Managing Interview Interaction

Abstract

Chapters 5 and 6 form a pair. Chapter 5 provides a practical guide to managing the interview while Chapter 6 provides a deeper reflexive treatment of important areas of sensitivity. This chapter concentrates on an introduction to the nuts and bolts of interviewing; the importance of recording the interview, listening, eliciting information through questions, using probes, and developing and maintaining rapport. While it is possible to consider interviewing from each of these perspectives (on one-at-a-time basis), it is also important to remember that all these elements have a reflexive relationship. For example, Spradley, talking about eliciting information and rapport says:

Ethnographic interviewing involves two distinct, but complementary processes developing rapport and eliciting information. Rapport encourages informants to talk about their culture. Eliciting information fosters the development of rapport. (1979: 78)