The Interview: From Formal to Postmodern

by Andrea Fontana, Anastasia H Prokos

Used by everyone from survey researchers to oral historians, the interview may be the most basic and essential field method in the qualitative researcher’s toolkit. In this concise, student-friendly guide, Fontana and Prokos give a cogent introduction to the history, types, and methods of interviewing in the social sciences. They outline the range of ways in which interviews are conducted, both structured and unstructured, then provide instruction on conducting and interpreting interviews, and address ethical considerations in eliciting information from people. The authors also point to recent and future trends that will affect the use of this method. For researchers who need a primer and for students in methods courses or assigned fieldwork projects in other courses across the social sciences, this short, inexpensive volume is ideal.

148 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2007

About the author

Note: there are multiple "Andrea Fontana" authors.

Sociologo della comunicazione, imprenditore, docente universitario e storytelling activist.
Ha introdotto in Italia il dibattito teorico e operativo sulla “narrazione d’impresa”. Amministratore delegato Storyfactory e Docente di “Corporate Storytelling” all’Università di Pavia dove è anche Direttore didattico del primo Master universitario italiano in scienze della narrazione.

Reviews

[Monica Barratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful book about interviews, the interview society, and the evolution of interviewing. My only criticism is that the treatment of online/internet interviews does not show much critical insight. The book 'Online interviewing' James/Busher does well in this regard.