Assignment:
Produce a critically reflexive paper based on a qualitative interview that you have undertaken:
• Key activities
- designing (3-5) research questions on an issue related to your research topic
- develop an interview schedule that you will use to guide you through the interview.
- Identify a suitable informant
- conduct a qualitative interview of 30-45 minutes
- transcribe the interview
- analyse the data
- Produce a 3000 word research report
The research report should include the research questions and interview schedule (as an appendix- does not contribute to word count) and should include three parts:
A) Introduction (approx. 600 words)
• discussion of what you were trying to find out (in relation to the topic and your philosophical position)
• how the research questions were devised,
• why the interviewee was selected,
• how the interview schedule was constructed
• Explain what you were trying to find out in each question and prompt
B) Discussion of the key findings particularly (approx. 1200 words)
• Short summary of how the research questions were answered by the interview data.
• Discussion of how the data you collected in your interview relates to the key literature in your area of study.
C) critical reflection (approx. 1200 words)
• The report should include your reflections (with reference to academic texts on research methods) on the interview including:
• the process of conducting the interview,
• any ethical issues,
• what went well and what didn't go well.
- Why did certain questions work or not work
- What have you learnt about the strengths and limitations of interviews particularly in relation to your topic
- How would you have done the research differently
• Different methods
• Different approach to interviews