Tips for Effective Research Interviews

There are three major processes or techniques of interviewing in which the research worker should develop proficiencies: (1) creating a friendly atmosphere, (2) asking appropriate questions, and (3) obtaining right, responses. interviewing are follows: In establishing friendly relations, spend some time at it to develop a cordial setting for the interview. Engage in pleasant conversation through which questions can arise naturally. Try to establish a relationship of mutual confidence and frankness by stating the purpose of the interview clearly and simply with sincerity and reasonableness, linking the topic of the inquiry to interest of the person. Establish pleasant associations or circumstances. Help the interviewee to feel at case and ready to talk. Be at ease yourself and make it apparent. Allow him time to get acquainted with the surroundings and to gain poise. Make him feel that he is an equal who can exchange ideas and opinions with you. Avoid letting the interview take on the character of an inquisition or third degree. Avoid, also making it an oral questionnaire. In getting to the essential points of the interview; begin with pleasant topics and avoid unpleasant associations and emotional attitudes. Ask questions, at first that are not likely to cause refusal to answer or to provoke any form of negativism. Begin with topics that are neutral with respect to emotional reactions land gradually lead into more personal and emotionally colored questions as the interview progresses. Be straightforward and frank rather than shrewd or clever. The interviewee is likely to detect any cleverness or deviousness on the part of the interviewer and answer in like manner. Approach the problem as soon as rapport is assured, but do not ask pertinent questions until you think he is ready to give the information accurately and willingly. To facilitate responses, practice taking the interviewees point of view think in his place. Ask only one question at a time and avoid implying the answer to your own question. Focus his attention on the question and make sure that he understands what is wanted. Listen, give him a chance to talk, let him tell his story, and then help him to supplement it. Observe his behavior, facial expressions, tones of voice, and other indirect responses. Allow time enough for him to answer one question fully, but prevent him from rambling, by keeping control of the interview without being domineering. Keep on the subject but listen carefully for casual remarks that might be revealing. If unusual facts are revealed, do not betray surprise, shock, or emotional tensions at the disclosures. Face the facts professionally and avoid excessive sentimentality, sympathy, or antipathy. In the entire process, avoid taking the role of teacher, avoid a patronizing attitude, do not embarrass the interviewee unnecessarily, avoid putting him on the defensive or arousing feelings of antagonism, and keep from making the interview merely a social visit. In phrasing questions, be careful not to offer alternative questions that might imply what you think is the correct answer do not put words in his mouth. If the interview becomes time consuming, arrangements should be made for another interview at a later time rather than extending the present session and obtaining superficial responses or creating a negative attitude. However, some of the basic rules of research

Schedule as a Data Collection Technique in Research

Schedule is the tool or instrument used to collect data from the respondents while interview is conducted. Schedule contains questions, statements (on which opinions are elicited) and blank spaces/tables for filling up the respondents. The features of schedules are :

1. 2.

The schedule is presented by the interviewer. The questions are asked and the answers are noted down by him. The list of questions is a more formal document, it need not be attractive. The schedule can be used in a very narrow sphere of social research. The main purposes of schedule are three fold : To provide a standardized tool for observation or interview in order to attain objectivity, To act as memory tickler i.e., the schedule keeps the memory of the interviewer/ observer refreshed and keeps him reminded of the different aspects that are to be particularly observed, and

3.

To facilitate the work of tabulation and analysis.

Types of Schedule
There are several kinds of schedule. Rating Schedules is a schedule used to obtain opinions, preferences etc, respondents over statements on the phenomenon studied. The schedule consists of positive and negative statements of opinion on the phenomenon. Documents Schedules are used to collect data/information from recorded evidences and/or case histories. Here the blanks, functional issues related blanks and the like to be filled up from records and documents are present. Survey Schedules are like questionnaires. Observation Schedules are schedules used when observational method of data collection is used. These could be structured or unstructured interview schedules are used for collecting data when interview method of communication with the respondents is used.

Essentials of a Good Schedule

A good schedule must have the following features

Content: Should cover questions or statements relating to all significant aspects of the study. Dissectional: Should look into the problem analytically, dissecting every, major and significant components of the problem. Context: Should suit the context in which it is applied. Different types of studies need different schedules. Criterion: Should use sound logic in classifying respondents based opinions expressed. Construction: Should be constructed in such a way that questions statements progress gradually and in order. Better it is sub-divided into parts, each part deeding with a certain sub topic of the issue studied. For each objective, a separate part may be devoted.

