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Expert Interviews for Qualitative Data Generation

Course Dates and Times

Monday 5 – Friday 9 August
Morning session 9:00–12:30~
Afternoon session 14:00–16:30, ending slightly earlier on Friday

Alenka Jelen

alenka.jelen@stir.ac.uk

Institution: University of Stirling

Qualitative expert interviews are one of the most popular research methods in political and social research, yet often due to a lack of critical understanding run a risk of misrepresentation and under-theorisation of data. This course aims to

develop an in-depth understanding of (expert) interviews
train you in practical interview design and data generation process
demonstrate approaches to interview data management and analysis. Theoretical discussion covers philosophical assumptions, methodological underpinnings, scientific criteria, ethics and reflexivity in interview research.

A special focus of the course is on practical considerations and training in designing and conducting expert interviews, including sampling, gaining access, framing questions, managing interactions and using technology. We explore the influence of contextual factors and relationships between an interviewer and interviewees on data generation.

The course concludes with an overview of interview data management and analysis approaches; however, it does not focus on data analysis as such.

ECTS credits for this course

4 credits Be an active participant, complete the readings, submit the research design material at least one week in advance of the course, and do the in-class presentations and activities.

Additional 2 credits Awarded on completion of daily assignments and a 4,000–6,000-word take-home expert interview report, in which you revise and critically reflect on your knowledge, experience and skills in interviewing and interview data generation.

Instructor Bio

Alenka is Senior Lecturer at the University of Stirling. She holds a PhD in Sociology-Communication Sciences from the University of Ljubljana.

She has extensive international experience in interview research and teaching, and has been an ECPR Instructor since 2008.

Her research interests are in public relations, health and political communication, with a focus on academic development, gender, loss and intersections between media and politics.

@alenkajelen

Qualitative expert interviews are one of the most popular research methods in political and social research, yet often lack critical understanding and, consequently, run a risk of misrepresentation and under-theorisation of data. They are often assumed as an unproblematic method that can easily uncover social realities and simply extract information. On the contrary, interviews – like any other qualitative research method – require in-depth understanding, solid theoretical basis, skills and careful validation for the reconstruction of latent meanings. Drawing on these assumptions, this course aims to:

develop an in-depth understanding of expert (and other forms of) qualitative interviews
train you in practical interview design and the data generation process
demonstrate approaches to interview data management and analysis.

An emphasis of the course is on the data generation process and development of interview skills through practical experience of designing and conducting expert and, to a lesser extent, other forms of interviews. It is particularly designed for those with little or no experience in qualitative interviewing, but also suitable for experienced researchers who wish to further develop and critically reflect on their interview knowledge, experience and skills.

The course begins with an introduction to scholarly approaches, paradigms, and traditions surrounding interview research. We discuss different types and forms of interviews, with a focus on expert interviews as one of the most common interview methods in political and social research.

According to European (German) research tradition, expert interviews (which by definition use experts as participants) are a separate method, not to be confused with other forms of interviews, particularly elite interviews. We draw on the assumptions of sociology of knowledge to define ‘experts’ and distinguish them from ‘elites’, ‘specialists’ and other social actors. We discuss who is an expert, what characteristics constitute an expert, and what constitutes expert knowledge and distinguishes it from other types of knowledge.

Drawing on principles and meanings of the concepts ‘expert’ and ‘expertise’, we address the specifics, risks and ethical dimensions of expert interviews as well as their broader function as a source of knowledge generation.

We discuss the typology of expert interviews, which can be divided to exploratory interview, systematising interview and theory-generating interview, and their implications for data generation and analysis.

As with other qualitative methods, interviews do not just have data at their disposal; they need to generate it. At this central stage of the course, we move from general theoretical concepts to concrete and practical discussion of interview design and data generation.

The practical methodological discussion begins with a thorough consideration of sampling strategies and gaining access. The ethical issues involved in the two processes are addressed. We examine different qualitative sampling strategies, including convenience sampling, purposive sampling, theoretical sampling, and snowball sampling. The latter is of particular importance in expert interviews, because it has the potential to overcome difficulties gaining access to an extended circle of participants and reaching a saturation principle.

