Page 129 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

c. Focused interview

This type of interview is semi-structured and is done with
respondents who are or were part of a particular programme,
phenomenon, incident or the like. The main task of the interviewer ◆ Semi-structured
in case of a focused interview is to confine the respondent to a
discussion of issues with which he seeks conversance. Say for
example if we have an interview with the survivors of Bhopal gas
tragedy which is a group which has witnessed the incident i.e., the
primary witness is called focused interview.

d. Clinical interview
This is a kind of focused interview which is concerned with ◆ Concerned with
feelings, emotions, motivations or life experiences of individuals. feelings and
These are highly used in social case work, psychiatric clinics etc. motivations
e. Depth interview
This is a long process of interview which aims to bring out
the inner expression and feelings of a respondent by probing ◆ Inner feelings
consciously into the matter. The interviewer must take great care
as he/she would have to prevent respondents from hiding affective
feelings while expressing.
f. Telephone interviews
This is a non-personal method of interview done to collect
data, it can be used while the respondents are located in widely
scattered areas, when we have less time and the data required is ◆ Non-personal
very simple and less in numbers. It is a less costly method but interview
the personal contact is lost and the environment of the respondent
cannot be observed. It has to be done within a limited time hence it
not suitable in situations where large numbers of data are required.

iii. Panel method
This method involves collection of data from the same sample
at regular intervals, say two months, five months or so depending
on the nature of the study. The data about the same items are
collected from the same persons at successive intervals over a
period of time. For example, consumer behaviour surveys. In a ◆ Regular interval
survey done by O R Krishnaswami entitled “ the factors affecting
the economic conditions of agricultural labourers in Coimbatore
district” in 1971-1972, the sample farmers were contacted every
10 days all throughout the period to collect data on their farm
operations, labourers employed wages paid etc.
iv. Mail survey

A kind of survey which can be used among educated respondents
where the questionnaires are sent through post with a request to
fill it and sent it back. For example, study among bank employees,
teachers etc. can be done through this method. The researcher

SGOU - SLM - MCom Research Methodology 123