Interview

An interview is another commonly used data collection method. This section focuses on one-on-one interviews; group interviews are called focus groups. Interviews are a qualitative data collection method. This means that they focus on stories or getting in-depth information rather than numbers or broad information. Interviews are useful when you want to learn about feelings, experiences, or stories. They are also beneficial because an interviewer has the opportunity to ask follow-up or clarifying questions to get the information they are interested in. Where surveys are easy to distribute to a large number of people, interviews are more time-consuming for both the interviewer and respondent so you will only be able to do a limited number of interviews.

Consider the following when developing your interview strategy:

• Think about who you want to interview. Interview respondents should be chosen strategically so that you are able to gain insight on your topic and evaluation questions. Good interview respondents will provide valuable insights on your topic from a variety of perspectives. Do you want to interview other students? Your principal? Teachers? Other school staff? Someone at the district level? Someone from the community? Experts on your topic?

• Interview questions should be broad and provide an opportunity for your respondent to tell a story, talk about their experiences, or give their perspective. Avoiding yes/no or short answer questions allows you to get more in-depth and richer information. The important thing is to get your interviewee to talk!

• Ask probing questions that encourage your respondent to talk more or ask for clarification.

• When interviewing someone, show that you are interested and paying attention to what they are saying by making eye contact, nodding, and providing verbal confirmations like, “mhm,” and “ok.”

• It is important that your interview respondents know that their interview is voluntary and confidential. You may want to provide a consent form explaining important information about the study that they will sign.

As with surveys, it is helpful to pilot an interview to see how an interview respondent will react to questions and to make sure that the questions you develop will generate the information you want to know. Once you have developed your interview “protocol,” practice with one or two people and have an observer and/or ask for feedback about the questions and process. This can also be an opportunity to practice and get feedback on your interviewing skills.

Before you conduct interviews, make sure to review your protocol using the checklist linked below. Then, make sure you spend some time practicing with your team members and supportive adults (i.e. the Equity and Engagement team).

• • Interview Question Checklist

  • Probing Questions

  • Practice Interviewing

  • Sample Interview Protocol

  • Interview Analysis