11. Putting research into practice: creating an interview

The interview is a very commonly used research method, but some of the intricacies of interviewing can be glossed over when researchers design a study. Using examples from “real-world” research, the chapter is focused on the practice of interviewing and also acknowledges the widely differing theoretical standpoints that underpin approaches to the use of interviews. Covering areas such as access, ethics, and power relationships in interviews, the chapter draws attention to the dilemmas that researchers must confront and looks more closely at the actual practice of interviews rather than focusing on design or protocols. In this way, it is hoped that rather than offering a template for researchers, this chapter will be a guide to some of the questions that we need to ask ourselves when carrying out this most personal method of data collection.