Introduction to Qualitative Interviewing

This one-day course provides hands-on practical experience of different qualitative interviewing skills and techniques. It is aimed at health professionals, researchers, academics and postgraduate students who have little or no experience of qualitative interviewing.  Everyone is welcome, regardless of research background. Previous courses have attracted researchers from a wide range of disciplines including health professionals, social scientists and educators.

CONTENT

The course will include:

• lectures focusing on practical and theoretical elements of qualitative research interviews,
• practical sessions offering researchers the opportunity to produce an interview schedule (topic guide) and practise different qualitative interviewing skills,
• feedback sessions to help improve interviewing techniques,
• discussion of recruitment, ethical issues and challenging circumstances including sensitive subjects and hard-to-reach groups.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course participants will

• have an understanding of the main features of qualitative interviewing,
• be familiar with the key skills of interviewing, including body language, asking open questions, probing and active listening,
• have gained practical experience of designing an interview schedule (topic guide),
• have developed qualitative interviewing skills using different techniques,
• be aware of issues associated with qualitative interviewing, including recruitment, ethics and challenging circumstances.