Qualitative Interviews: Design and Practice

Overview:

Interviews are a popular method in qualitative research. They allow us to collect detailed and rich information about individuals’ lives, their experiences, behaviours, and how they understand and make sense of the world. The rich insight provided into people’s lives is one of the benefits which the method offers over, for example, standardised surveys or questionnaires.

This live online Zoom course introduces you to the method of qualitative interviews. This includes their benefits, examples of effective interviewing, and the key ethical and practical issues to be considered. We look at types of qualitative interview which include unstructured and semi-structured interviews. We explore the benefits of semi-structured interviewing which involves a combination of pre-set open ended questions with room for the exploration of other (sometimes unanticipated) topics. You will gain experience of designing an interview schedule and questions.

We cover:

- The benefits of qualitative interviews

- Types of qualitative interview including unstructured and semi-structured interviews

- Designing and structuring a semi-structured interview schedule

- How to conduct a semi-structured interview online and in person

- Questioning: open and closed

- Practical considerations (i.e. recording and transcription)

- The ethics of interviewing and reflexivity

- Power relations and how to build rapport with interviewees

Who should attend?

This course will be useful for researchers who are new to qualitative methods or who wish to brush up on their interviewing skills. This includes doctoral students and academics. Researchers using qualitative methods in government, policy, consultancy, social research organisations and charities will also find this training useful.

Please note: this is an interactive live course with presentation, group activities, group discussions, and opportunities to ask questions. You should be prepared to participate and have use of camera and mic on Zoom.

Trainer biography

Dr Karen Lumsden is a qualitative trainer, consultant and coach, and Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Aberdeen, UK.

She has over 20 years’ experience delivering qualitative methods courses and training to academics, PhD students, social researchers, and practitioners. This includes courses at the Universities of Aberdeen, Glasgow, Essex, Auckland, Kingston, via the Social Research Association and the European Consortium for Political Research, and also for government departments, NHS, charities, police organisations, social research and market research organisations. She has written and edited a number of books and journal articles on qualitative methods including Crafting Autoethnography (Routledge, 2023) and Reflexivity: Theory, Method, Practice (2019). She is on the Editorial Board of the journal Qualitative Research. For more details of services visit: www.qualitativetraining.com

Bookings:

Bookings for this course can be made via Eventbrite tickets. If your organisation requires payment via invoice, please contact me directly to check if this will be possible. I only issue invoices when payment terms are mutually agreed and confirmed in writing prior to the event date. Email: karen@qualitativetraining.com for invoice queries.

Refund policy:

There is a 14 day 'cooling off' period from the date of booking on this course. The refund policy is 100% refund up to 21 working days prior to the course date. This does not include the Eventbrite ticket fee which is non-refundable. After 21 days the entire course fee is payable.

If the course is fully booked and has a waiting list then transfer to another course or future course date might be possible, however this is at the discretion of the trainer.

Please note that Dr Karen Lumsden delivers a range of courses for other training providers in addition to these Qualitative Training courses. She takes no responsibility or liability for individuals booking on similar courses or training with other providers which may contain similar or the same course content. Refunds will not be given under these circumstances once the training has been partly/fully consumed.