Interviews and focus groups are qualitative research methods used for gathering in-depth information from participants about their experiences, perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs.
Interviews can be categorized into three types:
- Structured interviews: Researchers use a predetermined set of questions, ensuring consistency across participants. This format is useful when researchers want to compare responses systematically.
- Semi-structured interviews: These involve a set of open-ended questions that allow for flexibility. Researchers can explore participant responses more deeply, adjusting the interview based on the conversation.
- Unstructured interviews: Unstructured interviews are more like guided conversations. Researchers have a general topic or theme but allow participants to express themselves freely.
While interviews typically involve a one-on-one interaction between a researcher and a participant, focus groups involve a small group of participants (typically 6-10) engaging in a guided discussion facilitated by a moderator. Group dynamics play a crucial role in generating a range of perspectives and ideas. The moderator guides the discussion by posing open-ended questions, encouraging participants to express their thoughts and respond to each other.
The goal is to capture a diversity of opinions within the group. Researchers may observe the interactions of the focus group to gather insights beyond verbal responses, such as non-verbal cues, group dynamics, and the impact of social influences.
While both focus groups and interviews are used to collect qualitative data, focus groups emphasize group interaction and exploring shared experiences. In contrast, interviews provide a more personalized and individualized exploration of a participant’s perspective. Researchers select the method that aligns with their research goals and the nature of the information they seek. In some research studies, both interviews and focus groups may be employed to triangulate findings, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the research topic.
List of recommended resources #
For a broad overview #
Types of Interviews in Research | Guide & Examples
This blog by Scribbr explains the different types of interviews used in qualitative research. It gives an overview of structured, unstructured and semi-structured interviews along with the advantages and disadvantages of interviews as a method for collecting data.
What is a Focus Group | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples
This blog by Scribbr gives a broad overview of focus groups in qualitative research, along with a step-by-step guide for conducting focus group interviews. It also provides a list of its advantages and disadvantages for better understanding of the reader.
For in depth understanding #
Annette Lareau gives a concrete, practical guide for interview and participant observation and analysis in research. Lareau writes about the importance of talking to others as well as listening to feedback from others while conducting research. She provides examples of real-life interviews with notes to show what probes work well and which are less successful.
The SAGE Handbook of Interview Research: The Complexity of the Craft
Edited by Jaber F. Gubrium, James A. Holstein, Amir B. Marvasti & Karyn D. McKinney, this book provides an understanding of the dynamic, interactional, and reflexive dimensions of the research interview. It begins with an explanation of the history and transformations of the interview process along with discussions of the main components of an interview.
Case study #
Focus Group Interviews in Child, Youth, and Parent Research: An Integrative Literature Review
This article by Kristin Adler, Sanna Salantera and Maya Zumstein-Shaha outlines the use of focus groups in child, youth, and parent research and the important factors to be considered when planning, conducting, and analyzing focus groups with children, youths, or parents.
Navigating Education, Motherhood, and Informal Labor: The Experiences of Young Women in Luanda
This report published by the World Bank presents insights gained from the voices of young women and girls, their parents, and key informants through a series of interviews carried out in Luanda, home to a quarter of the country’s population, in 2022. Based on these in-depth interviews with low-income young women in Luanda, this report points to the multiple challenges they face across their life cycle – challenges relating to the dimensions of education, family formation, and work.
References #
Key Differences Between Focus Groups and In-Depth Interviews
