Anthropology

 Interview question
o Don’t write questions first
o What do you want to know
o Goal
o Model of behavior?
o Testing a theory or perspective
o Beliefs
o Abstract thinking / generalized
 Continuum of formality
o Least informal
o 4) most formal = survey
 Greatest control over questions and answers
 Assumes interviewer has more knowledge
 Can offer informant the correct selection
o Interview – enters another person’s perspective
o Survey = collects facts
 Bad at getting to a social process – change over time
o Interview = collects perceptions
o Why? = qualitative
 Aggregated data = total of all cases
o Not individual cases
 Survey = deductive
o Top-down
o Broad to specific conclusion
 Interview = inductive
o Specific to broad
 st
1 step
o Determine the topic you’re interested in
o Brainstorm on paper all the ideas you have given what you know
o Think of some questions or prompts you might have
o Never ask a yes/or not question
o Broad question – ask about their experience, behavior, sensory question
o Opinion or values
o Make sure you’re taking notes during the interview