To experience the unpredictable and complex process of gaining access, you’ll complete a practical exercise using different strategies to persuade potential interviewees to participate in your research project.

Prior to conducting interviews, the course addresses the importance of fieldwork preparation strategies, including designing an interview guide, framing interview questions for achieving breadth and depth, and designing an information sheet, a participant brief and a consent form.

To prepare for an interview comprehensively, we need to be familiar with stages of interview interaction, our participants and the roles likely to be played, language likely to be used, perceptions likely to be formed, and relationships likely to be developed. Since the interviewer and the relationship with the interviewee are crucial to the method, we need to be conscious of key interviewing skills, qualities and responsibilities as well as mutual influences in an interview setting.

From research preparation strategies, we move to the examination of the interview as a social interaction, which is – like any other form of interaction – influenced by diverse factors that require careful consideration in the research process. Socio-demographic, personal, cultural, gender and other factors inevitably influence the type of information revealed and knowledge communicated. In addition, complex issues of relationships, power, social (in)equality, trust and inter-subjectivity come to the surface in interview situations. Another important element to consider in interview research, particularly from the GDPR perspective, is the use of technology in recording and storing data (e.g. recording equipment, tablets, phones, computers and software). If these factors are acknowledged, carefully considered, and managed, then the data generation process can be significantly enhanced. In the opposite case, they have a potential to significantly hinder or even jeopardise the research process.

Drawing on these discussions, you will prepare an interview guide and other interview materials and conduct ‘real life’ interviews with peers and an expert. Based on these interviews, you prepare interview protocols and transcripts. Drawing on this experience, I will ask you to identify interactional factors of influence and critically evaluate their impact on the quality of generated data.

After the interview exercise, we turn to the most ignored requirement of good qualitative research: handling what comes as generated data. The qualitative data is in its essence voluminous, rich, complex, contextualised and as such overwhelmingly messy regardless of how organised the research process is. We examine different approaches to interview data management, which are the key requirement for data analysis.

While this course does not offer a comprehensive view of qualitative data analysis, it provides an introduction to the principles and practice of data management and analysis. We discuss guidelines and implications of transcribing or ‘translating’ the generated data from speech to text. I will outline common steps from this form of ‘raw’ data to analysis. We will emphasise that the data management (and consequently analysis) approach mainly depends on the research purpose, questions and the interview type. We briefly address the issues related to ethical data handling, coding strategies, and plurality of interpretations, as well as risks and consequences of misunderstandings and misinterpretations. We discuss the strengths and limitations of traditional ‘by hand’ vs. computer-assisted qualitative data management and I will introduce you briefly to NVivo software for qualitative data analysis.

The course concludes with critical reflection on interview research. We adopt ethical theory to summarise and (re)consider the ethical risks and dilemmas emerging from interview research, and transactional theory to examine the role of reflexivity, critical self-assessment, the researcher’s influence on the research process and ‘truthfulness’ of data. We review current methodological debates evolving around interviews and their quality assurance. I will place special emphasis on the strengths, risks and limitations of interview research as well as the scientific criteria (i.e. concepts of validity, reliability and generalisability) and their different meanings in qualitative and quantitative traditions.

By the end of this course, you will have a solid theoretical knowledge of qualitative expert interviews and data generation processes with an emphasis on theoretical application and development of interview skills through practical experience, including designing interview research, fieldwork preparation strategies, conducting interviews and data management.

The course also provides a comprehensive foundation for those who wish to pursue ECPR Summer or Winter School courses on qualitative data analysis.

Knowledge and understanding of philosophical, epistemological and theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research and its differences from quantitative research.

Good command of digital recorders/players and word processor software.

The emphasis of this course is on data generation practice and skills, so it is beneficial (but not necessary) for participants to bring their own research project to the course.

