INTERVIEW

METHOD OF
DATA
COLLECTION
 INTERVIEW METHOD
It is a method of collecting data
involves presentation of oral/ verbal
stimuli and reply in terms of oral
verbal responses.
 CLASSIFICATIONS
Interview method

Personal interview Telephone interview

• Structured
• Unstructured Direct personal interview

• Focussed Indirect oral interview

• Clinical
• Nondirective
 INTERVIEW METHOD

• It involves presentation of oral verbal stimuli &

reply in terms of oral verbal responses.
• Method can be used through
*Personal interviews
*Telephone interviews
 PERSONAL INTERVIEWS
This method require a person known as
interviewer asking questions generally in a face
to face contact to the other persons.
 CONT’D
• At times interview may ask certain questions & the
interviewer responds
• Usually interviewer initiates interview & collects
information.
• Sort of interview
#direct personal investigation
#indirect oral investigation
• Direct personal investigation
• Interviewer has to collect the information
personally from the source concerned
• He has to be on the spot & has to meet people
from whom data have to be collected
 CONT’D
• Method is particularly suitable for intensive
investigation
• In certain cases ,it may not be possible to
contact directly the persons concerned D P
investigation may not be used.
• In such cases indirect oral exam can be
conducted. in which interviewer has to cross
examine other person .
• Most of commission & committee appointed
by govt.
PERSONAL INTERVIEW
 STRUCTURED INTERVIEW
• Method of collecting information through
periodic intervals is usually carried out in a
structured way.
• It involves the use of a set of predetermined
questions & of highly standardized technique of
recording.
• In this the interviewer follows a rigid procedure
laid down
• Asking questions in form & order prescribed.
 UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEW
Characterised by flexibility of approach to
questioning.
It do not follow a system of pre determined
questions & standardised techniques of
recording information.
The interviewer is allowed much greater
freedom to ask if needed.
At times he may omit certain questions.
He may even change the sequence of
questions.
 CONT’D

He has relatively greater freedom while recording the response to
include some aspects & exclude others.


It also demand deep knowledge & greater skills of interviewer.


It happens to be the central technique of collecting information in
case of exploratory or formulative research studies.


It is being more economical.


Providing a safe basis for generalisation & requiring lesser skill on the
part of employer.
 FOCUSSED INTERVIEW
 Meant to focus attention on the given experience of
the respondents & its effects.
 The interviewer has the freedom to decide the
manner & sequence in which the questions would be
asked & has also the freedom to explore reasons &
motives.
 The main task of interviewer is to confine the
respondent to a discussion of issues-are used in the
development of hypothesis- constitute a major type
of unstructured interview
 CLINICAL INTERVIEW
 Concerned with broad underlying feeling or
motivation or with the course of individuals
life experience.

NON-DIRECTIVE INTERVIEW
The interviewers function is simply to
encourage the respondent to talk about the
topic by direct questioning
 ADVANTAGES
• More information & in greater depth
• Interviewer by his own skill can overcome the
resistance of the respondent
• It can be made to yield an almost perfect
sample of general population.
• Greater flexibility
• Observation method can be applied to record
verbal answers
• Personal information can be obtained easily
 CONT’D
• Sample can be controlled more effectively.
• The interviewer can usually control which
persons will answer the questions.
• The interviewer may catch the informant off-
guard & thus secure the most spontaneous
reaction.
• Interviewer can collect supplementary
information about respondent.
 DEMERITS OF PERSONAL INTERVIEW
• Very expensive.
• There remains possibility of bias of interviewer & also
respondent.
• There remains head ache of supervision & control of
interviewees
• Important officials /executives may not be easily
approachable
• Time consuming
• Presence of interviewer on the spot may overstimulate
the respondent ,that he may give imaginary information
 CONT’D
• The organisation required for
selecting ,training ,& supervising the field staff
is more complex.
• Interviewing at time may also introduce
systematic errors.
• Effective interview presupposes proper rapot
with respondent.
 PRE-REQUISITES/BASIC TENANTS OF
INTERVIEW
Interviewer should be carefully selected,
trained, & briefed for successful implementation of
interview method.
There should be honest, sincere, hardworking, impartial
& must possess the technical competence & necessary
practical experience.
Occasional field check should be done
Some provision should be made in advance may be taken
,if some of the selected respondents refuse to co-operate
when interviewer calls upon them.
 CONT’D
 Every effort should be made to create
friendly atmosphere of trust & confidence.
 The interviewer must ask questions properly
& intelligently & must record the response
accurately & completely.
 The interviewers approach must be friendly,
courteous, controversational & unbiased
 The interviewer must keep the direction of
interview in his own hand
TELEPHONIC INTERVIEW
 TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
• This method of collecting information
consists in contacting respondents on
telephone itself.
• Not a widely used method.
• Play an important part in industrial surveys.
 MERITS
 More flexible comparison to mailing method.
 Faster than other method
 Cheaper
 Recall is easy, callback are simple & economical
 Higher rate of response
 Replies can be recorded without causing
embarassment to respondent
 Interviewer can explain requirement more easily
 No field staff is required.
 Representation & wider distribution of sample
 DEMERITS
• Survey are restricted to respondents who have
telephone facilities.
• Little time is given to respondent for answering
• Extensive geographical coverage may get
restricted.
• It is not suitable for intensive survey
• Possibility of the bias of interviewer is more
• Questions have to be short & to the point,
probe are difficult to handle
THANK U