Full Description
Qualitative interviewing is among the most widely used methods in the social sciences, but it is arguably the least understood. In The Science and Art of Interviewing, Kathleen Gerson and Sarah Damaske offer clear, theoretically informed and empirically rich strategies for conducting interview studies. They present both a rationale and guide to the science-and art-of in-depth interviewing to take readers through all the steps in the research process, from the initial stage of formulating a question to the final one of presenting the results. Gerson and Damaske show readers how to develop a research design for interviewing, decide on and find an appropriate sample, construct a questionnaire, conduct probing interviews, and analyze the data they collect. At each stage, they also provide practical tips about how to address the ever-present, but rarely discussed challenges that qualitative researchers routinely encounter, particularly emphasizing the relationship between conducting well-crafted research and building powerful social theories. With an engaging, accessible style, The Science and Art of Interviewing targets a wide range of audiences, from upper-level undergraduates and graduate methods courses to students embarking on their dissertations to seasoned researchers at all stages of their careers.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Depth Interviewing as Science and Art
Chapter 2: Getting Started: Pinning Down the Questions and Research Design
Chapter 3: Interviews with Whom? When a Big Question Meets a Small Sample
Chapter 4: Constructing an Interview Guide: Creating a Flexible Structure
Chapter 5: Conducting Interviews: Seeking Discoveries That Matter
Chapter 6: Analyzing Interviews: Making Sense of Complex Material
Chapter 7: Pulling It All Together: Telling Your Story and Making Your Case
Appendix A: Examples of Recruitment Documents and Procedures
Appendix B: Examples of Consent Forms
Appendix C: Interview Schedules
Notes
References
Index
