Interviewer: __________________ Reviewer: ________________________

Mock #: ______________ Date: ______________

Overall ratings
SPECIFIC SKILLS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Growth area Refinement area Mastery
Consistency with guide
Interviewer follows guide flexibly
Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
and consistently- main Frequency – tic mark times inquiries are
questions/core areas are Tics for Consistent Tics for inconsistent
guide consistency and times when
discussed; major content areas inconsistent or items are missed (do not
are not skipped score wording changes/order changes that
follow course of participant response as
inconsistent)
Follows openings for Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
exploration
Interviewer explores a topic or Frequency Examples
inquires further about an important
area that emerges during Frequency – tic mark times when
discourse. opportunities for exploration are missed and
provide an example.

Clear questions
Interviewer limits question to one
Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
at a time and waits for response or
checks in before offering Frequency Examples
rephrasing or clarifications. Frequency – tic mark times multiple
questions are asked simultaneously or in
rapid succession and provide an example.

Smooth Transitions
Interviewer moves through guide
Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
with transitions; uses previous
discourse to tie in subsequent Frequency Examples
themes or questions; avoids
jumping abruptly from item to item Frequency—tic mark times transitions are
abrupt and provide an example.

Avoidance of ‘leading’ Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Interviewer tone, responses and
exchanges are free of leading or
biasing (positive or negative) Frequency Examples
content
Frequency- tic marks for potential bias or
leading content and provide an example.

Avoidance of Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

‘counseling’ Frequency Examples
Interviewer avoids providing
advice or health education during
Frequency- tic marks for in-interview
interview, or discourse aimed to
counseling and provide an example.
change attitudes, beliefs or skill
sets.

Overall rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Non-judgmental
Interviewer does not share Frequency Examples
personal views, positive or Frequency- tic marks for potentially
negative, praise or discourage judgmental responses and provide an
experiences of participant example.
 Overall ratings
GLOBAL RATINGS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Growth area Refinement area Mastery
Non-verbal Use of noises or non-verbal encouragement
encouragement for expansion or delving deeper into 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
responses (versus additional questioning)

Interviewer appears natural, follows organic

Genuine flow of discourse 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Interviewer uses open ended questions that
Open ended questions promote exploration (rather than asking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
yes/no questions)
Interviewer focuses/refocuses conversation
intentionally and with skill 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Redirection
Changed topic because of interviewer
discourse which was unintentional 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Appropriate use of silence to allow time for

Silence reflection and exploration 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Avoidance of ‘missed opportunities’ – points
in the conversation where exploration would
Follow opportunities have been valuable but interviewer either 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
moved to another topic or did not probe or
return to issue later in interview
Avoidance of comments that convey
No shaming/moralizing disapproval/immorality 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Focus is on gaining information about
Participant focused participant- avoidance of sharing personal 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
experiences or beliefs inappropriately
Engage participant as expert in his/her
Participant centered experiences; create or maintain shared 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
power
Interviewer allows participant to finish
Avoid interruptions thought or comment; does not interrupt or 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
talk over participant
Appropriate use of summary and reflection
(I hear you saying; If I understand correctly
Summary/reflection you are saying) and checks in on 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
understanding

Other:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Other: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Based on your review of the recorded interview, what are some areas you want to target for improvement for your next
interview?

5
USING THIS TRAINING TOOL (INTERVIEWER
DETAILED SELF-EVALUATION)
Skills
Instructions.

This section asks you to count out instances when you hear yourself or aspects of the interview that fall within the
specific category. This is intensive -- plan to have about 3-hours to allocate to this for a 1-hour interview. You will want
to be very familiar with each skill -- read the skill and listed for instances of it in your taped interview. We recommend
using your tape to review one or two skills at a time. Then repeat for the next one or two skills. This allows you to listen
to your interaction iteratively and notice strengths and things you want to target for change. For a given skill/area, listen
actively for an occurrence. If and when you hear an occurrence, reflect on whether or not the exchange was consistent
with what would be considered skillful interviewing (see definitions below) or inconsistent with that (these would be
missed opportunities or responses that are not consistent with skillful interviewing). Remember the interviewing is a skill
that is constantly refined. Identifying the areas you are most interested in refining will help you to grow professionally,
focus your work, and help to achieve, maintain, or exceed advanced skills in qualitative interviewing. Be fair with
yourself and also use this as an opportunity to set goals.

Definitions and examples.

SKILL DETAILS
Interviewer follows guide flexibly and consistently- main questions/core
areas are discussed; major content areas are not skipped.

This does not mean that the order to questions is kept, or that wording is
exact. Rather it means that no major areas are skipped by mistake.

Consistency with guide Check for probes and intentions of the items to be sure that questions
and discourse produce the kind of explorations targeted.

