Interview Guide in the Research Conversation Casey Langer Tesfaye - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Unpacking the Role of the Interview Guide in the Research Conversation

Casey Langer Tesfaye DC-AAPOR Summer Conference, July 2019 AAPOR Annual Conference, May 2019

First, let’s set the scene:

Welcome.

First, let’s set the scene:

First let me explain what an In-Depth- Interview is

A Research Interview is not Like a Normal Conversation

It’s a conversation with a purpose.

A Research Interview is not Like a Normal Conversation

We are alone, but our interview will be transcribed and read by others.

A Research Interview is not Like a Normal Conversation.

I am here to ask questions. I am here to answer questions.

A Research Interview is not Like a Normal Conversation

Some of these questions are very personal.

A Research Interview is not Like a Normal Conversation.

I do this for a living. I have no idea what to expect.

Not only that…

I’m following a

• script. This isn’t

how I normally talk.

Two very different frames:

Personal Conversation

▪ No set path ▪ Disclosure when comfortable ▪ Transitions freely ▪ Not all questions are answered ▪ Comfortable register and vocabulary

Research Conversation

▪ Questions set in advance ▪ Disclosure expected ▪ Transitions are mostly set ▪ Questions should all be answered ▪ Register and vocabulary prescribed by guide

Interviewers have a discursive choice regarding the interview guide

• A. Act natural. Make no mention of the guide.
• B. Mention the guide
• C. All of the Above

Proposed Methodology

▪ Turn-by-turn secondary data analysis

▪ Three transcripts from 60-minute IDI’s ▪ Sensitive subject matter ▪ Selected because the interviewers mention the interview guide to varying degrees

▪ No mention of the guide ▪ Occasional mentions of the guide ▪ Integral use of the guide

Look for Individual Mentions

▪ And examine them by function:

▪ for example, effecting transitions, rapport building, co- creating responses that are more useful for analysis, clarification of unclear responses, or maintaining politeness.

What did I find?

▪ Not helpful to look at a lack of mentions ▪ With such long transcripts, focusing on individual mentions by function was more helpful than focusing on the interview as a whole. ▪ Because the analysis was not turn-by-turn, project specific information could be redacted.

Repetitiveness

▪ !@Interviewer ▪ I know it might seem like I’m asking the same thing over and over, but I’m just making sure I’m going through all my questions here. ▪ !@Interviewer ▪

• Okay. So I’m going to ask you a bunch of questions again about […]. It might

be a little bit repetitive, so I apologize beforehand.

Collecting Complete Responses

▪ !@Interviewer ▪ So that’s my next question, but this question first. […] ▪

• Great. That’s definitely enough for this question. We’ll get into more

specifically a little bit later. ▪ !@Interviewer ▪ Okay, great. I’m going to ask you more about the […]in a few minutes as well.

Exiting a Rabbit Hole

▪ !@Interviewer ▪ So the next question was actually going to be about […], but before we move

• n from […], I want to make sure, was there anything else for […]?

Transitioning Topic

▪ !@Interviewer ▪ Great, okay. And in what ways—I’m switching now a little bit to […] ▪ !@Interviewer ▪ […] Okay. Switching gears just a little bit, what type of data or information does your

• rganization collect regarding […]

▪ !@Interviewer ▪

• Alright. Let’s go on then, to organizations and how do organizations publicize or

communicate […]

Other types of references

▪ References to the clock ▪ References to the tape

Keeping on Schedule

▪ !@Interviewer ▪ I’m just gonna move a little more quickly here so we can get done on time. ▪ !@Interviewer ▪ Okay, how does your—I’m just trying to make sure I’m okay on time. […] ▪ !@Interviewer ▪

• Okay. […]—I think we’ve talked about that and I’m gonna keep moving because of the time.

▪ !@Interviewer ▪

• Yeah. Let’s now look, and I’m skipping some for time reasons .

Referring to the Tape to be Polite

▪ [Respondent uses acronym. Interviewer asks what acronym stands for. Respondent explains the acronym and apologizes] #%Respondent I apologize for the— !@Interviewer No, no, no, that’s fine. I just wanted the tape to have it.

Referring to the Tape to be Savvy

▪ #%Respondent ▪ […] it’s a big issue when you think about social norms and how it affects people’s decision-making. ▪ !@Interviewer ▪ So, for the purposes of the tape, tell me just a little bit about social norms and what you’re referring to. ▪ #%Respondent ▪ Oh, social norms? I’m talking about […] religion within the African American community.

So is this good or bad?

▪ What does it accomplish?

Violating Conversational Norms

▪ Repetitiveness ▪ Asking for clarification ▪ Abrupt transitions ▪ Completeness ▪ Politeness ▪ Savviness ▪ Time management

Managing Conversational Roles

▪ Author/Animator ▪ Interviewer/Project Team ▪ Regular guy/Abstract overlords ▪ Ears/Tape or transcript

Is the interview guide the elephant in the room?

Conclusion

▪ Drawing attention to the interview script is a way of enabling interviewers to flout conversational norms and to manage conversational roles.

Next Steps

▪ Deeper dive:

▪ What makes a quality reference? ▪ Relational vs informational references

▪ Study alternatives to guide mentions

▪ “I’m confused.” “What did you mean by […]” ▪ “Let me make sure I understand.”

▪ Video study to observe nonverbal references ▪ Differences by type of respondent

Questions? Comments or concerns?

▪ casey@researchsupportservices.com

Asking for a friend?