جمع‌آوری داده‌ در انجام پایان‌نامه به همراه روش های انجام - کافه یادداشت
جمع‌آوری داده‌ها مرحله‌ای است که نتایج و استنباط‌های نهایی ما را تحت تأثیر قرار می‌دهد و بنابراین، انتخاب روش‌های مناسب برای جمع‌آوری داده‌ها، ...
Semi-Structured Interviews
مصاحبه‌های نیمه‌ساختارمند ( <anchor>Semi-Structured Interviews</anchor>) یک روش مؤثر برای جمع‌آوری اطلاعات در تحقیقات کیفی و مطالعات اجتماعی هستند. در این نوع مصاحبه، محقق سوالات اولیه را تعیین می‌کند، اما برخلاف مصاحبه ساختارمند، محقق می‌تواند به صورت انعطاف‌پذیر به سوالات پیشنهادی در طول مصاحبه پاسخ دهد و بر اساس پاسخ‌های شرکت کنندگان سوالات بعدی را تطبیق دهد.
Semi-Structured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples
Semi-Structured Interview \| Definition, Guide & Examples

- [FAQ](https://help.scribbr.com/en/)
- [About us](#aboutus)  - [Our editors](https://www.scribbr.com/about-us/editors/)
  - [Apply as editor](https://www.scribbr.com/freelance-native-english-editor/)
  - [Team](https://www.scribbr.com/about-us/)
  - [Jobs](https://jobs.scribbr.com/)
  - [Contact](https://www.scribbr.com/contact/)
- [My account](#user)  - [Orders](//app.scribbr.com/user/orders)
  - [Upload](//app.scribbr.com)
  - [Account details](//app.scribbr.com/account/manage-account/)
  - [Logout](//app.scribbr.com/logout)
- [My account](#editor)  - [Overview](//app.scribbr.com/editor)
  - [Availability](//app.scribbr.com/editor/availability/)
  - [Information package](https://editor.scribbr.com/category/information-package/)
  - [Account details](//app.scribbr.com/editor/account/)
  - [Logout](//app.scribbr.com/logout)
- [Admin](//app.scribbr.com/admin)
- [Log in](//app.scribbr.com/dashboard)
- [Search](https://www.scribbr.com?s)

[![Scribbr - Scriptie laten nakijken](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/themes/scribbr-2017/img/logo-optimized.svg)](https://www.scribbr.com)

- [Plagiarism](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/)  - [Plagiarism Checker\
       Catch accidental plagiarism, in partnership with Turnitin.](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/)
  - [AI Detector\
     Detect AI-generated content like ChatGPT.](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-detector/)
- [Proofreading](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/)  - [Human Proofreading\
         Professional editing in just 3 hours.](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/)
  - [AI-Proofreading\
     Improve your entire document within 5 minutes.](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/)
  - [Grammar Checker\
     Check small text fragments to check for errors.](https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/)
  - Our experts can help with your:
  - [Paper](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/paper-editing-service/)
  - [Thesis](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/thesis/)
  - [Dissertation](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/dissertation-editing-service/)
  - [College admission essay](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/essay-editing-service/)
  - [APA editing](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/apa-editing-services/)
  - [Personal statement](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/personal-statement-editing/)
  - [Academic writing](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/academic/)
  - [Paper Formatting](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/paper-formatting/)
- [Citing](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/)  - [Citation Generator\
         Generate accurate citations, verified by experts.](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/)
  - [Improve your citations\
     Use human experts or AI to perfect your citations.](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/checker/)
  - Generate these styles:
  - [APA](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/apa/)
  - [MLA](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/mla/)
  - [Chicago style](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/chicago/)
  - [AMA](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/ama/)
  - [IEEE](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/ieee/)
  - [ACS](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/acs/)
- [AI Writing](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-writing/)  - [Paraphrasing Tool\
       Rewrite texts in your own words.](https://www.scribbr.com/paraphrasing-tool/)
  - [Grammar Checker\
     Check small text fragments to check for errors.](https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/)
  - [Summarizer\
     Extract key points and read more in less time.](https://www.scribbr.com/text-summarizer/)
  - [AI Detector\
     Detect AI-generated content like ChatGPT.](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-detector/)
  - [AI-Proofreading\
     Improve your entire paper within 5 minutes.](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/)
- [Learn](https://www.scribbr.com/knowledge-base/)

[![Scribbr logo](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/themes/scribbr-2017/img/logo-optimized.svg)](https://www.scribbr.com)

![Logo Scribbr - Icon only](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2050%2040'%3E%3C/svg%3E)