The consistent example below shows that probing for content needs to
reflect the intent of the item/question in the guide. Alternatively, if you
stray too far from the intent, you will miss the important information
being targeted. Be sure to have a strong sense of intent of the items
before interviewing.
Example of Consistent and Inconsistent
Consistent: Given a guide that has an item “How did you find out you were HIV positive” [Probe:
where and how was result delivered]
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: Did you get tested after that?
P: Yes. At this clinic. They told me right there that I was positive.
I: Can you share what happened in that experience? How did they tell you?
Inconsistent: Same guide as above
I: Did you test HIV positive at this clinic or somewhere else?
P: At this clinic.
I: OK- so they told you here and set you up with a care appointment right away?
P: Yeah. Pretty much.
SKILL DETAILS
Interviewer explores a topic or inquires further about an important area
that emerges during discourse.

Questions may open up potential for additional exploration that adds to

the depth of the content targeted. Opportunities include overt discourse-
comments from the participant that there is more to their answer or
Follows openings for story- and can be subtle- pauses or hesitations.
exploration
Interviewers have to manage time and using time most efficiently with
also ensuring appropriate exhaustion of a response before transitioning
to another item. In doing so, skills for when a response is finished and
when there is more to be said are very important. This category should
capture overall ability to modulate between these two factors such that
when an opportunity is missed (eg., interviewer moves to next item when
there is more to be explored) it is done so consciously and intentionally.
Example of Following and Missing Opportunities for Exploration
Following opportunity:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: Silence- waiting for additional content
P: It was one of the worst conversations I have ever had. I was so scared and angry too.
I: Do you recall what you did after that conversation?
P: Yes. I called the clinic pretty much right away and then we came in together. They told me right
there that I was positive. It was strange though because they did not let him stay in the room- it was
something about privacy but I wanted him there to hear it. Just to be there, you know?
I: Can you tell me more about that? How did that whole conversation unfold?
Missed opportunity:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: Do you recall what you did after that?
P: Yes. I got tested here and they told me right there that I was positive.
Interviewer limits question to one at a time and waits for response or
checks in before offering rephrasing or clarifications. Asking a single or
otherwise concise/clear question and waiting for the answer rather than
asking simultaneous questions mixed together or in rapid succession.
Clear Questions
Before clarifying a questions, it is generally advisable to wait a couple of
seconds and see where the participant goes with the question. If he or
she looks confused, rephrase with some indication that the participant
should consider the revised question and ignore the previous question(s)
Example of Clear and Unclear questioning
Clear question:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: Did you get tested after that?
P: Yes. At this clinic. They told me right there that I was positive.
Unclear (mixed) question:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
SKILL DETAILS
I: Did you get tested after that? Some people delay that for a while and some people go right away. It
is different for everyone. Did you go right away? Did you wait a while?
P: I came here. To this clinic. Pretty much right away. So, yeah. Pretty soon after he told me I came in
here.
Interviewer tone, responses and exchanges are free of leading or biasing
(positive or negative) content

An interviewer cannot really help it if a guide question is leading- so this

skills mostly applies to open discourse, exchanges and probing. Leading
questions or probes usually tell the participant what direction the
Avoidance of ‘leading’
interviewer wants him or her to go in, or offers the participant a loaded
(pre-determined) response. You see this with close-ended questions for
probes that appear to “put words in the mouth” of the participant. This is
not the same as reflecting back something the participant has already told
you or confirming your understanding of what is being shared. It is more
when a question is asked or comment is made that steers the discourse or
disclosures of the participant in response to that question.
Examples of Leading and Not Leading
Leading:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: That must have been awful. How did you resolve that conflict?
*Interviewer assumes it was awful, that conflict emerged, and that there was a resolution to the
presumed conflict- discourse is now likely to shift towards conflict and resolution because of
interviewer probe and not because the theme emerged organically
Not Leading:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: What was that experience like for you?
Interviewer avoids providing advice or health education during interview,
or discourse aimed to change attitudes, beliefs or skill sets

Efforts to change participant beliefs or attitudes should be avoided. While

Avoidance of ‘counseling’
exploring content may lead in that direction, specific reflections or
questions intended to provoke insights or psychological growth.
Correcting information a participant has about the content being
explored should take place after the guide is completed. Offering referrals
for counseling or assistance can be done at any time.
Examples of Counseling and Not Counseling
Counseling:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: That sounds very painful.
P: It really was. My heart broke.
I: I can see how painful it was and still is for you by your whole body sinking when you talk about it.
P: It just feels too common for me. People letting me down.
I: There are other times when your heart broke.
*Interviewer is opening issues with these reflections that he or she may not have the time or expertise
to “close back up” before ending the interview. Opening doors of this nature is best suited for on-
SKILL DETAILS
going supportive relationships and not research interviews.

Not Counseling:
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: Silence.
P: It was pretty terrible.
I: Thank you for sharing that. It must have been hard.
P: Yeah.
I: Do you recall what you did after he told you he was positive?
*Here the interviewer allows for more exploration and provides support but also keeps the discourse
from opening potentially painful exploration that goes beyond what the interview is intended to
target. The interviewer could also ask the participant if this is something that is still painful and offer
a referral to talk with someone about it if the participant has not already done so.
Interviewer does not share personal views, positive or negative, praise or
discourage experiences of participant.

