather sketchy and then more in detail. Finally, keep as many notes as you can (anything can
turn out to be important). Apart from that, a separate file can be kept on theoretical and
methodological concerns, as well as reports of the researcher’s own personal experiences and
feelings.

As an initial step for analysis, the notes must be kept in files (with multiple entries), to
discover patterns of behavior or practices, instances of attitudes and meanings of events for
the observed, encounters of people in interaction, episodes of behavior (in which a sudden
event can be crucial), and roles, lifestyles and hierarchies. These analytically conceived files
should keep the chaos of observation together. Be flexible about your files.
The analysis itself can then proceed to discover similarities and differences: what re-appears
in the field, which events seem to indicate the same pattern of behavior or thought, as well
as what is “deviant” in the research site, and so on. Note, of course, that it is typical for field
research that observing, formulating theory, evaluating theory, and analyzing data, can all
occur throughout the research process.

Important tools to avoid problems of mis-interpretation or biased observations include: add
quantitative findings to your field observations (triangulation), keep in touch with a supervisor,
and ensure your self-awareness (introspection).

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