Day	Topic	Details
1	Introduction to expert interviews	Introductory session (30 minutes): Introduction of participants and their research interests/projects Relevance of interview research Lecture (90 minutes): Aims and overview of the course Understanding interview research: epistemology, methodology and theory Functions and forms of interviews ‘Who is an expert?’: Defining experts and expertise Specifics of expert interviews Workshop (60 minutes): World café discussion Assignment: An overview/examples of interview research in your field
2	Interview design and field preparation strategies	Lecture (60 minutes): Sampling strategies Gaining access Designing an interview/topic guide and framing questions Ethics in qualitative interviewing Workshop (120 minutes): Practical exercise: Access strategies and designing an interview guide Assignment: Preparation of interview guides for interviews with peers
3	Art of interviewing: Interview as a social interaction	Practical discussion (30 minutes): Interview guide discussion and feedback Lecture (90 minutes): Interview stages Strategies of achieving breadth and depth Roles and perceptions Key qualities and responsibilities of the interviewer Interviewer-interviewee relationship, trust and openness Factors of influence: context, socio-demographics, culture, language, power, gender, technology Practical exercise (60 minutes): Conducting interviews with peers Assignment: Write an interview protocol and critical reflection
4	Qualitative data management: from ‘raw’ texts to analysis	Practical discussion (30 mins): Theoretical applications and reflections on interview experience and Lecture (60 minutes): Recording and storing data: technological and ethical practicalities Transcribing interviews Supporting materials (diaries, field notes, memos etc.) Preparation for analysis and coding strategies Computer-assisted vs. ‘by hand’ data management Practical exercise (90 minutes): Interview with an expert Group discussion and critical evaluation Assignment: Interview transcript
5	Critical reflection on interview research	Workshop (90 minutes): Introduction to data management with NVivo Lecture and discussion (90 minutes): Reflexivity and qualitative interviewing Transactional theory in interviewing: what kind of ‘truths’ do you get? Scientific criteria and their meanings: validity, reliability, generalisability Advantages, risks, limitations of interview research Critical reflections, questions and feedback Summative assignment: Expert interview report and critical reflection
1	Morning : Introduction to expert interviews Afternoon: Planning and designing interview research	Morning session 09.00 – 12.30 Introduction of participants and their research interests/projects Understanding interview research: epistemology, methodology and theory Functions and forms of interviews Who is an expert? Defining experts and expertise Specifics of expert interviews Afternoon session 14.00 – 16.30 World café discussion Planning and designing interview research
2	Morning: Interview design and field preparation strategies Afternoon: Gaining access and interview preparation	Morning session 09.00 – 12.30 Sampling strategies and gaining access Designing an interview/topic guide and framing questions Thinking through interview stages and strategies of enquiry Considering ethics in qualitative interviewing Afternoon session 14.00 – 16.30 Gaining access Designing ethics forms and interview guides
3	Morning: Understanding interview research as a social interaction Afternoon: Conducting interviews and refleciton	Morning session 09.00 – 12.30 Art of interviewing as a social interaction Interviewer-interviewee relationship, trust and openness Factors of influence: context, socio-demographics, culture, language, power, gender, technology Roles and perceptions Key qualities and responsibilities of the interviewer Afternoon session 14.00 – 16.30 Interview guide discussion Conducing interviews Writing interview protocol and reflection
4	Morning: Qualitative data generation and management Afternoon: From talk to text – transcribing interviews	Morning session 09.00 – 12.30 Part I Reflections on interview experience Interview with an expert Part II Recording and storing data: technological and ethical practicalities Transcribing interviews Supporting materials (diaries, field notes, memos etc.) Preparation for analysis and coding strategies Computer-assisted vs. ‘by hand’ data management and analysis Afternoon session 14.00 – 16.30 Group discussion and critical evaluation of expert interviews Transcribing inteviews Introduction to data management with NVivo
5	Morning: Critical reflection on interview research Afternoon: Understanding approaches to data analysis and critical reflection	Morning session 09.00 – 12.30 Reflexivity and qualitative interviewing Transactional theory in interviewing: what kind of ‘truths’ do we get? Scientific criteria and their meanings Advantages, risks, limitations of interview research Afternoon session 13.30 – 16.00 From 'raw' data to analysis with NVivo Keeping memos Critical reflections, questions and feedback Summative assignment Expert interview report and critical reflection

