Qualitative Online Interviews

Dr. Janet Salmons is a qualitative scholar and methodologist. She is a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies and edits the newsletter, “When the Field is Online”.  Recent books include: Doing Qualitative Research Online 2nd edition (2022), What Kind of Researcher Are You? (2021), Reframing and Rethinking Collaboration in Higher Education and Beyond: A Practical Guide for Doctoral Students and Early Career Researchers with Narelle Lemon (2021), Publishing from your Doctoral Research: Create and Use a Publication Strategy with Helen Kara (2020), Learning to Collaborate, Collaborating to Learn (2019), Find the Theory in Your Research (2019), and Getting Data Online (2019). She previously managed the Sage Research Methods Community (formerly known as Methodspace).  Dr. Salmons received a B.S. in Adult and Community Education from Cornell University, an M.A. in Social Policy Studies from the SUNY Empire State College, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies and Educational Leadership at the Union Institute & University. She lives and works in Boulder, Colorado.Website link: www.salmons.blog

• List of FiguresList of TablesPrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorChapter 1: The E-Interview Research FrameworkInterview Research: A Window Into the Lived ExperienceOnline Interview ResearchOnline Interviews and Multimethod ResearchA Conceptual Framework for E-Interview ResearchAligning Purpose and DesignChoosing Online Data Collection Method for the StudyTaking a Position as a ResearcherDetermining E-Interview or Observation Style(s)Selecting ICT and MilieuUsing Visual Research in Online Interviews and ObservationsHandling Sampling and RecruitingAddressing Ethical IssuesCollecting the DataClosing ThoughtsChapter 2: Aligning Purpose and DesignResearch: New Knowledge and UnderstandingsUnderstanding the “Research Interview”What Is an In-Depth Research Interview?Interviews in an Interview SocietyResearch Epistemologies, Methodologies, and MethodsTheories and Research DesignEpistemologies Influence Design ChoicesMixed Methods, Multimethods, and Mixed EpistemologiesMethodologies and Methods: Key Principles and DistinctionsInterviews and Observations in Qualitative and Mixed-Methods StudiesClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookThe E-Interview Research Framework: Creating a Coherent DesignAligning Purpose and Design Across Qualitative MethodologiesKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 3: Choosing Online Data Collection Method and Taking a Position as a ResearcherChoosing to Collect Data with ICTs Based on Medium, Setting, or PhenomenonTaking a Position as a ResearcherInsider (Emic) or Outsider (Etic) E-Research PositionsRethinking Research Metaphors: Travelers, Gardeners, or Miners?Positions, Power, and Symmetry in InterviewsReflexivity and the Researcher’s PositionClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookThe E-Interview Research Framework: Choosing E-Interviews and PositionsStories of Online InquiryKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 4: Determining E-Interview or Observation StylesStructure and the Online InterviewTypology of E-Interview StructuresStructured InterviewsSemistructured InterviewsUnstructured InterviewsLife Story or Oral History InterviewsPostmodern InterviewsCo-Constructed NarrativesCreative InterviewsStructure and TechnologyStructured InterviewsSemistructured InterviewsUnstructured InterviewsMotivations for Online Interviews and the Typology of E-Interview StructuresThe Researcher’s Position and the Typology of E-Interview StructuresInterviews in Qualitative, Mixed-Methods, and Multimethod StudiesClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookThe E-Interview Research Framework: Determining Styles for Online InterviewsStories of Online InquiryKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 5: Selecting Information and Communication Technologies and Research Setting MilieuTechnology Equals ChangeForces for ChangeThe Internet: The Medium WarmsTechnology Convergence: “Technologies Are Crashing Together”Interactivity and CollaborationCommunication RichnessNonverbal Communications and Online InterviewsSynchronous, Near-Synchronous, and Asynchronous CommunicationTools and Features for Online Interview ResearchAligning Features With Research PurposesChoosing, Finding, or Creating a Conducive Meeting SpaceClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookThe E-Interview Research Framework: Selecting ICTs and MilieuStories of Online InquiryKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 6: Visual Research and the Online Qualitative InterviewSeeing the Interview: Visual Questions, Visual AnswersMultimodal Communication in a Multilingual WorldVisual Literacy and Spatial IntelligenceTypology of Online Visual Interview MethodsVisual Methods in Online InterviewsText-Based