Title

Going online: Conducting individual, dyadic, and focus group interviews via the internet

Format Type

Plenary

Format Type

Paper

Start Date

13-1-2021 2:30 PM

End Date

13-1-2021 2:50 PM

Abstract

In the last decade, we have witnessed continuous methodological innovations in qualitative methods with researchers bringing at least some aspects of their research process online. The current COVID-19 situation has contributed to even more rapidly increasing interest in online interviewing. In this paper, we aim to review the existing literature on and current options for

three interview formats in synchronous and asynchronous temporal structure: individual, dyadic and focus groups. In each case, we present tables that systematically compare face-to-face, text based and video-based technological formats using these methods. For each method, we consider:

  • Recruitment issues such as locating, contacting, screening participants, sampling issues, dropout and refusal issues, ensuring sufficient participants;
  • Design issues such as degree of interview structure, interview composition, number of participants, temporal and technological formats;
  • Logistical issues such as technological requirements related to devices, platforms and applications, interruptions and disturbances from online and offline context;
  • Ethical issues such as obtaining informed consent online, privacy, confidentiality and data security issues;
  • CMC (Computer mediated communication) issues, focusing on full or partial disembodying experience, examining control over self-presentation of participants and the lack of social context cues (i.e. non-verbal communication, para-verbal communication, visual cues, emotional cues and context cues).

We conclude with practical recommendations for each of the interviewing formats regarding the main above-mentioned issues.

Keywords

CMC, online reseacrh methods, online focus groups, online interviews, online dyadic interviews

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6837-4450, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6014-7643, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3063-7881

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COinS
 
Jan 13th, 2:30 PM Jan 13th, 2:50 PM

Going online: Conducting individual, dyadic, and focus group interviews via the internet

In the last decade, we have witnessed continuous methodological innovations in qualitative methods with researchers bringing at least some aspects of their research process online. The current COVID-19 situation has contributed to even more rapidly increasing interest in online interviewing. In this paper, we aim to review the existing literature on and current options for

three interview formats in synchronous and asynchronous temporal structure: individual, dyadic and focus groups. In each case, we present tables that systematically compare face-to-face, text based and video-based technological formats using these methods. For each method, we consider:

  • Recruitment issues such as locating, contacting, screening participants, sampling issues, dropout and refusal issues, ensuring sufficient participants;
  • Design issues such as degree of interview structure, interview composition, number of participants, temporal and technological formats;
  • Logistical issues such as technological requirements related to devices, platforms and applications, interruptions and disturbances from online and offline context;
  • Ethical issues such as obtaining informed consent online, privacy, confidentiality and data security issues;
  • CMC (Computer mediated communication) issues, focusing on full or partial disembodying experience, examining control over self-presentation of participants and the lack of social context cues (i.e. non-verbal communication, para-verbal communication, visual cues, emotional cues and context cues).

We conclude with practical recommendations for each of the interviewing formats regarding the main above-mentioned issues.