I want to know more about semi-structured interviews. This Delve video titled “Semi Structured Interviews | Step by Step Explanation” helped. They defined semi-structured interviews as “a research methodology where you plan a discussion guide ahead of time, but allow yourself to probe deeper or ask follow up questions that weren’t scripted.” Therefore, semi-structured interviews are both structured and unstructured, allowing you to gather insightful data. In structured interviews, you follow a set of questions and stay focused. This can feel restrictive. In unstructured interviews, you don’t have questions planned: there is freedom to explore but you might lose focus. The narrator said that semi-structured interviews combine the best of both types! The first step is to define your scope and objective. This means: you must define what you want to know from the interview and do with the results. Next, write interview questions. Questions should be simple and concise and also allow for probing. Then, determine the best people to interview and how you’ll recruit them. If appropriate, determine the type of incentives to provide. Then determine the interview logistics: how, when, incentives, recording, consent forms… Conduct the interviews. Introduce yourself and let the participants know what to expect. Begin the recording and interview with your prepared questions. Use probing questions and go off-script to explore! Transcribe your audio/video. Move on to analysis. Qualitative coding can be used to analyze the data. In qualitative coding, you “take your transcript, break it into excerpts, identify patterns, and categorize themes you find.” The last step is to turn your data into a narrative. for research or a report. The video included an example study that included semi-structured questions. The study had an opening question and a list of probing questions. The speaker summarized by noting that semi-structured interviews “blend structure and flexibility.”
