This modules aims to attract postgraduates from all disciplines to introduce them to the theory and practice of interviews. This learning is underpinned by sociological theory and aims to provide students with an enhanced critical understanding of how different forms of interviews can be used to elicit different kinds of data. Through lectures, discussions and practical exercises, students will be enabled to develop skills to design and conduct their own interviews, and to analyse their data.

(LO1) The development of an active and critical understanding of the theories of interviews

(LO2) An appreciation of different approaches to interviewing

(LO3) The skills to prepare and thematically analyse interview data

(LO4) An understanding of how to write and present interview data

(S1) Team (group) working respecting others, co-operating, negotiating / persuading, awareness of interdependence with others

(S2) Problem solving skills

(S3) Communication skills

(S4) Ethical awareness

(S5) Adaptability

The module is delivered through two consecutive workshops, each lasting around four hours, including a short break. This learning will be supported by a comprehensive reading list available on VITAL and students will directed to additional material, including guides, books, reports, articles and video clips to help them to prepare for each of the three sessions. Although there will be opportunities to raise issues in the class. While students will be encouraged to raise issues during the workshops, they will also be made aware of my office hours if they prefer to see me.

Workshop 1 - The first session will introduce students to the theory of interviews and explore how sociologists and other social scientists have used interviews to inform particular issues and generate new insights. Students will able to contribute to discussions about how to design an interview study, and will be encouraged to reflect on their own ideas for their research. We will also discuss the ethical im plications for different approaches to interviews.

A short lecture will cover the principles of developing research questions and the practicalities of carrying out interviews in different settings. We will go on discuss the use of audio/ video recording and what to do if technology is unavailable, inappropriate or fails. Students will be invited to consider the relative importance of verbal and non-verbal interaction in face to face interviews and how observations of the interview process can be incorporated as data. We will go on to consider the role of telephone/ Skype and other remote forms of interviewing and how this qualitatively affects the interview process and the data generated.

Workshop 2 - In small groups, students will be assisted to develop a research question, design a short interview schedule, and to take turns to act as: (i) interviewer; (ii) interviewee; and (iii) observer. All students will be invited to reflect on their experiences of this exercise, and the session will conclude with a final brief lecture on reflexivity in research.

The focus of the second part of this session will be on data and in a short lecture, we will consider how to prepare and transcribe data, and the different decisions that can be made. The lecture will also outline the principles of data coding underpinning thematic analysis, and students will have the opportunity to work individually and in small groups on extracts of data, to consider how to approach coding. All students will then have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences, firstly in their small groups and then to the wider group and to raise any issues they have encountered while coding data, as well as reflect on what they found. After a brief, more formal session on the writing up and presentation of data, t he session will conclude with a discussion of the assignment.

Teaching Method 1 - Workshops
Description: Teaching is through two workshops which will include lectures, discussions and small group work.
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: Students will be asked to prepare in advance for each of the three workshops with all guidance and some materials provided on VITAL

Skill/Other Attribute 1:
"
Team (group) working respecting others, co-operating, negotiating / persuading, awareness of interdependence with others
"
How this is developed:
"Through small group work in the workshops and the opportunities for reflecting on views and experiences of the practical sessions"

Skill/Other Attribute 2:
"
Problem solving skills
"
How this is developed:
"Practical exercises in the workshops on data analysis"

Skill/Other Attribute 3:
"
Communication skills
"
How this is developed:
"Workshops - discussions of sociolo gical literature, small group working and practical exercises on interviewing"

Skill/Other Attribute 4:
"
Ethical awareness
"
How this is developed:
"Through lectures and approach to interviewing "

Skill/Other Attribute 5:
"
Adaptability
"
How this is developed:
"Lectures and practical small group work"

Self-Directed Learning Description: Students will be provided with additional reading to guide their learning and enable them to reflect on the development of their practical skills