Observations and in-depth interviews

1. Observations and in-depth interviews India FETP

2. Competency to be gained from this lecture Identify the use of observations and in depth interviews in public health

3. Key elements Observations In-depth interviews Practical aspects of key informant interviews

4. Observations The oldest, most basic source of human knowledge Range: Casual understanding of the every day's world Systematic tool of social sciences Brings the researcher in direct interaction with people and their activities Requires getting close to make people feel comfortable

5. Perspectives in observation Outsider�s perspective Maintain distance View events from the observer�s perspective Insider�s perspective Reduce distance by joining activities and interacting with people View events from participants� eyes and ears Somewhere in between Emphatic neutrality

6. Limitations of observation Occurrence of selective perception The eyes do not see what the mind does not know Requires: Training Difficult as people may perceive themselves as natural observers Preparation Concentration

7. Types of interviews Structured Structured questionnaire Mostly close-ended answers Semi-structured Fixed questions Open answers In-depth Questions are based upon the responses collected

8. Methodological challenges for in-depth interviews Most researchers in community based health areas have much experience in structured, quantitative survey interviewing Developing the skills for unstructured interviewing often requires unlearning elements deeply instilled in survey interviewing

9. Objectives of in-depth interviews Discover the interviewee�s own framework of meanings Obtains rich, contextualized, in-depth information Avoid imposing the researcher�s structures and assumptions Avoid being directive

10. Directiveness scale for interview technique Making encouraging noises Reflecting on remarks made by the informant Probing on the last remark by the informant Probing an idea preceding the last remark by the informant Probing an idea expressed earlier in the interview Introducing a new topic

11. The questionnaire List of core questions Topics Variations Order Terminology Adapt to the terminology of the respondent Additional questions may be introduced

12. Types of questions for in-depth interviews Behaviour / experience Opinion or belief Feelings Knowledge Sensory Background / demography

13. Qualities of questions in in-depth interviews Open ended Neutral Sensitive Clear to the interviewee

14. Keeping control of the interview Knowing what needs to be found Asking the right questions Giving appropriate verbal and non verbal feedback

15. Common pitfalls in interviews Counseling Presenting the perspective of the interviewer Superficial interview Receiving secret information Inaccurate translation Interruptions Competing distractions Stage fright Embarrassing questions Jumping from a subject to another Teaching

16. Recording interviews Notes during the interview Distracting Notes after the interview Potential for missing information Tape recording Labour intensive 1 hour interview: 6 hours transcription

17. Use multiple interviews to cross verify and address limitations of key informants Are not infallible May be reluctant to admit they don�t know May want to satisfy the researcher May have their own biased interpretation

18. Perception of the key informant � researcher relation by the community Community members may perceive that interaction as close Close interactions with key informants may have an impact on acceptance with the wider group

19. Practical aspects of key informants interviews Number of interviews Status of informant Recording of information Use of exact words Dynamic of the interview Leading role of the informant Prepared questions Sequential interviews Probing Relationship

20. 1. Number of interviews Interview each informant more than once Allow a social relationship to develop

21. 2. Status of the informant Regard the informant as an �expert� who imparts important information to the interviewer Act the part of someone interested in learning from the informant

22. 3. Recording information Learn from the informant Record as much as possible of the information presented by the informant Recording is part of the demonstration that the data from the �expert� are important

23. 4. Use of exact words Seek to get key portions of the �testimony� in the informant�s exact words Use words, phrases and whole sentences

24. 5. Dynamic of the interview Avoid relying on asking a series of focused questions Try to get the informant to narrate, list and enumerate and elaborate explanations of topics

25. 6. Leading role of the informant Try to get the informant to lead the discussion Elaborations, explanations and new topical areas

26. 7. Prepared questions Don�t use prepared questions to structure the entire interview Prepared questions are introduced occasionally, secondarily, for example when the informant has finished explaining a topic One �exception� to this rule: �Pre-testing�

27. 8. Sequential interviews Bring up materials from the previous interviews during the subsequent encounters Probe for more information Verify understanding Obtain more details

28. 9. Probing Probe for details, information, examples or �cases�

29. 10. Relationship Continue the relationship through the duration or the project Try out hypotheses, models or themes Get the informant�s reaction on hypotheses Ask comments on drafts of reports

30. Take home messages Appreciate the complexity of observations Unlearn quantitative methods to learn qualitative interviews Develop rapport with key informants to understand the information in its context