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Semi-structured interviews are a common data collection tool in qualitative research. STEPHANIE HARVEY-JORDAN and SARAH LONG provide a guide through the process and pitfalls of interviewing and suggest that greater experience brings confidence and a personal style
Community practitioner 2001; 74, 6:219-221
Semi-structured interviews are used as a data collection tool in qualitative research. Their use requires a particular set of skills. In this article the process is illustrated through examples taken from a project which investigated the education and training needs in public health of primary healthcare professionals.1
Two scenarios, again based on the project, are used to illustrate positive experiences; the second identifies the "most common pitfalls encountered when conducting semi-structured interviews. Implicit throughout this article are ways to improve on the application of semi-structured interviews based on the following three areas: preparation, during and after the interview.
Semi-structured interviews
Semi-structured interviews are used widely in qualitative research to understand the reasons why people act in particular ways, by exploring participants' perceptions, experiences and attitudes. They are also used to generate ideas in order to develop or change practice. They can be used for data collection or as an informal evaluation tool.
In this project, semi-structured interviews were used to elicit managers' views on their education and training needs as well as those of their staff. The interview tool allowed them to expand and explore these ideas.
Qualitative tools can be used as the only research method in a study, or used in conjunction with other methods. They can be used to inform quantitative methods such as a structured survey, or they can be used as a follow-on to such a study where the researcher needs to clarify outcomes.
The interviews were used to inform the next stage of the research project, which were focus groups for primary healthcare practitioners. One of the advantages of using semistructured interviews is the richness of data they yield. During an interview a subject is free to talk as openly as he or she wishes and the frankness of opinions can get to the heart of the matter. Using original quotes in a study can bring colour and life to the research subject.
Semi-structured interviews employ a series of open-ended questions based on the topic areas...