ABSTRACT
Interviews are by far the most widely used type of measure for collecting data for qualitative research. Interviews vary from structured to unstructured, with the most common type being a semi-structured interview. Semi-structured interviews are popular in part because thinking through question wording carefully in advance allows researchers to consider if the question is complete, or if it is biased or leading. Semi-structured interviews combine this strength with the ability to deviate from the guide in order to collect the most useful information. The interviewer can probe with additional follow-up questions in order to explore unexpected, unusual, or especially relevant material revealed by a participant. Although semi-structured interviews are the most common, a structured interview may be preferable in some types of studies. In semi-structured interviewing, what are some ways that an interviewer can design research collection to avoid biasing results? Interviews should include a portion in which relevant demographic information is collected.
