MA Political Science - European Politics & Policy Pathway (Research Route) / Course details
Year of entry: 2021
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Course unit details:
Doing Interviews
| Unit code | SOAN60202 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 5 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Offered by | Anthropology |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
Interviews are one of the principal methods for gathering information and obtaining data when carrying out research with or about human subjects. Interviews offer a vital means of generating new knowledge about people’s everyday activities and their social, cultural and moral world-views. A well conducted interview can help to reveal not only people’s social relations and interactions, but past experiences, current circumstances, anticipated futures and much else besides. A poorly conducted interview however, can leave interviewee’s feeling uncomfortable and reticent to share any information at all. As such, good interviewing skills are an essential part of a qualitative researchers’ toolkit that can open up the entire spectrum of human experience and activity—from habitual and routine practices to extraordinary life changing events and moments of crisis— allowing the researcher to learn about the commonalities and differences that exist between persons, groups or communities.