Interview Planning

AIMS: Further developing your own research plans about the COMS research topic you searched for in assignment #1. This time you’re planning future qualitative interviews. Overall the assignment asks you to communicate: Your research question about this topic, your interview method, your ideal interview participants, what methods of recruitment are appropriate, and how respect for persons and their welfare can be ensured with the research plan. *Please note in the syllabus focus groups are listed as an option for the assignment; however, the readings overly focus on interviews, so I am asking you to focus exclusively on interviews for this work. INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the questions in full sentences, with as much detail so that your reader will understand what steps you intend to use in a future project. Guidance is provided below re approx. word count. You may use the posted template and first-person (e.g., ‘I’). Please double-space your answers. SOURCES: Please refer to relevant materials from the course in your answers, notably van den Hoonaard’s chapter(s) on qualitative research, interviews, lecture materials, and ethics resources (e.g., TCPS-2, 2018). Citing these sources using APA in-text citations and a reference list following the paper is required. Please answer the following questions, noting guidance on answer length and recommended course resources to use and cite in your paper. 1) Research Question and revision: What is your primary research question about the topic? Please provide one question that helps guide the plan for interview research. Then explain how the question was adapted to strengthen it. Please provide some details of how the research question has changed or refined relative to advice given in Module 8 and 9 about research questions. Approx. length: ~ 75-100 words. 2) Style of interviews and qualitative data: Explain the type of interviews you would conduct, drawing on van den Hoonaard’s chapter on interviews to answer this question. What type of interview do you see as most useful for your project and research questions? Why is this type of interview most appropriate for qualitative research specifically? To answer this last question about qualitative research, please consult module 8, and/or van den Hoonaard (pp. 12-25). Approx. length of answer: ~ 200-300 words.   3) Identifying interview participants: Who would you interview that would give insight into the research question? Why are they most suitable? Provide a detailed description of people to contact.  ~100-150 words.   4) Recruiting participants: How would you recruit participants and communicate your research project to them? What gatekeepers or sponsors might be involved? Other considerations, challenges? ~150-200 words.   5) Ethical considerations: Are your participants considered vulnerable? Discuss potential harms that could occur through the interview process and how to mitigate them. Also explain what steps will be taken to ensure the research respects people. ~ 200-250 words. à Resources: Week 6 module on ethics, Merrigan, TCPS