Dissertation Advice 101: Best Practices in Interviewing

Interviewing in qualitative and quantitative research is widespread. Yet, despite the myriad of dissertation assistance online for a hefty price and textbooks (I think Rubin is the best book for novices and experienced researchers alike), articles, and writing services, interviewing is often poorly done and haphazard. Poor interviewing practices are a primary reason your research will neither be believed nor serve a purpose. As someone who has conducted 1000s of interviews and does so on a daily basis, my 3-Point Plan will greatly improve your practice and simplify the entire procedure. After deciding on a format (face-to-face or video/phone & open, structured, or semi-structured, with semi-structured by far the most common), ethics, and recording (have a backup plan in case one device does not work), use the 3-Point Plan for better interviews today:

1. Develop a proper protocol in three steps: a.) Write questions with the aid of the extant literature, assistance of experts, and a criterion table connecting questions to the research question; b.) Pilot the interview with self and others to test the questions and review with cognitive interviewing; and c.) Revise and outline possible probes, follow-ups, and issues. Most questions should be open-ended, such as how and what. Avoid why questions, as people often rationalize their thinking. Most students do not know there should be some close-ended questions, such as yes/no, rate on a scale, and rank order. Such close-ended questions can provide valuable direct comparative data with all participants. Lastly, many students make semi-structured into rigid, structured interviews. Semi-structured is designed to add to the questions and follow where the participants go.

2. Move beyond surface-level knowledge. The main mistake is too many questions, too fast. A much better procedure is to explore a topic deeply and widely (data adequacy). Often best is "Tell me more," "Give me an example," or "What do you mean." Data should be coded/reviewed iteratively and used to guide future interviews, as new insight might be important for questions missed. Plan follow-up interviews to connect new data points to all interviewees and explore a phenomenon beyond a simple one-and-done interview.

3. Describe the macro, show the micro. Braun and Clarke, champions of reflexive thematic analysis, decry that too many researchers simply turn their questions into themes. That means many researchers know what they want to find and set out to prove their pet theories, beliefs, and values. Not everything should be swept up into a macro, or a nice, neat story with no micros--the outliers, minor themes, and data that do not fit. Move beyond all themes and findings presented as either equal weight or hierarchical. If you claim everyone said the same thing, which is extremely common, then why not interview one person!

My article on qualitative planning shows other pitfalls. Read my article to find four common problems in interviews. The interview is the most important aspect of completing a study, for a rich data set makes or breaks the dissertation. I recommend to all my students purchase and review a textbook as well. The guide by Harvard can get you off to a great start.

Dr. David Coker is a prolific author, researcher, and experienced research methodologist. He is the CEO of DissertationPro, which offers comprehensive services to complete your dissertation. Besides teaching K-12 and graduate school, he regularly consults and peer reviews research articles nationally and internationally. He can be reached on LinkedIn as well.