Lecture 2: Interviews as Data collection strategies

Question 1

A researcher conducts a structured interview to assess patients’ satisfaction with care. Which strategy should the researcher avoid to minimize interviewer bias?

A. Using a pre-established coding scheme for responses
B. Asking all participants identical questions
C. Explaining the purpose of the study
D. Sharing personal opinions during the interview

Answer 1

Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Sharing personal opinions can introduce bias and influence participants’ responses, which compromises the neutrality of structured interviews.

Question 2

What is the primary limitation of structured interviews in data collection?

A. They are time-intensive to administer.
B. They fail to assess emotional dimensions adequately.
C. They require advanced technical expertise.
D. Participants find them confusing.

Answer 2

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Structured interviews are designed to elicit rational responses but may overlook the emotional aspects of participants’ experiences.

Question 3

An in-depth interview is being conducted with a vulnerable population. What should the researcher prioritize to ensure effective data collection?

A. Using structured questions
B. Allowing maximum freedom for self-expression
C. Limiting the interview to 10 minutes
D. Focusing on factual information only

Answer 3

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In-depth interviews are designed to give participants the freedom to articulate their perspectives and experiences fully.

Question 4

What is the main advantage of using unstructured interviews in research?

A. They minimize interviewer error.
B. They allow for standardized comparisons across participants.
C. They provide rich, detailed information from participants.
D. They are quicker to administer than structured interviews.

Answer 4

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Unstructured interviews prioritize gathering deep and detailed information, often revealing insights that structured interviews cannot.

Question 5

During an interview, a participant becomes emotionally distressed. What is the best response by the researcher?

A. Continue the interview to gather all necessary data.
B. Pause the interview and provide support or alternative methods for data collection.
C. End the interview immediately without explanation.
D. Encourage the participant to ignore their feelings and proceed.

Answer 5

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Researchers should prioritize participants’ well-being and adapt methods to prevent harm while ensuring ethical standards are met.

Question 6

A researcher is using proxy interviews with participants who have speech impairments. What should be included to ensure data accuracy?

A. Encouraging proxies to share subjective interpretations.
B. Asking factual questions and verifying responses with the participants.
C. Avoiding any review process with the participants.
D. Allowing proxies to decide on the research focus.

Answer 6

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Proxy interviews should focus on factual information, and participants should be given opportunities to review and confirm responses to maintain data accuracy.

Question 7

A researcher is conducting a focus group to explore healthcare experiences among low-income families. Which is the primary benefit of this method?

A. Reduced ethical concerns compared to individual interviews
B. Increased researcher control over participants
C. Access to dynamic group interactions and shared experiences
D. Simplified data analysis

Answer 7

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Focus groups generate unique insights through group dynamics and shared lived experiences that may not emerge in individual interviews.

Question 8

Which approach aligns with empathetic interviewing in sensitive research?

A. Maintaining a strictly neutral stance to avoid emotional engagement
B. Using participants’ experiences to advocate for social justice
C. Focusing exclusively on numerical data collection
D. Limiting the interview to factual questions only

Answer 8

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Empathetic interviewing aims to understand and represent participants’ perspectives while often advocating for social justice and addressing oppressive conditions.

Question 9

Which principle should a researcher follow to conduct effective interviews?

A. Avoid asking clarifying questions to maintain neutrality.
B. Listen actively and allow comfortable silence during responses.
C. Use professional jargon to establish authority.
D. Summarize the participant’s responses frequently to confirm understanding

Answer 9

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Active listening and allowing silence enable participants to reflect and provide more thoughtful responses.

Question 10

What common pitfall should be avoided during interviews to ensure quality data collection?

A. Maintaining eye contact
B. Asking open-ended questions
C. Asking multiple questions at once
D. Keeping the interview short

Answer 10

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Asking multiple questions at once can confuse participants and lead to incomplete or unclear responses.

Question 11

A researcher is conducting cross-cultural interviews. Which action demonstrates cultural humility?

A. Avoiding questions about cultural practices to prevent discomfort
B. Assuming all participants have similar cultural values
C. Seeking to understand participants’ cultural perspectives without judgment
D. Prioritizing the researcher’s interpretation over participants’ viewpoints

Answer 11

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Cultural humility involves respecting and understanding participants’ cultural backgrounds and perspectives without imposing biases.

Question 12

What is an ethical consideration when interviewing participants about sensitive topics?

A. Guaranteeing participants anonymity and confidentiality
B. Recording the interview without obtaining prior consent
C. Limiting participants’ freedom to withdraw
D. Avoiding debriefing after the interview

Answer 12

Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Ensuring anonymity and confidentiality protects participants’ privacy and aligns with ethical research practices.

Question 13

What is a key difference between structured and unstructured interviews?

A. Structured interviews allow for more flexibility in questions.
B. Unstructured interviews elicit richer and more personalized data.
C. Structured interviews are preferred for exploring emotions.
D. Unstructured interviews require less preparation.

Answer 13

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Unstructured interviews are designed to gather in-depth and detailed information, often tailored to the participant’s experiences.

Question 14

In structured interviews, how should the researcher handle questions to maintain consistency?

