Qualitative Interviews
A flexible list of topics used to guide qualitative interviews without strict wording.
What is a semi-structured interview guide?
A tool used to systematically record behaviors or events in an observation study.
What is an observation instrument?
A structured set of questions used to collect standardized data.
What is a questionnaire?
The process of researchers reflecting on their own influence on the research.
What is reflexivity?
This concept focuses on accuracy, while reliability focuses on consistency.
Validity
This type of interview follows a strict script with identical wording and order
What is a structured interview?
Observing participants while actively engaging in the setting being studied.
What is participant observation?
Questions with fixed response options like multiple choice or Likert scales.
What are closed-ended questions?
A bathroom scale that gives the same incorrect weight every time is an example of this issue.
What is lack of validity?
How consistent is the measure? If you take the ACT test 5 times, you get roughly the same score each time.
Reliability
This type of interview allows participants to lead the conversation with minimal guidance.
What is an unstructured interview?
Observing without interacting or influencing the environment.
What is non-participant observation?
A response format measuring agreement on a scale (e.g., strongly agree to strongly disagree).
What is a Likert scale?
A Social Worker is conducting a study to evaluate the effect of a new mindfulness-based therapy program on stress levels in adults dealing with chronic illness. The Social Worker offers varying numbers of therapy sessions to different participants and measures their self-reported stress levels after completion of the program. What is IV and DV?
IV: Therapy Sessions
DV: Stress Level
Two social workers independently assess the same client and reach similar conclusions.
inter-rater reliability
Questions designed to encourage detailed, narrative responses rather than yes/no answers.
What are open-ended questions?
Predefined categories used to guide what observers should record.
What is a coding scheme?
The importance of ensuring questions are clear, concise, and unbiased.
What is good survey design?
Random error impacts this, while systematic error impacts validity.
What is reliability (random error) and validity (systematic error)?
A researcher uses multiple survey items to measure depression instead of one question.
Improving validity and reliability
This key principle emphasizes avoiding leading or biased wording in interview questions.
What is neutral question design?
The challenge of maintaining consistency across observers in qualitative observation.
What is observer reliability?
Asking multiple questions to measure a single concept to improve data quality.
What is using a scale (multi-item measurement)?
When the wording of a question influences responses.
What is question wording bias?
A measure produces similar results when administered twice to the same group.
Test-retest reliability