ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses primarily on qualitative interviews. Most research interviews are face-to-face conversations between one interviewer and one interviewee, with an interviewer asking questions and an interviewee answering them. Surveys, questionnaires and other types of structured interviews emphasize the collection of quantifiable facts that can be used to generalize about elements of human behavior. Most qualitative interviews are face-to-face in-depth conversations that consider both verbal and non-verbal responses. Researchers using qualitative interviewing as a methodology should be sensitive to potential ethical dilemmas arising from the use of personal information. Icebreaker questions are used to engage respondents in a conversation about key aspects of their personal lives, and they should begin to establish an environment where questions can be asked and answered in a non-judgmental manner. Transcribing interviews is a time-consuming process, and sometimes interviewers can become frustrated by the time it takes to complete a research project based on qualitative interviews.
