Skype interviewing: reflections of two PhD researchers

Abstract

When conducting qualitative research, the modern-day researcher has a variety of options available in order to collect data from participants. Although traditional face-to-face interviews remain prominent, innovative communication technologies, such as Skype, have facilitated new modes of communication. While potential research populations have become increasingly geographically dispersed, technological advancements and software have made communicating over large distances more feasible. Because of this, research is no longer limited to face-to-face accessible participants, as online methods have facilitated access to global research participants. This article presents the experiences of two PhD researchers using Skype to interview participants. While findings show that there are benefits and drawbacks to the utility of Skype, this article argues that synchronous online interviewing is a useful supplement or replacement to face-to-face interviews. Concluding comments acknowledge that more research is required to more comprehensively understand how technologies challenge the basic assumptions of the traditional face-to-face interview.

Smart Health Facilitator: Chinese Consumers’ Perceptions and Interpretations of Fitness Mobile Apps

“…Specifically, online in-depth interviews via WeChat were used to collect data. Previous research (Deakin & Wakefield, 2014) suggests that although there are benefits and drawbacks, online interviewing via social media messaging software can be useful to supplement face-to-face interviews. WeChat has a video chatting function.…”

Online interviewing with interpreters in humanitarian contexts

“…In this study, due to a lack of alternative options, for the majority of interviews participants were located in a shared office in a hospital. As experienced by other researchers, the lack of control over the physical setting in which participants were located led to interruptions or the presence of others in the background (Deakin & Wakefield, 2014). The impossibility of knowing when people were/were not present during interviews could lead to the misinterpretation of visual cues, such as smiles or turning of heads, which could be non-verbal cues relating to the conversation, or a response to the presence of others in the room (Seitz, 2016).…”

“…Benefits of online interviewing were highlighted, including: limited ecological impact as compared to in-person interviews (Hanna, 2012); reduced time commitment due to eliminating travel (Deakin & Wakefield, 2014); and the increasing spread and advancement of technologies that make online interviews convenient and cost-effective (Deakin & Wakefield, 2014; Sullivan, 2012). Limitations were that these benefits require prerequisites of high-speed Internet access and computer literacy of all parties (Janghorban, Roudsari, & Taghipour, 2014).…”

Telephonic qualitative research interviews: when to consider them and how to do them

“…The interviewee generally feels less embarrassed to reschedule, given the fact that the interviewer has not incurred travel/accommodation time and cost. Deakin and Wakefield (2014) report that some interviewees stated they did not have enough time to undertake a face-to-face interview, but were willing to participate using computer-based video conferencing.…”

“…Similar observations have been cited by Stephens (2007), Holt (2010), Glogowska et al (2011), Trier-Bieniek (2012 and Chapple (1999) who have used the telephonic qualitative research interview. Additionally, Deakin and Wakefield (2014) share their experience of conducting computer-based video conferencing (using Skype) and face-to-face interviews. They argue that they faced no difficulty building rapport with their study participants and that the level of rapport achieved was comparable to their face-toface interviews.…”