So you Really Want to Interview Me

Navigating 'Sensitive' Qualitative Research Interviewing

Bibliographic Data

ID2410452
AuthorsWinsome Chunnu Brayda, Travis D Boyce
Year2014
Volume13
Issue1
Pages318-334
Publication date2014-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1609-4069 • E-ISSN: 1609-4069
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/160940691401300115
OpenAlexW1587138887
LanguageEN
Citations received24
References cited9

This article discusses the qualitative interviewing techniques that the authors used to conduct their respective dissertation research in Jamaica and South Carolina. (The research in Jamaica examined the implementation of primary education policies. The research in South Carolina delved into the life history of Benner C. Turner, a controversial college president.) Most of the literature about interviewing focuses on asking the right questions; in contrast, this article discusses the challenges of interviewing. In this article, selected interviews are used from both studies to examine the difficulties these researchers encountered when conducting 'sensitive' interviews, the risks female researchers face in unfamiliar places, and the challenges of working in international settings (which requires interpersonal skills and cultural competency). While the task of research interviewing is complex, the authors provide ideas that can be used to navigate such moments

Interview · Medical education · Qualitative research · Semi-structured interview · Social science · Sociology · Anthropology · Data Analysis and Archiving · Medicine · Psychology · Qualitative Research Methods and Applications · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics · Applied Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access