A. Adapt questions based on the participant’s responses.
B. Use the same wording for all participants.
C. Skip questions that seem irrelevant to the participant.
D. Allow participants to rephrase questions for clarity.

Answer 14

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Using consistent wording ensures that structured interviews provide comparable data across participants.

Question 15

A researcher notices a participant feels uncomfortable during the interview. What is the best action?

A. Pause and ask if the participant wants to continue.
B. Ignore the discomfort to complete the interview.
C. Shift to a completely different topic without explanation.
D. Proceed quickly to the next question.

Answer 15

Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pausing to check on the participant respects their emotional state and ensures the interview process remains ethical.

Question 16

What is a benefit of conjoint in-depth interviews when studying relationships?

A. They reduce the risk of interviewer bias.
B. They provide insight into shared experiences within a relationship.
C. They limit the amount of data collected.
D. They simplify the analysis process

Answer 16

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Conjoint interviews explore interactions and shared experiences, offering additional data on relationship dynamics.

Question 17

Which innovative approach can help overcome communication barriers during interviews?

A. Insisting on verbal responses only
B. Using alternative communication tools like nods or written responses
C. Avoiding interviews with participants who have impairments
D. Conducting group interviews instead of one-on-one sessions

Answer 17

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tools like nods or written responses enable participants with communication barriers to express themselves effectively.

Question 18

A researcher conducting focus groups on mental health notices disagreements among participants. What is the most appropriate response?

A. End the session immediately to avoid conflict.
B. Guide the discussion to understand diverse viewpoints.
C. Ignore the disagreements and proceed with the planned questions.
D. Ask the participants to write their opinions instead of speaking.

Answer 18

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Guiding discussions to explore differing views can provide richer data and insights into participants’ experiences.

Question 19

What differentiates an unstructured in-depth interview from a semi-structured interview?
A. Unstructured interviews are always conducted in groups.
B. Unstructured interviews follow a rigid question schedule.
C. Unstructured interviews allow participants to freely express their experiences without predefined questions.
D. Semi-structured interviews eliminate all open-ended questions.
E. Unstructured interviews use a coding scheme to analyze data.

Answer 19

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Unstructured in-depth interviews allow the participant to express themselves freely, without being confined to a set of pre-determined questions​

Question 20

A researcher chooses semi-structured interviews to study the lived experiences of cancer patients. Why would this method be preferable over structured interviews?
A. Semi-structured interviews allow for standardized responses across all participants.
B. Semi-structured interviews provide in-depth insights into individual experiences while maintaining some consistency across participants.
C. Semi-structured interviews avoid the need for researcher probing.
D. Semi-structured interviews strictly follow a rigid question format for better comparability.
E. Semi-structured interviews rely solely on numerical data for analysis.

Answer 20

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Semi-structured interviews allow for flexibility, enabling participants to express their personal experiences in detail while maintaining some consistency across participants​

Question 21

When choosing between in-depth interviews and surveys for collecting data on sensitive topics such as domestic violence, which of the following is a key advantage of in-depth interviews?
A. They are quicker to administer than surveys.
B. They allow for anonymous participation, increasing disclosure.
C. They offer the opportunity for mutual self-disclosure and the researcher’s active involvement.
D. They are cost-effective and require fewer resources than surveys.
E. They focus on numerical data, reducing the need for interpretation.

Answer 21

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In-depth interviews provide the opportunity for mutual self-disclosure and more in-depth exploration of sensitive topics, which surveys cannot offer

Question 22

A study on public opinion about healthcare reform uses a structured survey with Likert-scale questions. Which research purpose does this survey best serve compared to in-depth interviews?
A. To gather rich, narrative-based responses on personal experiences.
B. To collect simple, quantifiable data that reflects group-level trends.
C. To examine complex emotional or psychological responses.
D. To uncover individual stories and perspectives in detail.
E. To explore power dynamics within groups of people.

Answer 22

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Structured surveys with Likert-scale questions are designed to collect quantifiable data, useful for identifying group-level trends, unlike in-depth interviews which provide more narrative responses​

Question 23

Which of the following is a critical disadvantage of using a structured interview for qualitative research on social issues?
A. It provides deep, personal insights into individual experiences.
B. It allows for greater interviewer flexibility to probe participants.
C. It may overlook or inadequately address the emotional dimension of responses.
D. It is not suited for gathering data from marginalized groups.
E. It encourages spontaneous participant disclosure of sensitive information.

Answer 23

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Structured interviews may overlook emotional aspects because they rely on pre-established questions with limited response options, making them less suitable for exploring emotional dimensions

Question 24

In-depth interviews are often used in feminist research. What is one major reason for this?
A. They focus on obtaining generalizable data applicable to large populations.
B. They facilitate the exploration of subjective experiences, often from marginalized or subjugated groups.
C. They standardize responses to improve data comparability across participants.
D. They exclude emotional or personal narratives to maintain objectivity.
E. They eliminate interviewer influence through a rigid interview schedule.

