1. COMPLEMENTARY TEACHING MATERIALS
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Practical Tourism
Research
2nd Edition
STEPHEN L.J. SMITH
COMPLEMENTARY TEACHING MATERIALS

2. Personal Interviews and Focus Groups
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CHAPTER 5
Personal Interviews and Focus Groups

3. After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
Know when and why you might use personal interviews in your research.
Run a personal interview, including preparations before the interview, conduct the interview, and conclude it.
Develop techniques for coding transcripts of your interviews.
Explain the applications and limitations of focus groups.
Run a focus group, including advance and on-site preparations.
How to report on the results of a focus group.

4. Have clear idea of objectives of interviews
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Getting started: personal interviews
Have clear idea of objectives of interviews
Select a location comfortable for subject
Labour-intensive
Samples usually very small
Make effort to fit in
Appropriate dress, vocabulary
Know names of local places, organizational structure, services/products offered by business, etc.

5. Can be complex, time-consuming
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Recruiting participants
Can be complex, time-consuming
May need to work through hierarchy or officials to get permission or access individuals
Be sensitive to local schedules, calendars
Clearly explain purpose of interview
Reassure about confidentiality
Check about recording, note-taking

6. Briefly repeat purpose Be friendly, respectful
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The interview
Briefly repeat purpose
Be friendly, respectful
If business or government setting, exchange business cards
Know local customs for handling cards
Offer accurate estimate of time for interview
During interview: be alert to body language
Signs of impatience, annoyance, sensitive topics
As conclusion draws near, ease disengagement – thanking participant

7. Having preconceived ideas of what you will hear
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Potential problems: the interviewer
Having preconceived ideas of what you will hear
Departing from your interview guide
Providing inappropriate feedback
Getting emotionally involved
Asking questions that are too difficult

8. Misunderstanding purpose of interview Lack of interest
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Potential problems: the subject
Misunderstanding purpose of interview
Lack of interest
‘Strategic’ answering

9. Do as soon as possible after interview
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Coding
Do as soon as possible after interview
Work with transcript if you have one
Two alternative strategies:
Read relevant studies and previous research to prepare for coding
Avoid reading other researchers’ work/ideas to keep your thoughts fresh
Preliminary codes
Meta-codes
Journaling – notes to yourself about observations, thoughts

10. Type of group interview
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Focus groups 7
Type of group interview
Shades of meaning, areas of debate or alternative views/issues
Challenges
Recruiting participants
Unexpected group dynamics
Combining with surveys
As a preliminary step to survey
Build on initial survey findings
Supplemental tool to help interpret survey findings
As the primary tool with surveys supplementing findings

11. Deciding it is appropriate method for your topic
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Phases of conducting focus groups
Deciding it is appropriate method for your topic
Logistical arrangements
Recruiting, arranging venues
Facilitating session
Analysis and presentation of results

12. Budget and schedule Number of groups Type of participants Recruiting
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Logistical issues
Budget and schedule
Number of groups
Type of participants
Recruiting
Location, time, date
Room amenities
Recording, note-taker
Compensation

13. Welcome and introduction Overview of purpose of session Ground rules
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Facilitating the session
Welcome and introduction
Overview of purpose of session
Ground rules
Questions and discussion
Wrap-up

14. Late-arrivals and no-shows Too much time on early questions
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Potential problems
Late-arrivals and no-shows
Too much time on early questions
Non-responsive group
Overly responsive group
Inappropriate participant interaction
Bad weather
Unexpected volunteers

15. Review recording, notes Themes and patterns Codes, meta-codes
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Analysis
Review recording, notes
Themes and patterns
Codes, meta-codes
Don’t simply tabulating all answers
Develop a coherent interpretation of what was said
Look for differences of opinion
Illustrate key findings with direct quotations