Day	Readings
1	Compulsory: King and Horrocks, 2010, Chapter 2 (pp.6 – 25), Philosophical assumptions Yeo et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 7 (pp. 177 – 210), In-depth Interviews Littig (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 4 (pp. 98 – 113), Interviewing the Elite - Interviewing Experts: Is there a Difference? Recommended: Denzin and Lincoln (in Denzin and Lincoln), 2011, Chapter 1 (pp. 1 – 20), Introduction: The Discipline and Practice of Qualitative Research Ormston et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 1 (pp. 1 – 26), The Foundation of Qualitative Research Borer and Fontana (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 3 (pp. 45 – 60), Postmodern Trends: Expanding the Horizon of Interviewing Practices and Epistemologies Meuser and Nagel (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 1 (pp. 17 – 42), The Expert Interview and Changes in Knowledge Production
2	Compulsory: King and Horrocks, 2010, Chapter 3 (pp. 25 – 41) & 7 (pp. 103 – 124), Designing an interview study; Ethics in qualitative interviewing Fujii (2018), Chapter 3 (pp. 35 – 52), Selecting, Framing, and Approaching Interviewees Ritchie et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 5 (relevant pages 111 – 138), Designing and Selecting Samples Recommended: Rapley (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 4 (pp.49 – 63), Sampling Strategies in Qualitative Research Obelené (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 8 (pp. 184 – 200), Expert versus Researcher: Ethical Considerations in the Process of Bargaining a Study Christians (in Denzin and Lincoln), 2011, Chapter 4 (pp. 61 – 80), Ethics and Politics in Qualitative Research Dexter, 2006, Chapter 2 (pp. 31 – 71), Suggestions for Getting, Conducting and Recording an Interview
4	Compulsory: Kowal and O’Connell (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 5 (pp.64 – 79), Transcription as a Crucial Step of Data Analysis King and Horrocks, 2010, Chapter 9 (pp. 142 – 174), An introduction to interview data analysis Kvale and Brinkmann, 2008, Chapter 10 (pp. 177 – 188), Transcribing Interviews Recommended: Spencer et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 10 (pp. 269 – 294), Analysis: Principles and Processes Spencer et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 11 (pp. 295 – 346), Analysis in practice Roulston (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 20 (pp. 297 – 313), Analysing interviews Bogner and Menz (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 2 (pp. 43 – 80), The Theory-Generating Expert Interview: Epistemological Interest, Forms of Knowledge, Interaction Fontana, Chapter 6, 2007 (pp. 69 – 76), Framing and Interpreting Interview
3	Compulsory: King and Horrocks, 2010, Chapter 4 (pp. 42 – 60), Carrying out qualitative interviews Fujii, 2018, Chapter 2 (pp. 12 – 34) & 4 (pp. 53 – 72), Building Working Relationships; Strategies for Conducting Interviews Warren (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 8 (pp. 129 – 142), Interviewing as Social Interaction Johnson and Rowlands (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 6 (pp. 99 – 114), The Interpersonal Dynamics of In-Depth Interviewing Recommended: Pfadenhauer (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 3 (pp. 81 – 97), At Eye Level. The Expert Interview – a Talk between Expert and Quasi-expert Herzog (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 13 (pp. 207 – 218), Interview Location and Its Social Meaning
5	Compulsory: King and Horrocks, 2010, Chapter 7 & 8 (pp. 125– 141), Reflexivity in qualitative interviewing Silverman, 2010, Chapter 15 (pp. 268 – 291), Quality in Qualitative Research Maxwell and Chmiel (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 37 (pp. 540 – 554), Generalization in and from Qualitative Analysis Lewis et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013 Chapter 12 (pp. 347 – 366), Generalising from Qualitative Research Recommended: Finlay (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 22 (pp. 317 – 332), Five Lenses for the Reflexive Interviewer Dexter, 2006, Chapter 6 (pp. 115 – 131), Toward a Transactional Theory of Interviewing: Self-Assessment in the Interview Process May and Perry (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 8 (pp.109 – 123), Reflexivity and Practice of Qualitative Research Mertens (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 35 (pp. 510 – 524), Ethical Use of Qualitative Data and Findings