Language: Should be linguistically superbly designed. Clear and straight forward language be used. Reliable: Should be reliable such that same results are obtained whenever the schedule is used when everything else remains same. Mechanical Aspects: Paper used, margin space given, spacing, printing, size of letters, etc. should be normal. Size: Should not too length nor too short. Should give fair coverage to the topic. Qualities to be Avoided: Long, complex, presumptuous, personal, embarrassing, hypothetical issues, morality oriented, upsetting type and necessary questions must be avoided. To sum up, accurate information and accurate response are the two essential conditions of a good schedule. Accurate communication is effected by proper wording of questions so as to produce desired sense without any ambiguity. Accurate response is said to have been achieved when replies contain the information sought for. The response is achieved by stimulating the respondents to fill the schedule. Besides, the physical structure of the schedule should be attractive; the questions asked or information sought should be adequate and relevant to the enquiry, so that final generalization may be based upon it. The information sought should not only be valid, it should also be capable of being tabulated and if possible being subjected to statistical analysis.

Procedure for Formulating a Schedule

1. Study the different aspects of the problem. The problem under study should first of all be split up into various aspects. The determination of these aspects will depend upon clear understanding of the problem under study. 2. Sub-divide the problem to get necessary information. Each aspect has again to be broken up into a number of sub-parts. These sub-parts should be quite exhaustive to give a full and complete picture of-the aspect under study. 3. Class questions. Care should be taken to see that the questions convey the exact sense. Respondents will be willing to supply information without any hesitation, bias or distortion of facts, if questions are exact and clear. 4. Serialization of Questions. In order to obtain well-organised information, it is necessary that the questions should be presented to the respondents in a well-ordered serial. It has been experienced to various field studies that the change in the order of questions affects the answers adversely. 5. Testing the validity of schedule Whatever may be the degree of precaution taken, some slips are basedto be left out and these can be located when the schedule is put into a reliability and validity test. 6. Division. The schedule be divided into adequate number of divisions. Introductory part, instructional part, issues related parts, etc. are certain parts by which the schedule is divided into parts. 7. Appropriate form of questions. Use appropriate forms of questions at appropriate places. Open ended, close ended, pictorial, Yes or No (Questions), multiple choice questions, etc. can be used. Credit: Research Methodology-MGU

"Hum khushi ki chah mein, Har khushi se door ho gaye/ Dundhne chale the zindagi, Zindagi se door ho gaye// Jhoothe sapno ke liye, Hum bhattke kaha kaha/ Dundhne chale the zindagi, Zindagi se door ho gaye// Bheed mein bhi tanha jiye, Na paye koi jahan/ Dundhne chale the zindagi, Zindagi se door ho gaye//" Are some of the words of a beautiful from a movie, which didn't watch many eyes. Though this song arouses a sense of melancholia yet this song is worth all the attention of our ears and mind. Isn't this what 'life' is all about and precisely speaking, what 'life' is? Yes! The song is Melancholic,but it does not imply totally, What Life is. You see, by nature a person is inquisitive & desires to reach the depth of whatever takes His/Her fancy. Our Cup of Desire is never Full, we achieve one Goal & we start desiring the next goal & for this we keep on striving till the end of our Life. The song implies that in pursuit of Happiness,we have drifted away from Happiness.The question that is raised is, why are we in pursuit of Happiness? We can achieve Happiness in our day to day Life,without pursuing it i.e If we enjoy what we do & our Aims are down to Earth & lofty & we are Happy in doing our daily chores & take Life as it comes,Happiness automatically comes to us. similarly if we pursue Dreams which are not True or which cannot be achieved,then obviously you are drifting away from reality & you will find yourself alone,even in a crowd. In a nutshell, It's a lovely song,which you enjoy hearing,but it is not the true depiction of Life, since you make your Life as per your own choice & God has given us enough Brains to differentiate between right & wrong pursuits & to cut short a pursuit,which is doomed to Failure.I know I'm sounding too much of a realist,but we can't live our Lives based on Sentiments of a song,which was probably written for a particular situation. Therefore, this is not the thing Life is all about & neither 'What Life is'. There is much more to achieve & do in "Life"