Designing and Conducting Research with Online Interviews

Abstract

A t its heart, research is research-regardless of methodology and methods. All research begins with a burning question, a sense of curiosity, and an openness to discovery. All research is conducted to serve a purpose, answer questions, or prove a hypothesis, and all use some combination of methods to find and analyze whatever information is needed to answer the question. Researchers have devised numerous ways to carry out these steps. Qualitative interview research is unique because the researcher is the instrument for data collection. Qualitative interview research contrasts with quantitative approaches such as surveys, where a conscious effort is made to insert a validated and (ideally) objective instrument between the researcher and the research participants. Interview research is unique in its reliance on direct, usually immediate, interaction between the researcher and participant. The successful researcher draws on the best of human qualities when conducting an interview: trust, thoughtful questioning and perceptive probing, empathy and reflective listening. To understand a piece of research and assess its credibility and potential contribution to knowledge in the field, we need to understand the researcher's motivations, purpose, and designs. We need to understand how the study was conducted so we can grasp the Podcast or Vodcast: Ask and answer questions by sending audio or video files.

Pride and Prejudice

“…Due to the spread of the coronavirus, this research intends to conduct synchronous semi-structured interviews via the Zoom platform for three months. The semi-structured interview method allows follow-up questions during the interviews, including back and forth conversations (Salmons, 2012). A list of ten open-ended questions is employed for the focus group meeting.…”

Going From Zero to 100 in Remote Dementia Research: A Practical Guide

“…If initial contact is over the telephone, verbal consent including its limits of confidentiality should be completed over the telephone, which can be recorded if necessary. Salmons [ 14 ] suggests that expecting the participants to download, sign, and return the consent form to the research team may “be unrealistic.” Many of the people we work with do not have computer or email access precluding the opportunity to email them a consent form, and needing to sign and return a self-addressed envelope containing a consent form would create an additional burden, never mind potentially put persons at unnecessary risk in the era of COVID-19. It is possible that research ethics boards will require a hard copy of the consent be mailed to participants so they can follow it along on the day of the consent meeting, or may require having a witness present with the participant whose name is recorded on the consent form, and then allow the consent conversation to be digitally recorded with the final step of a researcher-signed copy sent to the participants via post.…”

Going From Zero to 100 in Remote Dementia Research: A Practical Guide (Preprint)

“…If initial contact is over the telephone, verbal consent including its limits of confidentiality should be completed over the telephone, which can be recorded if necessary. Salmons [14] suggests that expecting the participants to download, sign, and return the consent form to the research team may "be unrealistic." Many of the people we work with do not have computer or email access precluding the opportunity to email them a consent form, and needing to sign and return a self-addressed envelope containing a consent form would create an additional burden, never mind potentially put persons at unnecessary risk in the era of COVID-19.…”