1	Compulsory King, Horrocks and Brooks, 2019, Chapter 2 (pp.6 – 26) Philosophical assumptions Yeo et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 7 (pp. 177 – 210) In-depth Interviews Littig (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 4 (pp. 98 – 113) Interviewing the Elite - Interviewing Experts: Is there a Difference? Recommended Denzin and Lincoln (in Denzin and Lincoln), 2011, Chapter 1 (pp. 1 – 20) Introduction: The Discipline and Practice of Qualitative Research Ormston et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 1 (pp. 1 – 26) The Foundation of Qualitative Research Borer and Fontana (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 3 (pp. 45 – 60) Postmodern Trends: Expanding the Horizon of Interviewing Practices and Epistemologies Meuser and Nagel (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 1 (pp. 17 – 42) The Expert Interview and Changes in Knowledge Production
2	Compulsory King, Horrocks and Brooks, 2019, Chapter 3 (pp. 27 – 51) & 4 (pp. 52 – 70) Ethics in qualitative interviewing / Designing an interview study Fujii (2018), Chapter 3 (pp. 35 – 52) Selecting, Framing, and Approaching Interviewees Ritchie et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 5 (relevant pages 111 – 138) Designing and Selecting Samples Recommended Rapley (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 4 (pp.49 – 63) Sampling Strategies in Qualitative Research Obelené (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 8 (pp. 184 – 200) Expert versus Researcher: Ethical Considerations in the Process of Bargaining a Study Christians (in Denzin and Lincoln), 2011, Chapter 4 (pp. 61 – 80) Ethics and Politics in Qualitative Research Dexter, 2006, Chapter 2 (pp. 31 – 71) Suggestions for Getting, Conducting and Recording an Interview
3	Compulsory King, Horrocks and Brooks, 2019, Chapter 5 (pp. 71 – 92) Carrying out qualitative interviews Fujii, 2018, Chapter 2 (pp. 12 – 34) & 4 (pp. 53 – 72) Building Working Relationships / Strategies for Conducting Interviews Warren (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 8 (pp. 129 – 142) Interviewing as Social Interaction Johnson and Rowlands (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 6 (pp. 99 – 114) The Interpersonal Dynamics of In-Depth Interviewing Recommended Pfadenhauer (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 3 (pp. 81 – 97) At Eye Level. The Expert Interview – a Talk between Expert and Quasi-expert Herzog (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 13 (pp. 207 – 218) Interview Location and Its Social Meaning
4	Compulsory Kowal and O’Connell (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 5 (pp.64 – 79) Transcription as a Crucial Step of Data Analysis Kvale and Brinkmann, 2014, Chapter 10 (pp. 203 – 214) Transcribing Interviews King, Horrocks and Brooks, 2019, Chapter 9 (pp. 192 – 228) An introduction to interview data analysis Davidson and di Gregorio (in Denzin and Lincoln), 2011, Chapter 38 (pp. 627 – 644) Qualitative Research and Technology: In the Midst of a Revolution Recommended Bogner and Menz (in Bogner, Littig and Menz), 2009, Chapter 2 (pp. 43 – 80) The Theory-Generating Expert Interview: Epistemological Interest, Forms of Knowledge, Interaction
5	Compulsory King, Horrocks, and Brooks 2019, Chapter 9 (pp. 173 – 191) Reflexivity in qualitative interviewing Finlay (in Gubrium et al.), 2012, Chapter 22 (pp. 317 – 332) Five Lenses for the Reflexive Interviewer Silverman, 2010, Chapter 15 (pp. 268 – 291) Quality in Qualitative Research Maxwell and Chmiel (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 37 (pp. 540 – 554) Generalization in and from Qualitative Analysis Lewis et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013 Chapter 12 (pp. 347 – 366) Generalising from Qualitative Research Recommended Dexter, 2006, Chapter 6 (pp. 115 – 131) Toward a Transactional Theory of Interviewing: Self-Assessment in the Interview Process May and Perry (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 8 (pp.109 – 123) Reflexivity and Practice of Qualitative Research Mertens (in Flick), 2014, Chapter 35 (pp. 510 – 524) Ethical Use of Qualitative Data and Findings Spencer et al. (in Ritchie et al.), 2013, Chapter 10 (pp. 269 – 294) & 11 (pp. 295 – 346) Analysis: Principles and Processes / Analysis in practice

