CJC 205 Chapter 10: Qualitative Interviewing

Vocabulary flashcards covering the concepts, methodologies, interview designs, and data analysis procedures of qualitative interviewing from Chapter 10 of Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology.

Qualitative interview

An interaction bw an interviewer and a respondent where the interviewer has a general plan of inquiry, including topics to be covered

• allows research to understand the subjects perspective

• gathers firsthand accounts and lived experiences

• gains understanding of how people feel abt their roles and identities

key features of qualitative interviewing

• richness of the human experience

• approach to learning

• critical realist perspective

Ontology

A researcher's stance regarding the nature of reality, how we know what we know

Interview schedule

The structure of an interview that may include predetermined questions or topical areas to be discussed.

• influences how in-depth and interactive your interviews should be

Structured interview

interview format consisting of predetermined questions and answer sets that creates standardized responses so respondents receive the same stimulus, allowing for comparison

Semi-structured interview

interview format with standardized questions but allows the interviewer to probe for additional info and explore emerging themes

Unstructured interview

The most open style of interviewing, provides the most breadth, depth, and natural interaction via informal conversations or an interview guide

Focus group

A qualitative method where 6–12 people are brought together to engage in a guided group discussion on a specific topic and gauge opinion or generate hypotheses

can be either natural groups or artificial groups

Natural groups

Focus groups composed of individuals who have a pre-existing connection with one another.

Artificial groups

Focus groups composed of individuals selected according to specific criteria and assembled solely for research purposes.

Branch approach

interview question design strategy that involves having a main topic with branching questions extending from it.

River-and-channel approach

An interview question design strategy involving many streams of questioning that lead into a main channel, with some streams diverging.

Diachronic delivery

A chronological structure of interview material that starts at the beginning and progresses forward in time.

Synchronic framework

A structure of interview material that does not depend on time or chronological sequence.

what does it mean to c=have an interview schedule?

creating an outline of info you want to obtain and sorting questions into categories and stes of topics.

avoid double barrel question or complex questions with difficult language.

Probes

Built-in prompts used to encourage participants to elaborate with more detail and depth

• attention probe (leaning in)

• continuation probe (nodding)

• clarification probe (asking respondent to elaborate)

• follow-up questions

gaining access to formal organizations

1. sponsor

2. letter/email wtv

3. phone call

4. meeting

gaining access to subcultures

researchers use a sponsor to get in with groups or hang out where the subjects typically hang out

Reflexivity

A researcher's awareness of their own subjectivity and the personal meaning they assign to information.

Active interviewing

A social exchange allowing for natural conversation and spontaneity in which the respondent's answers determine subsequent questions.

Interactive interview

An interview format where the researcher is purposefully interactive, acting as the actor, director, and choreographer in a social performance.

Memoing

The practice of writing about the research process to document steps, explore data relationships, and recognize subjectivity.

Operational memos

Written notes that document the procedural steps taken throughout the research process.

Coding memos

Written documentation detailing how qualitative data was coded and categorized.

Analytic memos

Written notes that provide ways to explore and examine relationships within the qualitative data.

Data reduction

The process of managing qualitative data by setting aside information that appears irrelevant.

Thinking units

Sorting categories identified by Lofland and Lofland (1995) to organize narratives, including meanings, practices, episodes, encounters, roles, relationships, groups, organizations, settlements, social worlds, and lifestyles.

Coding

The process of assigning meaning to data and organizing raw data into categories.

Open coding

The initial coding step of exploring all possible meanings before assigning conceptual definitions to qualitative data.

Microanalysis

An in-depth analysis step that involves digging deeper into the data and challenging the researcher's original frame of reference.

Audit trail

An established documentation record of the research process used to enhance the quality and rigor of qualitative analysis.

Negative cases

Cases that contradict emerging themes, examined by researchers to check and validate qualitative findings.

Member checks

A quality check procedure where other researchers read descriptions and verify the accuracy of the work.