ABSTRACT
Online interviews are structured, semi-structured or unstructured interviews that are carried out over the internet. These can be synchronous interviews that take place in real-time or asynchronous interviews that are not in real-time and can take place over an extended period of time. Online interviews can be used as a method of data collection by researchers from a variety of epistemological and methodological standpoints. Data can be quantified and compared and contrasted with data from other interviews and, if correct procedures have been followed, generalizations can be made to the target population. Discursive, conversational and unstructured online interviews, on the other hand, can be employed by those approaching their work from a subjectivist standpoint: participants are free to tell their life stories in a way that they wish, with the researcher helping to keep the narrative moving forward. The emphasis is on finding meanings and acquiring a deep understanding of people’s life experiences.
