tools of research (interview and observation)

7/30/2019 Tools of Research (Interview and Observation)

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Tools of Research


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In this section you will learn about different

tools used for data collection:

i.e. questionnaires, interviews, observations.


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Interview.

A less technical tool for the collection of data in the formof formal conversation.

o Can be used in survey researches.

o Can be structured and unstructured

o Can be One to One: meeting between one researcher and onerespondent.

o Group interview: meeting between one researcher and morethan one respondents.


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Interview.

o Can be Face-to-Face Interv iewo Can be Teleph one Interview

o Can be Computer Ass isted Interv iew


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Unstructured Interview

Interviews in which neither the question nor

the answer are predetermined and rely onsocial interaction between the researcher andRespondent to bring out information.(Minichiello 1990)


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Unstructured Interview (cont)

Objective of UI is to bring some preliminaryissues to the surface so that the researcher

can determine what variables need further in-

depth investigation.


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Unstructured Interview (cont)In several situations where the manager might

consider a vague idea of certain changestaking place in the situation without knowing

what exactly they are.

Such situations call for unstructured

interviews with the people concerned.

To understand situation in its totality, the

researcher will interview employees at

several levels.


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Levels of Interview

Top and middle level managers might be askedmore direct questions about their perceptionabout the problem and situation.

Clerical and other employees at lowerhierarchical levels may be asked broad, open

ended questions about their jobs, and the work

environment.

Supervisors may be asked broad questionsrelating to their department , employees undertheir supervision, and the organization.


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Unstructured Interview (cont)Examples;

Tell me something about your unit and department,

and perhaps even the organization as a whole in terms

of work, employees, and whatever else you think is

Important

Some respondents give crisp and short reply that isnot informative. Then interviewer might phrased

questions such as:

I would like to know something about your job,Please describe to me in details the things you do

on a typical day, from eight in the morning to four in

the afternoon.


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Unstructured Interview (cont)Examples;

Several questions then might be asked as a followupto the answer e.g.,

Compared to other units in this organization, what

are the strengths and weakness of your unit?

Ifyou would like to have a problem solved in your

unit that block your effectiveness, what wouldthat be?


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Encouraging the respondent to talk about boththe good things and those not so good in the

unit can bring out a lot of information.

Some respondents may show reluctance to be

interviewed, the wish of such people must be

respected and the interviewer should

pleasantly terminate such interview.


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Interview at non-managerial, non-supervisory

level employees might include very broadquestions; like:

Tell me something about the reward system in

this place.

If you were offered a similar job elsewhere, how

willing you be to take it and why?

What you like more and what you do not like in

your job?


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After conducting a sufficient number ofunstructured interviews with employees at several

levels and studying the data obtained, the

researcher would know the variables that need

greater focus and call for more in-depth

information.

This sets the stage for interviewer to conduct

further Structured Interviews, for which thevariables would have been identified.


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Structured InterviewThese interviews are conducted when it is known

at the outset what information is needed.

Questions are likely to focus on factors that had

surfaced during the unstructured interviews and are

considered relevant to the problem.


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Structured Interview (Cont) Interviewer adheres to a strict script.

Interviewer has list of predetermined questionsto be asked of respondents either personally,through the telephone, or PC.

Interviewers can be less experienced orknowledgeable.

Easier to compare or analyzedata


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Structured Interview (Cont)

Visual aids.

Visual aids like line drawings, cards, pictures andother material also sometimes come in handy

while seeking to bring out certain thoughts and

ideas that are difficult to express or awkward to

articulated.


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Structured Interview (Cont)

When sufficient number of structured interviewshas been conducted and adequate information

obtained to understand and describe the

important factors operating in the situation, the

researcher would stop the interviews.

The information would then be tabulated and the

data analyzed.


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Questioning Technique for Structured

Interview.

1. Funneling.In the beginning of SI, it is advisable to ask open-

ended questions to get a broad idea and form

some impressions about the situation.

What are some of your feelings about working forthis organization?

From the responses to this broad question, furtherquestions that are progressively more focused may be

asked.


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Interview.

2. Unbiased Questions.It is important to ask questions in a way that

would ensure the least bias in the response.