Software Requirements

Please install QSR NVivo 12 on your laptop. This free trial version for Mac and Windows can be downloaded for 14 days.

Hardware Requirements

Please bring your own laptop, audio recorder or smartphones (with audio recorder applications) and headphones.

We will use this equipment for recording, listening to, transcribing and evaluating interviews in practical exercises and assignments.

Literature

Bazeley, P. (2007). Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage.

Bazeley, P. & Jackson, K. (2013). Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage.

Bogner, A. Littig, B., & Menz, W. (Eds.). (2009). Interviewing Experts. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave /MacMillan.

Denzin, N. K. (1989). The Research Act. A Theoretical Introduction to Sociological Methods (3^rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2005). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (3^rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA, London: Sage.

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2011). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (4^th ed.). Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage.

Dexter, L. (2006). Elite and Specialized Interviewing. Colchester: ECPR Press.

Flick, U. (ed.) (2014). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Analysis. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage.

Fontana, A. P. (2007). Interview: From Formal to Postmodern. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.

Fujii, L. A. (2018). Interviewing in Social Science Research: A Relational Approach. New York, London: Routledge.

Gubrium, J. F., & Holstein, J. A. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of Interview Research: Context and Methodology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Gubrium, J. F., & Holstein, J. A. (Eds.). (2003). Postmodern Interviewing. Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage Publications.

Gubrium, J. F., Holstein, J. A., Marvasti, A. B., & McKinney, K. D. (Eds.) (2012). The SAGE Handbook of Interview Research: The Complexity of the Craft (2^nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage.

Kezar, A. (2003). Transformational Elite Interviews: Principles and Problems. Qualitative Inquiry, 9 (3), 395-415.

King, N., Horrocks, C. & Brooks, J. (2019). Interviews in Qualitative Research (2^nd ed.). London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage.

Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2014). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3^rd ed.). Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC: Sage.

Mason, J. (2002). Qualitative Researching (2^nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Mikecz, R. (2012). Interviewing Elites: Addressing Methodological Issues. Qualitative Inquiry 18(6): 482–493.

Moyser, G. & Wagstaffe, M. (Eds.) (1987). Research Methods for Elite Studies. London: Allen and Unwin.

Padfield, M., & Procter, I. (1996). The Effect of Interviewer’s Gender on the Interviewing Process: A Comparative Enquiry. Sociology, 30 (2), 355-366.

Richards, L. (2005). Handling Qualitative Data: A Practical Guide. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage.

Ritchie, J. & Lewis, J. (Eds.). (2003). Qualitative Research Practice. A Guide for Social Science Students and Researchers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., McNaughton Nicholls, C. & Ormston, R. (Eds.) (2013). Qualitative Research Practice. A Guide for Social Science Students and Researchers (2^nd ed.). Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC: Sage Publications.

Roulston, K. (2010). Reflective Interviewing: A Guide to Theory and Practice. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC: Sage.

Rubin, H. J. & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data (3^rd ed.). London: Sage.

Silverman, D. (2010). Doing Qualitative Research: A Practical Handbook (3^rd ed.). London: Sage.

Silverman, D. (Ed.). (2011). Qualitative Research: Issues of Theory, Method and Practice. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi: Sage.

Seidman, I. E. (1991). Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and Social Sciences. New York: Columbia University.

Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. M. (2008). Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures in Developing Grounded Theory (3^rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage.

Weiss, R. S. (1994). Learning from Strangers. The Art of and Method of Qualitative Interview Studies. New York: The Free Press.

Wengraf, T. (2001). Qualitative Research Interviewing. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage,

Recommended Courses to Cover Before this One

Summer School

Introduction to Interpretative Research Designs

Winter School

Introduction to Qualitative Interpretive Methods

Recommended Courses to Cover After this One

Summer School

Qualitative Data Analysis: Concepts and Approaches

Introduction to NVivo