- [Plagiarism](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/)
- [Proofreading](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/)
- [Citing](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/)
- [AI Writing](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-writing/)
- [Learn](https://www.scribbr.com/knowledge-base/)

Nederlands

English

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

Español

Svenska

Dansk

Suomi

Norwegian Bokmål


- [FAQ](https://help.scribbr.com/en/)
- About us

- My account

- My account

- [Admin](//app.scribbr.com/admin)
- [Log in](//app.scribbr.com/dashboard)

Back


- [Plagiarism Checker](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/)
- [AI Detector](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-detector/)

Back


- [Human Proofreading](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/)
- [AI-Proofreading](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/)
- [Grammar Checker](https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/)
- Our experts can help with your:

- [Paper](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/paper-editing-service/)
- [Thesis](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/thesis/)
- [Dissertation](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/dissertation-editing-service/)
- [College admission essay](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/essay-editing-service/)
- [APA editing](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/apa-editing-services/)
- [Personal statement](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/personal-statement-editing/)
- [Academic writing](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/academic/)
- [Paper Formatting](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/paper-formatting/)

Back


- [Citation Generator](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/)
- [Improve your citations](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/checker/)
- Generate these styles:

- [APA](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/apa/)
- [MLA](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/mla/)
- [Chicago style](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/chicago/)
- [AMA](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/ama/)
- [IEEE](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/ieee/)
- [ACS](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/acs/)

Back


- [Paraphrasing Tool](https://www.scribbr.com/paraphrasing-tool/)
- [Grammar Checker](https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/)
- [Summarizer](https://www.scribbr.com/text-summarizer/)
- [AI Detector](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-detector/)
- [AI-Proofreading](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/)

Back


- [Our editors](https://www.scribbr.com/about-us/editors/)
- [Apply as editor](https://www.scribbr.com/freelance-native-english-editor/)
- [Team](https://www.scribbr.com/about-us/)
- [Jobs](https://jobs.scribbr.com/)
- [Contact](https://www.scribbr.com/contact/)

Back


- [Orders](//app.scribbr.com/user/orders)
- [Upload](//app.scribbr.com)
- [Account details](//app.scribbr.com/account/manage-account/)
- [Logout](//app.scribbr.com/logout)

Back


- [Overview](//app.scribbr.com/editor)
- [Availability](//app.scribbr.com/editor/availability/)
- [Information package](https://editor.scribbr.com/category/information-package/)
- [Account details](//app.scribbr.com/editor/account/)
- [Logout](//app.scribbr.com/logout)

[**Have a language expert improve your writing**\
\
Proofreading Services](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=header&scr_campaign=old "Proofreading & Editing")

[**Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes**\
\
Plagiarism Checker](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=header&scr_campaign=old "Do the check")

[**Generate accurate citations for free**\
\
Citation Generator](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=header&scr_campaign=old "Citation Generator")

1. [Home](https://www.scribbr.com)
2. [Knowledge Base](https://www.scribbr.com/knowledge-base/)
3. [Methodology](https://www.scribbr.com/category/methodology/)
4. Semi-Structured Interview \| Definition, Guide & Examples