Non-judgmental Judging someone can be positive or negative. Statements suggesting that

a certain response is good implies another response would be bad. Direct
judging of something someone shares is less common than inadvertently
placing value on a response through praise or congratulations. Comments
expressing a value to a response should generally be avoided as it can bias
the content of the interview.
Examples of Non-judgmental and Judgmental
Non-judgmental
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: Did you get tested after that?
P: Yes. At this clinic. They told me right there that I was positive.
I: When did you came in for testing?
P: Pretty much the next day.
I: What do you feel helped you to come in the next day instead waiting a week or a month?
Judgmental
I: How did you find out you were HIV positive?
P: My boyfriend at the time told me he tested positive.
I: Did you get tested after that?
P: Yes. At this clinic. They told me right there that I was positive.
I: You came in right away for testing?
P: Pretty much the next day.
I: That is amazing. Really great. A lot of people wait way too long. You did it right away. Can you tell
me more about that?

Global Ratings
Instructions. Complete these after reviewing your recording. They, like the other ratings, are for your reference and
relative to what you think is most valuable to work on. If there are areas in your recording where you like the wording
you are using or probes introduced, jot them down. If there are words or comments you want to avoid next time, write
these out as well. There is no correct on these ratings. It is all about your movement towards mastery in these skills
based on what you just heard in the interview you are reviewing.
Definitions.

GLOBAL RATING DEFINITION

 Interviewer appears natural and comfortable.
 Mastery involves being able to ask guide questions while still
Genuine maintaining presence and connection with participant.
 Interviewing that appears like someone is reading from the guide
or is overly automated represents an area in need of growth.
 Interviewer uses open ended questions that promote exploration
(rather than asking yes/no questions).
 Do not evaluate questions are worded in a closed manner from
the guide.
 However, in probing or discourse or delivery of open-ended
guide items, questions should allow participants to construct
Open ended questions
responses without the question containing possible responses.
 Yes/no questions and questions that offer responses (eg., Did
you go to the clinic here or uptown?) are close-ended. These
may be appropriate for guiding a conversation but should be
used as probes intentionally and sparingly.
 Mastery will have few close-ended questions.
 Interviewer focuses/refocuses conversation intentionally and with
skill.
 Use of close-ended probes or new guide items to steer a
conversation strategically.
Redirection  Changed topic because of interviewer discourse which was
unintentional.
 When probes or introduction of new questions cut an exploration
short or causes missed opportunities for more
content/disclosure.
 Appropriate use of silence to allow time for reflection and
exploration.
Silence
 Alternatively, failure to allow for silence or cutting into a pause
before a participant can finish reflection.
 Avoidance of ‘missed opportunities’ – points in the conversation
where exploration would have been valuable but interviewer
Follow opportunities
either moved to another topic or did not probe or return to issue
later in interview.
 Interviewer moves through guide with transitions; uses previous
discourse to tie in subsequent themes or questions; avoids
Smooth transitions
jumping abruptly from item to item.
 Flow of conversation sounds natural or organic.
 Avoidance of comments that convey disapproval/immorality.
 This will overlap with judgmental category- essentially involves
interviewer commentary or statements that directly or indirectly
imply that the participant has or is doing something “incorrect”.
 While “That is so great you stopped using meth” may feel like an
encouraging statement, it also implies that if the report is inflated
No shaming/moralizing and the participant is still using that the interviewer would find
that “not so great”.
 Moralizing (you should do this or that) often is implied through
what is intended to be a supportive statement. Alternatives
include asking what the participants feels about the report or how
he or she sees the experience. “How do you feel about not using
anymore?” or “What is that like for you?”
  Focus is on gaining information about participant- avoidance of
sharing personal experiences or beliefs inappropriately.
 Shifting focus from participant to self in interview.
Participant focused  This is not the same as strategically sharing similarities (eg.,
Yes, I know Dr. X; I am familiar with that market).
 This is when more personal information is shared and shifts the
focus onto to the interviewer and his or her experiences (eg.,
“That is difficult. My brother also struggled with that for years.”).
 Engage participant as expert in his/her experiences; create or
maintain shared power.
 Use of reflections or statements that inform participant that there
Participant centered
are no correct answers- just what he or she has experienced.
 Avoidance of engaging in power struggle or debating with
participant.
 Interviewer allows participant to finish thought or comment; does
Avoid interruptions
not interrupt or talk over participant.
 Appropriate use of summary and reflection (I hear you saying; If I
Summary/reflection understand correctly you are saying) and checks in on
understanding.

Targeted Growth Areas

At the end of the evaluation are 5 rows for you to use to identify areas you would like to continue to gain mastery in.
These are areas you may want to discuss with a supervisor or other interviewers. They are also areas you should pay
specific attention to when you do your next self-assessment. Try to be specific in these- name the area and the specific
aspect of it you want to work on. Noting ‘get better at clear questions’ is not as helpful as something more specific like
‘ask one question and then wait three seconds before asking another one or clarifying’. Putting down ‘Watch positive
statements’ is less specific than something like ‘Use ‘Thank you’ or ‘Alright’ instead of ‘Good’ or ‘Great’.