Answer 24

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In-depth interviews are valuable in feminist research because they allow the researcher to explore personal, subjective experiences from marginalized or subjugated voices

Question 25

When conducting interviews with vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing domestic violence, which method best ensures ethical research practices? A. Proxy interviews with family members to protect participants' anonymity B. Interviews using closed-ended questions to avoid emotional distress C. In-depth, face-to-face interviews allowing for self-disclosure in a supportive environment D. Focus groups to ensure shared experiences and mutual support E. Telephone surveys to ensure convenience and minimize risk

Answer 25

Correct Answer: C Rationale: In-depth, face-to-face interviews provide a supportive environment for participants to disclose sensitive information while maintaining confidentiality

Question 26

A researcher conducting sensitive interviews in a domestic violence shelter uses proxy interviews for participants with speech impairments. Which consideration should be prioritized when selecting a proxy? A. The proxy should have a similar relationship to the participant, such as a close family member. B. The proxy should be an outsider with no prior relationship to the participant to avoid bias. C. The proxy should have no emotional connection to the subject matter to ensure neutrality. D. The proxy should be trained to avoid influencing the participant’s responses. E. The proxy should be a professional interviewer with no connection to the research topic.

Answer 26

Correct Answer: A Rationale: Selecting a proxy who is closely connected to the participant ensures they can accurately convey the participant's experiences while maintaining trust and confidentiality

Question 27

Which of the following is a key advantage of using focus groups in qualitative research? A. They allow for detailed, individualized personal stories without group influence. B. They provide an opportunity to observe group dynamics and shared experiences, enhancing understanding. C. They limit the number of voices to ensure control over data collection. D. They provide clear, quantifiable data that can be generalized. E. They are useful for collecting data from non-participants who are not involved in the group.

Answer 27

Correct Answer: B Rationale: Focus groups are valuable for observing group dynamics and shared experiences, which can provide insights not captured in individual interviews

Question 28

A researcher conducting a focus group on a sensitive topic finds that some participants are reluctant to speak up, while others dominate the conversation. What is the best course of action to address this imbalance? A. Allow the dominant participants to continue speaking for clarity. B. Disband the group and switch to individual interviews. C. Actively encourage quieter participants to share and ensure a balanced discussion. D. Focus on collecting data from the dominant participants to ensure comprehensive coverage. E. Ask participants to submit written responses instead of participating in the group.

Answer 28

Correct Answer: C Rationale: The researcher should actively encourage all participants to share and manage the group dynamics to ensure balanced and inclusive data collection​

Question 29

What is a primary consideration when interviewing participants on sensitive topics, such as end-of-life care or abuse? A. Ensuring that all questions are closed-ended to protect participants’ privacy. B. Maintaining a neutral and passive role, avoiding any emotional responses during interviews. C. Using written questionnaires instead of face-to-face interviews to reduce distress. D. Developing a plan for offering emotional support if participants become distressed. E. Restricting the interview to factual questions to avoid personal disclosures.

Answer 29

Correct Answer: D Rationale: A plan for emotional support ensures participants are cared for if they become distressed, a key consideration when dealing with sensitive topics​

Question 30

A researcher using in-depth interviews with marginalized groups seeks to avoid researcher bias. What is the most effective strategy? A. Relying on structured interview guides to control the conversation. B. Adopting a reflexive approach, continually questioning the influence of personal biases. C. Conducting interviews with multiple researchers to ensure objectivity. D. Limiting the use of probing questions to avoid influencing responses. E. Eliminating emotional responses during the interview to maintain neutrality.

Answer 30

Correct Answer: B Rationale: A reflexive approach, where the researcher constantly examines their influence on the data, helps mitigate bias and ensures authentic participant voices are captured

Question 31

A researcher conducting a focus group on mental health issues finds conflicting responses from participants. What does this reveal about the nature of focus group data? A. Focus groups are unreliable and should be avoided for sensitive topics. B. Conflicting responses reflect the complexity and diversity of participants' views. C. Focus group data is overly influenced by the researcher’s biases. D. Focus groups create homogeneity among participants' opinions. E. Conflicting responses indicate the need to use more standardized interviews.

Answer 31

Correct Answer: B Rationale: Conflicting responses in focus groups highlight the diversity of perspectives, especially on complex or sensitive topics

Question 32

What is a common pitfall in interviewing participants on emotionally charged topics, such as domestic violence? A. Focusing solely on gathering quantitative data without exploring emotional depth. B. Failing to account for the emotional needs of the participant, which may lead to distress. C. Asking too few questions to avoid overwhelming the participant. D. Allowing participants to guide the conversation without any structure. E. Using pre-established scales that don’t consider the participant’s emotional state.

Answer 32

Correct Answer: B Rationale: Failing to account for emotional needs can distress participants and impede the quality of data collection, making emotional support an essential part of the interview process

Question 33

How can a researcher enhance the reliability and validity of data collected during an interview? A. By limiting the interview to one session and avoiding follow-ups. B. By using multiple interviewers and comparing results to ensure consistency. C. By emphasizing closed-ended questions to control participant responses. D. By using a highly structured, standardized interview schedule for all participants. E. By avoiding any personal interactions that may influence participant responses.

Answer 33

Correct Answer: B Rationale: Using multiple interviewers and comparing results helps ensure consistency and improves the reliability and validity of the data