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Unit-14: Interview

1. structured interview: in such kind of interview, questions related to study subject are built notes
beforehand and they are kept in an arranged order. interviewer attains the required information
by asking these questions from the informant. this list of questions is called interview schedule.
Interviewer asks the questions given in the interview schedule in the same sequence; he does not have
the liberty to change it. in it time of interview, duration, circumstances etc, are all predetermined so
that the consistency of the interview is maintained. in such kind of interview, control is maintained
on both the interviewer and the informant. such kind of interview is also called arranged interview,
directed interview or formal interview. Administrative or various kind of market surveys or to study
the voting behaviour such kind of interviews are used. in such kind of interviews, there is no chance
if discrimination because questions are made beforehand only.
2. unstructured interview: such interviews are also called undirected, uncontrolled, informal or
unstructured interviews. in such interviews, interviewer does not have a predetermined list of
questions, i.e. questions related to subject are framed instantly. through such interviews feelings,
psychologies, thoughts and principles etc. of the informant are known. in it to guide the interviewer,
interview guide is compulsorily used, in which, the kind of subject related information that needs to
be attained, summary of it is written. such kind of interview has been used by the anthropologists
for study of primitive tribes. in such interviews high level knowledge and skill of the interviewer is
needed. Under it there is more possibility of bentibility and flexibility. In it interviewer collects the
information by changing the question according to the situation.
3. semi-structured interview: such kind of interview is neither completely structured nor completely
unstructured, instead in it both are mixed. subject related few questions are built before hand and
few, interviewer asks independently.

5. On the Basis of Frequency

sometimes interview gets over in one time only and sometimes it has to be repeated again. on this
basis, interviews are divided into two below mentioned parts:
1. first or final interview: In such kind of an interview all information is collected in first time itself
and there is no need to contact the informant again and again that is why it is called first or final
interview. such interviews are done to get general information about the problem.
2. Repetitive Interview: such kind of interview was used by Lejarsfield. When any constantly changing
attitude needs to be known and paradigm of development needs to be known, then this method is
used. in this information is compiled by meeting the informant again and again after some time.
to know the impact of increasing industrialisation on any city such interviews are used. Despite of
the many merits of this method, it has certain limitations also, such as, it is an expensive process. it
needs more time also. for it, a permanent research institute needs to be built. Along with this, in it,
permanent informants are also needed to be searched.

6. On the Basis of Contact

on the basis of contact with the informant, interview can be divided in two parts:
1. Direct interview: in such interview, interviewer and informant come mutually face-to-face and
talk. in it interviewer may study the facial expressions of the informant by looking at them.
2. indirect interview: in such kind of interview, interviewer and informant are not in a face-to-face
situation. interview through phone, or interview of purdah clad women from behind the purdah or
collecting information through some mediator are called indirect interviews.

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