Interview Techniques

After reviewing both interviewing demonstrations presented by Dr. Linda Crawford, I noticed significant differences in how the interviewers established rapport, communicated with the participant, and collected information. In the first interview, the interviewer appeared unprepared and focused more on completing her research than making the participant feel comfortable. She did not clearly explain the interview process, struggled with the recording equipment, and failed to establish a welcoming environment. I also noticed that she asked several closed-ended questions that resulted in limited responses. When the participant described her negative experiences with her principal, the interviewer shared a similar personal experience and expressed her own opinions. This could have influenced the participant’s responses and introduced researcher bias. Additionally, the interviewer failed to respect the participant’s time when she attempted to leave. According to Rubin and Rubin (2012), effective qualitative interviewing requires establishing a conversational partnership that encourages participants to share their experiences without being influenced by the interviewer’s personal beliefs. The second interview demonstrated a more professional and effective approach. The interviewer began by explaining the purpose of the study, confidentiality, voluntary participation, and the interview procedures. She also confirmed the participant’s willingness to be recorded and explained how the transcript would be reviewed for accuracy. I appreciated how she used open-ended questions, follow-up questions, and probing techniques to encourage the participant to provide detailed examples of workplace morale. Rather than assuming what the participant meant, the interviewer clarified her understanding and allowed the participant to expand on her experiences. She also respected the participant’s time by asking permission before continuing beyond the scheduled interview period. These techniques helped establish trust and encouraged meaningful responses. Rubin and Rubin (2012) emphasize that responsive interviewing involves active listening, thoughtful questioning, and flexibility. Ravitch and Carl (2021) also highlight the importance of maintaining ethical practices and being attentive to how the researcher’s actions influence data collection. These demonstrations helped me better understand how I should approach the interviews for my Major Assignment 2. When interviewing participants about their understanding of social change, I plan to create a comfortable environment, clearly explain the purpose of the interview, obtain informed consent, and ask open-ended questions that encourage participants to share their personal experiences. For example, instead of asking, “Do you believe social change is important?” I would ask, “Can you describe an experience that influenced your understanding of social change?” I will also practice active listening, remain neutral, avoid interrupting, and use follow-up questions when clarification is needed. Another important lesson I learned is to distinguish between observations and interpretations when documenting participant behavior. Saldaña (2021) explains the importance of careful reflection and analytic memo writing during qualitative analysis. Overall, these videos reinforced that successful interviewing involves preparation, professionalism, empathy, and respect. I believe applying these practices will help me collect meaningful, trustworthy information while allowing participants to feel heard and valued. References Ravitch, S. M., & Carl, N. M. (2021). Qualitative research: Bridging the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications. Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. Saldaña, J. (2021). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. Post a 2- to 3-paragraph evaluation of the interview techniques used in both interviews. Include commentary and analysis of best practices, practices to avoid, and how this viewing experience will inform your approach to the interviewing assignment introduced in this week’s Major Assignment. Need a assignment done similar to this info....