Part 4: Visual and Verbal Interviews

Re: Part 4: Visual and Verbal Interviews

by Nicholas Bowskill -
Number of replies: 5

Hi Ila, 

I think ethics is a really important point. I've done a number of interviews over Skype for research. There may be issues in how you prepare for these interviews as well as how you conduct them. For example, one case I had required obtaining phone or email contact details to organise the skype interview. Some students gave their mobile phone numbers so there are ethical issues in storing and using that personal information. Then there are ethical issues in how many times you contact them before they might see it as being a nuisance. I store all that information on record to protect everyone involved.

When you organise a skype interview I start by reading a statement setting out the purpose, duration and structure of the interview and I tell them how the data will be transcribed and stored and who will have access to it. I then provide them with contact details verbally and by email/SMS afterwards so they know who to contact if they have any issues over the way the research is being conducted.

Only once that's been done do I actually do the interview. After that its just like a phone call (plus or minus any pictures). There are a whole other set of ethical issues raised when you don't know the interviewee but I'll save that for another time maybe. 

 

Nick

University of Glasgow

In reply to Nicholas Bowskill

Re: Part 4: Visual and Verbal Interviews

by David Porter -

Really like the process you outline, Nicholas.  Thanks for making the process explicit.

I'll use your process myself.

In reply to David Porter

Re: Part 4: Visual and Verbal Interviews

by Nicholas Bowskill -

David, you are really welcome and I'm glad if it helped. Let me know how it went if you do adopt that approach. I think its really interesting looking at this kind of setup where an organisation like Scope hosts public/open seminars. You are welcome to use my comments as data but there is, in some contexts, a whole raft of issues to do with ethics here.

For instance, I would be thinking about how you would understand the data from different sources in such settings. By this I mean, who owns it or does not own it and for what purposes might it be used? You might also ask about my rights to regard this as usable data versus yours or anyone elses. These are potentially big issues because they raise different perspectives on the notion of giving and obtaining consent for such data to be used. Are we opening up new ethical issues if we regard this as 'open' data? I am working on a project and co-writing materials that would argue that we are already creating new ethical issues in these new formats and environments. It's really interesting actually (well it is to someone as sad as me anyway).

Anyway, these are all interesting issues but for now you may have enough stuff to deal with ;-) Good luck with it all and have fun. Let me know how it goes if you use it as well.

 

Nick

In reply to Nicholas Bowskill

Re: Part 4: Visual and Verbal Interviews

by DR. ILA ALLEN -

Hi Nick,

I really appreciate the information and the outline you provided and needless to say I will keep it close at hand.  I know interviewing cannot be perfect but I do not want to make as few mistakes as possible when it comes to the participants.  I want to be prepared as best I can.  This is unknown territory for me so I am gathering as much information as I can.

Thx

Ila

In reply to DR. ILA ALLEN

Re: Part 4: Visual and Verbal Interviews

by Nicholas Bowskill -

You're really welcome Ila and good luck with it. I should also have mentioned that before any of that is done it should go past your equivalent of an ethics committee for approval. If it involves other organisations or universities then they should be invited to approve it as well before continuing. A lot depends upon the context in which you carry out your research. 

Also when you've briefed the interviewee you should let them know that they are welcome to withdraw from the research interview at any time during the interview with no consequences for them or their work.

Coincidentally, I am involved in writing some guidelines for ethics in social media and other technologies. That would include student-generated materials, immersive environments like Second Life etc. Those environments can add substantially to the ethical issues raised for researchers. That could constitute a whole seminar or course on their own so I won't drag on about it here. 

It would be interesting to me if you would like to share something more about your context and your planned research. Who are your audience/sample, for instance?

Either way, the very best of luck and enjoy it too. I think the fieldwork is often the most fun initially.

Nick

In reply to Nicholas Bowskill

Re: Part 4: Visual and Verbal Interviews

by DR. ILA ALLEN -

Hi Nick,

My planned research is a virtual community of practice (VCoP)/doctoral support group. The doctoral students are at various phases in the dissertation process. My methodology is netnography (online ethnography) just in case you are not familiar with it.  The premise of the study is to analyze why these doctoral students seek peer-to-peer help in a VCoP outside of ther home institution. I will be a participant-observer and the community has about 950 active members.  I would have loved to conduct this in Second Life but I found it a bit hard to navigate (user issues :-) and need to take more time to become more involved. Thanks for asking!

Ila