101552: Applied Social Research - Devising a Structured Interview Schedule - Research Writing Assignment Help

Assignment Task :

Task 1: Revision of how we conduct interviews 

As a class you will revise the content covered in online learning material on interviews. The following points should be covered: 

1. Deciding why to use interviews as a method 2. Devising recruitment criteria based on the research question and time/funding limitations 3. Devising recruitment strategies (snowball/word of mouth, advertising, networking etc)

4. Choosing interview locations

5. ‘Warming-up’ before the interview

6. Deciding structure of interview (structured, semi-structured, unstructured)

7. Types of questions we can ask (primary and secondary)

8. Ways we can order questions (funnelling and pyramid structures)

9. Building and maintaining rapport (from recruitment stage throughout entire interview process including doing background research, being culturally aware and sensitive, being well prepared, professional, personable, providing information and answering questions about the research, listening strategies during the interview, staying focused, using verbal and non-verbal cues, allowing non-responses)

10. How to appropriately introduce a recorded interview with documentary information. For example, for archiving and filing purposes, it is often helpful to begin an audio-recorded interview with the following statement: “Interview with John Doe on the 26th March 2020”. 

Task 2: Devising a structured interview schedule 

Step 1- You will be organised into a group of 4-5 

Step 2- Based on the research question: ‘What are important aspects of the university experiences for SoSS students and why are these aspects important to them?’ each group is to devise a semi-structured interview schedule using either the funnelling or pyramid structure (or a combination). You are to use both primary and secondary questions. 

TIPS: 1. It may help to first note down the main issues that your group would like to explore and then devise 

questions around those issues. Examples topics include: - Teaching staff (passion, availability, communication skills) - Flexible learning hours - Blended learning - Socialising/Friendships - Access to learning material (library, lecture notes, tutorial readings on vUWS etc) - Childcare - Sports and Recreation facilities - Affordability - IT availability and support - Food outlets (always popular!) - Language/writing support - Job training/placement 

2. You not only need to find out WHETHER students feel ready, but WHY they think that. For example, a student may think that flexible learning hours are important because they work full time while another student may think it’s important because they have childcare responsibilities. This is an important research finding. Another student may not mention flexible hours at all. This SILENCE is also important for you to recognise. 

3. Open-ended questions (rather than closed ‘yes/no’ questions) generally provide the most nuanced data. For example, on the topic of ‘Teaching staff’, a good way of wording a question would be: 

Primary question: ‘Do you believe that teaching staff are an important aspect of the university experience?’ Secondary question: ‘Could you please explain why you do/do not believe it’s important?’ Secondary question (if answered ‘Yes’ to Primary question): ‘What are the specific characteristics of teaching staff that you think are important, for example, that they are knowledgeable and good at communicating? 

4. It is also important to find out some more general 'background' information about the interview participant e.g. age, discipline of study, level of study (1,2, 3rd year), full time or part time etc. This will help with your analysis later on. 

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