For example,

Tell me how you experience your job is better

question than,

The work you done must be really boring; let me

hear how you experience it.


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Interview.

3. Clarifying Issues.It is advisable to restate or rephrase important

information given by the respondent.

For instance, if the interviewee says There is an

unfair promotion policy in this organization;

seniority does not count at all. It is juniors who

always get promoted,.

The researcher might interject, So you are saying

that juniors always get promoted over the heads of

even capable seniors


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Interview.

4. Taking Notes.When conducting interviews, it is important that

the researcher makes written notes as the

interviews are taking place, or as soon as theinterview terminated.

Interview can be recorded on tape if the

respondent has no objection.

5. Helping the respondent to think

through issues.


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Observation


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Observation.

o It is the recording of the behavior of thesample.

o It relies on what the researcher has witnessed

not on what people say or think about issues.


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Observation

Involves all 5 senses:sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste


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Purpose and Benefits of Observationas Data Collection Method

It is unobtrusive

You can see things in their natural context

You can see things that may escape consciousawareness, things that are not seen by others

You can discover things no else has ever really paidattention to, things that are taken for granted

You can learn about things people may be unwilling totalk about

You can be totally creative flexibility to yield insightinto new realities or new ways of looking at oldrealities


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Observation is useful when

You want direct information

You are trying to understand an ongoing behavior,process, unfolding situation, or event.

There is physical evidence, products, or outcomesthat can be readily seen.

Written or other data collection methods seem

inappropriate


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Observation types.

Participative ObservationWhen you as researcher become the part of some

social set-up and people know that they are being

observed.

Non-participative Observation (Systematic)

When you dont interfere the social set-up, or do

not disturb natural settings of the sample to be

observed.


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ParticipativeObservation

Behavior of sample can

be affected.

Use direct observation

Requires to achieve theconfidence ofrespondents to beobserved.

Non-ParticipativeObservation

Sometimes it

becomes difficult forthe researcher to findout the reason forsome specificbehavior.

Use in-directobservation

Researcher issupposed not todisturb the settingsor interact withpeople.


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Who/What can you observe

People (individuals, groups,communities)

Characteristics

Interactions

Behaviors

Reactions

Physical settings

Environmental features

Products/physical artifacts


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Recording Your Observations

It is not good enough to just observe, youneed to record your observations.

You might use:

Observation guide

Observation Checklist

Field note

Picture Combination of the above


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Observational Checklist can be based onfollowing categories:

Duration recording.Length of time inoccurrence of some behavior.

Frequency recording. Number of occurrence of

behavior.

Interval recording. Observation of one subject

during a fixed period of time.

Continuous recording. each and everyhappening is recorded.


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Checklist


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Is Observation is culturally

appropriate?

Things to consider:

Discomfort, threat of being observed

Issue of being an outsiderObserver effect

Possibilities for

misinterpretations


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Observation Ethical issuesUnobtrusiveness is its greatest strength; also

potential for abuse in invasion of privacy.

You can venture into places and gather data

almost anywhere so be ethical.

Remember our Human Subjects Protection

guidelines.


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Checking in (Exercise)

What do you think?Answer YES or NO to each of the following

1. Observation involves seeing and listening

2. People may behave differently when they knowthey are being observed so it is better not to tell them

3. Structured observations provide more accurate and useful

information4. As long as you see it, it doesnt matter if you record what you

saw

5. You, as someone who knows the program and theparticipants, are best suited to conduct the observations

6. The same principles of sampling apply to observation as toother forms of data collection


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Answers

1. Observation involves seeing and listening YES

2. People may behave differently when they know they are being observed so it

is better not to tell them NO they often DO behave differently but that is

not a reason not to tell them they are being observed.

3. Structured observations provide more accurate and useful information NO

unstructured observation also can be very useful

4. As long as you see it, it doesnt matter if you record what you saw NO you

must record your observations to have evidence of it existing

5. You, as someone who knows the program and the participants, are best

suited to conduct the observations NO various people might be well suited,

though training may be necessary

6. The same principles of sampling apply to observation as to other forms of

data collection YES

tools of research (interview and observation)

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