Fieldwork Interviewing Techniques: A Comprehensive Guide

Fieldwork Interviewing Techniques

Thin Description

Description: The description of what meets the eye, things that can be observed.

Thick Description

Description: The meaning behind the action. Thick description is a way of writing that includes not only describing an observation but also the context in which that behavior occurs.

It goes beyond surface appearances to include the context, detail, emotion, and webs of social relationships.

It presents the significance of an observation, event, or behavior. Thick description includes voices, feelings, actions, and meanings. Thick description always comes with a thin description.

Emic

Description: From the perspective of the subjects, how the subjects see it. An "emic" point of view. THEM

Etic

Description: Bringing your own perspective to the field. Examining the group through your own eyes. How I see the behavior, how I think about it, etc. ME

Micro Questions

Description: More personal, more intriguing, more emotional, touch the nerve of the people you are interviewing.

Macro Questions

Description: Get to know the environment, the general feeling of someone.

Exploratory Questions

Description: Best for the first steps of the field. In situations where there is little knowledge or understanding. Especially for exposing key characteristics.

Example: "What is happening inside the hall where people come together?"

First Order Questions

Description: Questions that arise from information collected directly from the informants (emic). Focuses on a rough description and explanation of the investigated phenomenon. They may invite basic or complex answers of a descriptive nature. They challenge researchers to a deeper interaction with the informants.

Example: "How do teachers perceive their role?"

Secondary Order Questions

Description: Integration of information between emic-etic + added general interpretation of the investigator. These questions tie together the things said by the informant, observations, and insights from literature (information from your own research + studies from your field).

Example: "What is the linkage between individual identities of youth and their attitudes towards school rules?"

Structured Interviews

Description: The use of pre-formulated questions, strictly regulated with regards to the order of the questions, and sometimes with regards to the time available.

Semi-Structured Interviews

Description: The use of some pre-formulated questions, but no strict adherence to them. New questions might emerge during the conversation.

Unstructured (Narrative) Interviews

Description: Few if any pre-formulated questions. In effect, the interviewee has free reign to say what they want. Often no set time limit.

Descriptive Questions

Description: The expectation to hear a description - keywords: "what", "how", "where"

• Comprehensive descriptive questions: "Describe your job"
• Focused descriptive questions: "What happened when you met at work this morning?"
• Questions that invite examples: "You talked about embarrassing situations at work, can you give an example?"
• Experience questions: "How did you feel about that meeting?"
• Questions to clarify cultural terms: "Can you explain the words in the prayer you pray?"

"Searching for Meaning" Questions

Description: Based on descriptions of the informants who are asked to clarify and explain the meaning and logic behind their descriptions: "why", "what" or "for what purpose"

Comparative Questions

Description: Questions that invite further reference from the informants to the descriptions and implications that they raised. This is a technique to deepen the knowledge without repeating the same question.

Completion Questions

Description: Technique designed to penetrate the depth of the story while informants change the subject. Refers to points mentioned but not developed: "What did you mean when you said..."

Contrast Questions

Description: Much like completion questions, these are based on information we got during the interview, but unlike completion questions, they are meant to clarify contradicting parts of the story.

Stimulating Questions

Description: These are meant to confront the informants with their opinions and stories. They should stimulate response and cause interviewees to express themselves. The goal is to refine the stories of the informants by confronting their opinions with our/others' opinions and asking them to comment (must be careful and take into account that by this you may potentially lose the trust of the interviewee).

Reference Questions

Description: Held after the observation phase and/or when you don't have enough time in the field. Showing protocols (or video) to the informants and requesting them to explain their point of view. Another option is to choose several parts of the interview and present them to the informants. You can also show them parts/objects that they themselves referred to during the interview: these would be significant references that you want the interviewee to elaborate on in order to get their perspective.