Interviewing for Social Scientists: An Introductory Resource with Examples / Edition 1

by Hilary Arksey, Peter T Knight, Peter Knight

Overview

At last a no-nonsense, comprehensive and authoritative introduction to interviewing. Interviewing for Social Scientists covers all of the issues that arise in interview work: from theories of interviewing through to design, application and interpretation. This book furnishes the reader with all they need to know about the interview process. Richly illustrated with relevant examples, it guides them through all of the essential issues relating to the principles and practices of interviewing. Each chapter includes handy statements of 'advantages' and 'disadvantages'. The book is also equipped with an interview checklist which is designed to help readers find practical solutions to every dilemma in interview work imaginable. Social scientists have been waiting a long time for an interviewer's bible. Interviewing for Social Scientists is that book. It will become a landmark work for undergraduates, teachers and practitioners of research methods.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761958697
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	10/25/1999
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x (d)

About the Author

Hilary Arksey worked in SPRU for many years, building up a reputation in research into informal care and carers needs. She led on this work in the Unit. It took her to many interesting places around the world where her experience and knowledge in this field helped to spread good practice and research collaborations. She retired from SPRU in 2010.
Social Policy Research Interests

Informal care
Carers, disability and employment
Qualitative research methods

Dr. Peter T. Knight has worked. in the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University, UK, since 1990. He was previously the Head of the Department of History at St. Martin's College of Higher Education, Lancaster, UK.

Table of Contents

	List of Boxes	vi
	List of Figures	viii
	List of Tables	ix
	Preface	xi
1	Interviews and Research in the Social Sciences	1
2	Triangulation in Data Collection	21
3	Why Interviews?	32
4	Designing an Interview-Based Study	43
5	Feasibility and Flexibility	60
6	Approaches to Interviewing	74
7	Achieving a Successful Interview	89
8	Interviewing in Specialized Contexts	109
9	Protecting Rights and Welfare	126
10	Transcribing the Data	141
11	Meanings and Data Analysis	149
12	Writing the Report, Disseminating the Findings	174
Appendix	An Interview Research Checklist	185
	References	192
	Index	201