Interviews

An interview is a structured or informal conversation in which one person asks questions to obtain information, opinions, or judgments from another. Interviews are used to gather data in journalism, research, employment, and many professional contexts. They can be classified by purpose (journalistic, employment, research), by structure (structured, semi-structured, unstructured), and by mode (in person, telephone, video).

Preparation involves defining the interview’s objectives, selecting questions, and obtaining necessary consent. During the interview, the interviewer asks open-ended questions to elicit detailed responses, listens actively, and uses probing to clarify or expand on answers, while aiming to avoid leading the respondent. Note-taking or recording is common, followed by transcription and analysis. In research, interviews may be complemented by triangulation with other data sources.

Ethical considerations include informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, and minimizing potential harm. The quality of an interview depends on interviewer skills, rapport, and neutrality, as well as respondent honesty. Bias and structure influence reliability and validity; structured formats favor comparability, while unstructured formats can yield richer insights.

Applications vary: journalists rely on interviews for firsthand information and quotes; employers use interviews to assess fit and skills; researchers collect data; in oral history, interviews preserve memories of individuals and events.

Historical development: modern interviewing as a systematic method emerged with social science and mass media in the 20th century, though informal interview practices date earlier. See also: questionnaire, focus group, transcription.