InterviewsVideo Conference, Video Call, or Video ChatMultichannel Web Conference Meeting SpacesImmersive Virtual EnvironmentsUsing Visual Methods to Enrich Online Interview DataIssues in Online Visual ResearchPerceptual IssuesEthical IssuesClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookStories of Online InquiryStructured Visual Online InterviewsSemistructured and Unstructured Visual Online InterviewsKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 7: Handling Sampling and Recruiting: Selecting Participants for Online InterviewsA Critical Decision: Whom to Interview?Sampling in Qualitative ResearchTypes of SamplingSize of SampleSample FramesSampling and Recruiting for Online Interview ResearchDesign Decisions Influence Sampling and RecruitingSampling Approaches Appropriate for Online Interview ResearchCommunicating With Potential ParticipantsEnsuring That Participants Are CredibleParticipants Are Nominated by Trustworthy Third PartyParticipants Are Pulled From Existing Sample FramesEnsuring Research Participants That Researchers Are CredibleGetting Out the Recruitment MessageClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookThe E-Interview Research Framework: Handling Sampling and RecruitingStories of Online InquiryKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 8: Addressing Ethical Issues in Online Interview ResearchEthical Research Design and Online InterviewsEthical Research Design FundamentalsInformed ConsentInformed Consent and Online ResearchInformed Consent in Online Interview ResearchInformed Consent in Online Observation ResearchIdentity and PrivacyWithdrawal From the Online StudyProtection of DataEthical FrameworksThe Deontological ApproachThe Consequentialist or Utilitarian ApproachThe Virtue Ethics ApproachToward an Understanding of Internet Research EthicsResearch Design, Ethics, and Review BoardsRisk/Benefit AnalysisReview Issues for Informed ConsentReview Issues for Privacy and ConfidentialityClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookThe E-Interview Research Framework: Addressing Ethical IssuesStories of Online Inquiry: Three Researchers—Ethical or Not?Key ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 9: Preparing for an Online InterviewPlanning to InterviewPreparing the QuestionsCommunications Technologies and Online Interview PreparationConsiderations for ICT SelectionLearning the ICTInterview Preparation by ICT TypePreparing for Any Online InterviewPreparing for a Text-Based InterviewSynchronicity and Synchronous/Near Synchronous Text-Based InterviewsPreparing for an Asynchronous Text-Based InterviewPreparing for a Video InterviewPreparing to Interview in a Web Conferencing Meeting SpacePreparing to Interview in an Immersive Virtual EnvironmentGetting Ready to InterviewDefining RolesEpoche, Self-Reflection, and Preparing to ListenClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookStories of Online InquiryKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 10: Conducting the Online InterviewInterviewer and the InterviewConducting a Research InterviewOpening the InterviewQuestioning and GuidingClosing the InterviewPost-Interview Follow-UpConducting a Research Interview Using Synchronous TechnologiesText-Based InterviewVideo Conference InterviewInterviews in Multichannel Web Conferencing Meeting SpacesInterviews in Immersive Virtual EnvironmentsClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookThe E-Interview Research Framework: Conducting the StudyStories of Online InquiryKey ConceptsDiscussions and AssignmentsOn the WebChapter 11: Contributing Quality E-Research to the LiteratureUsing the E-Interview Research Framework to Assess Design and Research QualityAligning Purpose and DesignCoherent but Flexible DesignChoosing Online Data Collection Method for the StudyTaking a Position as a ResearcherInsider–Outsider Perspectives and InterpretationsPower DynamicsReflexivityDetermining E-Interview or Observation Style(s)Selecting ICT and MilieuHandling Sampling and RecruitingAddressing Ethical IssuesConducting the InterviewClosing ThoughtsResearcher’s NotebookStories of Online InquiryDiscussions and AssignmentsChapter 12: Online Communications and Online Interviews Trends and InfluencesOnline Communications and Online InterviewsAnywhere, Anytime CommunicationOnline Collaboration and Social LiteraciesDisintermediation and ApomediationPrivacy in Online MilieusICT Trends and Implications for ResearchersClosing Thoughts and Recommendations for Further ResearchDiscussions and AssignmentsAppendix: Qualitative Data AnalysisGlossary of TermsReferencesIndex

"The text is an excellent example for providing effective and efficient instruction. Learners can easily navigate the various components, and it can be used for self-study. . . . Marvelous depth of coverage on the online interview process. It is at the leading edge of thinking in the field of e-research."