Which interview uses the same fixed questions for everyone?

structured. Every respondent gets identical questions in the same order.

Which interview is most like a guided conversation?

unstructured. There is no fixed list of questions.

What is a semi-structured interview?

one with set questions plus freedom to ask follow-ups. It combines a plan with flexibility.

Which is a limitation of unstructured interviews?

they are time-consuming, so samples are small. Depth is bought with time.

Why might answers in a group interview be less valid than in a one-to-one interview?

people may say what the group wants to hear. Peer pressure works in research too.

Interviews · Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 revision

In plain words

An interview is a conversation with a purpose. It can be as rigid as a questionnaire read aloud, or as loose as a chat over tea. The looser it gets, the more you learn about one person, and the less you can say about everyone else.

7 things to know

In a structured interview, the interviewer reads out a fixed list of questions, in the same order and the same words for everyone. The answers are easy to compare and count, and the method is reliable. There is little depth.
In an unstructured interview, there is no fixed list of questions. It is like a guided conversation, and the respondent can talk freely. The researcher builds trust and can ask for more detail, so validity is high.
Unstructured interviews take a long time, so samples are small. Every interview is different, so the method is hard to repeat and the answers are hard to compare. The interviewer needs skill.
A semi-structured interview has a list of questions or topics, but the interviewer is free to ask follow-up questions. It balances the other two types.
A group interview, sometimes called a focus group, involves several people at once. Discussion can bring out ideas, and it saves time. Some people may dominate, and others may just agree with the group.
Compared with questionnaires, interviews have a higher response rate, and the interviewer can explain the questions.
All interviews risk the interviewer effect, where the respondent's answers are shaped by the interviewer. Interviews also cost more than questionnaires, because interviewers must be trained and paid.

Worked example

A researcher wants to understand how it feels to be bullied. Explain which type of interview is most suitable.

The topic is sensitive and personal, and the aim is to understand feelings.
An unstructured interview lets the person describe the experience in their own words.
The interviewer can build trust first, and gently ask for more detail.
A group interview would be unsuitable, because people may not speak about being bullied in front of others.

Tips and tricks

Structured is close to a spoken questionnaire: reliable. Unstructured is close to a conversation: valid. Semi-structured sits between.
"Rapport" is the word for the trust between interviewer and respondent. It is the reason unstructured interviews produce honest answers.

5 questions, about 2 minutes.

It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.

Interviews: 5 questions and answers

These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.

Which interview uses the same fixed questions for everyone?
- unstructured
- group
- structured (the answer)
- informal
Every respondent gets identical questions in the same order.
Which interview is most like a guided conversation?
- structured
- unstructured (the answer)
- multiple choice
- postal
There is no fixed list of questions.
What is a semi-structured interview?
- one with set questions plus freedom to ask follow-ups (the answer)
- one with half the usual number of people
- one carried out by post
- one with no questions at all
It combines a plan with flexibility.
Which is a limitation of unstructured interviews?
- they give shallow answers
- they cannot explore feelings
- they have very low response rates
- they are time-consuming, so samples are small (the answer)
Depth is bought with time.
Why might answers in a group interview be less valid than in a one-to-one interview?Stretch
- there are more questions
- people may say what the group wants to hear (the answer)
- the interviewer is absent
- the answers are written down
Peer pressure works in research too.

5 questions

Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.

Worksheet

3 questions, 10 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.

Interviews

Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 · 10 marks · papermunch.org

Name ______________________________ Date ______________

What is meant by the term "structured interview"?[2]
Show answerHide answer
An interview in which the same fixed questions are asked in the same order to every respondent.
I got this one
Explain two strengths of unstructured interviews.[4]
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Any two, each explained: respondents answer in their own words and in depth, giving valid data; the interviewer can build trust, so people open up about sensitive topics; the interviewer can ask follow-up questions and explore new ideas.
I got this one
Explain two limitations of group interviews.[4]
Show answerHide answer
Any two, each explained: one or two people may dominate, so not all views are heard; people may go along with the group and hide their real views; there is no privacy, so people may not speak about sensitive matters.
I got this one

Answers: Interviews

1. An interview in which the same fixed questions are asked in the same order to every respondent.
2. Any two, each explained: respondents answer in their own words and in depth, giving valid data; the interviewer can build trust, so people open up about sensitive topics; the interviewer can ask follow-up questions and explore new ideas.
3. Any two, each explained: one or two people may dominate, so not all views are heard; people may go along with the group and hide their real views; there is no privacy, so people may not speak about sensitive matters.