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Advantages and Disadvantages of Structured Interviews

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This method has the following Strengths / Uses: This method has the following Weaknesses /
Limitations:
1. It enables the researcher to examine the level of understanding a respondent has about a particular topic - usually in slightly more depth than with a postal questionnaire.
2. It can be used as a powerful form of formative assessment. That is, it can be used to explore how a respondent feels about a particular topic before using a second method (such as observation or in- depth interviewing) to gather a greater depth of information. Structured interviews can also be used to identify respondents whose views you may want to explore in more detail (through the use of focused interviews, for example).
3. All respondents are asked the same questions in the same way. This makes it easy to repeat
(“replicate”) the interview. In other words, this type of research method is easy to standardise. 4. Provides a reliable source of quantitative data.
5. The researcher is able to contact large numbers of people quickly, easily and efficiently
1. Can be time consuming if sample group is very large (this is because the researcher or their representative needs to be present during the delivery of the structured interview).
2. The quality and usefulness of the information is highly dependent upon the quality of the questions asked. The interviewer cannot add or subtract questions. 3. A substantial amount of pre-planning is required.
4. The format of questionnaire design makes it difficult for the researcher to examine complex issues and opinions. Even where open-ended questions are used, the depth of answers the respondent can provide tend to be more-limited than with almost any other method.
5. There is limited scope for the respondent to answer questions in any detail or depth.

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