[Air-L] References about interviewing online?

Monica Barratt tronica at gmail.com
Mon Feb 23 14:15:42 PST 2009


Thanks for the interest in my draft review! I had a look over it last
night and I think it needs a little more work before I distribute
it... and at least knowing there are a bunch of people interested in
it will push me into getting it done quicker. Stay tuned!

However in the meantime, here is are some tips I put together from the
review and the key references I used. I found Kazmer & Xie especially
useful.

As previously mentioned, I was interested in qualitative synchronous
online interviewing so this excluded the automated online interviewing
system described by Stieger. Though, I definitely think the automated
system you describe would have application in my field of drug/alcohol
studies - given they took so well to the format.

Patricia Lange, I will have to take a look at your study as I never
ended up reading it in my review.

Ways in which the researcher can optimise the effectiveness of
synchronous online interviews include:
* Ensuring that the computer literacy, typing speed and access to a
reliable and fast internet connection and computer equipment are
adequate for both parties;
* Disclosing personal information to encourage reciprocation and the
development of stronger rapport;
* Using culturally-appropriate textual and graphical representations
of body language to convey richer meaning and decrease
misunderstandings;
* Using the automatically generated transcript to quote the
interviewee's previous statements to enable follow-up, and encouraging
the interviewee to do the same;
* When deciding exactly when to send the next message, being aware of
status alerts and commonly used abbreviations indicating absence from
the conversation, and giving adequate time for the interviewee to
think, type and send their response; and
* Allowing much more time to complete an online interview than would
be allocated for a face-to-face interview of equivalent depth and
breadth.

Key refs:

Al-Saggaf, Y., & Williamson, K. (2004). Online communities in Saudi
Arabia: Evaluating the impact on culture through online
semi-structured interviews. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 5(3).

Bowker, N., & Tuffin, K. (2004). Using the online medium for
discursive research about people with disabilities. Social Science
Computer Review, 22, 228-241.

Davis, M., Bolding, G., Hart, G., Sherr, L., & Elford, J. (2004).
Reflecting on the experience of interviewing online: Perspectives from
the Internet and HIV study in London. AIDS Care, 16, 944-952.

Dunkels, E., & Enochsson, A. (2007). Interviews with young people
using online chat. In M. Quigley (Ed.), Encyclopedia of information
ethics and security (pp. 403-410). Hersley: Idea Group Reference.

Hewson, C. (2007). Gathering data on the Internet: Qualitative
approaches and possibilities for mixed methods research. In A. N.
Joinson, K. McKenna, T. Postmes & U.-D. Reips (Eds.), Oxford handbook
of internet psychology (pp. 405-428). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Illingworth, N. (2001). The Internet matters: Exploring the use of the
Internet as a research tool. Sociological Research Online, 6(2).

Kazmer, M. M., & Xie, B. (2008). Qualitative interviewing in internet
studies: Playing with the media, playing with the method. Information,
Communication and Society, 11, 257-278.

Matthews, J., & Cramer, E. P. (2008). Using technology to enhance
qualitative research with hidden populations. The Qualitative Report,
13, 301-315.

O'Connor, H. (2006). Online interviews. Retrieved January 8, 2008,
from http://www.geog.le.ac.uk/orm/interviews/intcontents.htm

O'Connor, H., & Madge, C. (2001). Cyber-mothers: Online synchronous
interviewing using conferencing software. Sociological Research
Online, 5(4).

Opdenakker, R. (2006). Advantages and disadvantages of four interview
techniques in qualitative research. Forum: Qualitative Social
Research, 7(4).

Voida, A., Mynatt, E. D., Erickson, T., & Kellogg, W. A. (2004, April
24–29). Interviewing over instant messaging. Paper presented at the
CHI 2004, Vienna, Austria. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from
http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/~amyvoida/interviewingOverIM-chi04.pdf


------------------------------
Monica J. Barratt, B.Sc.Psych
PhD Student @ the National Drug Research Institute
7/19-35 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Victoria 3070, Australia
Phone: +61 3 9412 9902; Fax: +61 3 9412 9912
E-mail: monica.barratt at postgrad.curtin.edu.au
Web: http://db.ndri.curtin.edu.au/staff.asp?persid=650



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