### Methodology

- [An introduction to research methods](/category/methodology/ "")
- [Research approaches](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-research/ "Types of Research Designs Compared | Guide & Examples")
  - [Inductive vs. deductive](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/inductive-deductive-reasoning/ "Inductive vs. Deductive Research Approach | Steps & Examples")
    - [Inductive vs. deductive](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/inductive-deductive-reasoning/ "Inductive vs. Deductive Research Approach | Steps & Examples")
    - [Inductive reasoning](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/inductive-reasoning/ "Inductive Reasoning | Types, Examples, Explanation")
    - [Deductive reasoning](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/deductive-reasoning/ "What Is Deductive Reasoning? | Explanation & Examples")
  - [Qualitative vs. quantitative](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-quantitative-research/ "Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research | Differences, Examples & Methods")
    - [Qualitative vs. quantitative](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-quantitative-research/ "Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research | Differences, Examples & Methods")
    - [Quantitative research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/quantitative-research/ "What Is Quantitative Research? | Definition, Uses & Methods")
    - [Qualitative research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-research/ "What Is Qualitative Research? | Methods & Examples")
    - [Mixed methods research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/mixed-methods-research/ "Mixed Methods Research | Definition, Guide & Examples")
  - [Primary research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/primary-research/ "Primary Research | Definition, Types, & Examples")
  - [Secondary research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/secondary-research/ "What is Secondary Research? | Definition, Types, & Examples")
  - [Action research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/action-research/ "What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples")
  - [Types of research compared](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-research/ "Types of Research Designs Compared | Guide & Examples")
- [Research designs](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-design/ "What Is a Research Design | Types, Guide & Examples")
  - [Research design step by step](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-design/ "What Is a Research Design | Types, Guide & Examples")
  - [Descriptive](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/descriptive-research/ "Descriptive Research | Definition, Types, Methods & Examples")
  - [Correlational](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/correlational-research/ "Correlational Research | When & How to Use")
  - [Experimental](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/experimental-design/ "Guide to Experimental Design | Overview, Steps, & Examples")
  - [Quasi-experimental](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/quasi-experimental-design/ "Quasi-Experimental Design | Definition, Types & Examples")
  - [Cross-sectional](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/cross-sectional-study/ "Cross-Sectional Study | Definition, Uses & Examples")
  - [Longitudinal](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/longitudinal-study/ "Longitudinal Study | Definition, Approaches & Examples")
  - [Case study](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/case-study/ "What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods")
  - [Ethnographic](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/ethnography/ "What Is Ethnography? | Definition, Guide & Examples")
  - [Exploratory](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/exploratory-research/ "Exploratory Research | Definition, Guide, & Examples")
  - [Explanatory](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/explanatory-research/ "Explanatory Research | Definition, Guide, & Examples")
- [Variables and hypotheses](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-variables/ "Types of Variables in Research & Statistics | Examples")
  - [Types of variables](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-variables/ "Types of Variables in Research & Statistics | Examples")
  - [Independent vs. dependent](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/independent-and-dependent-variables/ "Independent vs. Dependent Variables | Definition & Examples")
  - [Explanatory vs. response](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/explanatory-and-response-variables/ "Explanatory and Response Variables | Definitions & Examples")
  - [Mediator vs. moderator](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/mediator-vs-moderator/ "Mediator vs. Moderator Variables | Differences & Examples")
  - [Extraneous variables](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/extraneous-variables/ "Extraneous Variables | Examples, Types & Controls")
  - [Confounding variables](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/confounding-variables/ "Confounding Variables | Definition, Examples & Controls")
  - [Control variables](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/control-variable/ "Control Variables | What Are They & Why Do They Matter?")
  - [Correlation vs. causation](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/correlation-vs-causation/ "Correlation vs. Causation | Difference, Designs & Examples")
  - [Operationalization](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/operationalization/ "Operationalization | A Guide with Examples, Pros & Cons")
  - [Writing hypotheses](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/hypothesis/ "How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Steps & Examples")
- [Reliability & validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/reliability-vs-validity/ "Reliability vs. Validity in Research | Difference, Types and Examples")
  - [Reliability vs. validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/reliability-vs-validity/ "Reliability vs. Validity in Research | Difference, Types and Examples")
  - [Types of reliability](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-reliability/ "The 4 Types of Reliability in Research | Definitions & Examples")
  - [Types of validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-validity/ "The 4 Types of Validity in Research | Definitions & Examples")
    - [Types of validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-validity/ "The 4 Types of Validity in Research | Definitions & Examples")
    - [Internal vs. external](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/internal-vs-external-validity/ "Internal vs. External Validity | Understanding Differences & Threats")
    - [Internal validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/internal-validity/ "Internal Validity in Research | Definition, Threats, & Examples")
    - [Ecological validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/ecological-validity/ "What Is Ecological Validity? | Definition & Examples")
    - [External validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/external-validity/ "External Validity | Definition, Types, Threats & Examples")
    - [Construct validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/construct-validity/ "Construct Validity | Definition, Types, & Examples")
    - [Content validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/content-validity/ "What Is Content Validity? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Criterion validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/criterion-validity/ "What Is Criterion Validity? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Concurrent validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/concurrent-validity/ "What Is Concurrent Validity? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Discriminant validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/discriminant-validity/ "What Is Discriminant Validity? | Definition & Example")
    - [Face validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/face-validity/ "What Is Face Validity? | Guide, Definition & Examples")
    - [Convergent validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/convergent-validity/ "What Is Convergent Validity? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Predictive validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/predictive-validity/ "What Is Predictive Validity? | Examples & Definition")
  - [Reproducibility & replicability](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/reproducibility-repeatability-replicability/ "Reproducibility vs Replicability | Difference & Examples")
  - [Random & systematic error](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/random-vs-systematic-error/ "Random vs. Systematic Error | Definition & Examples")
  - [Triangulation](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/triangulation/ "Triangulation in Research | Guide, Types, Examples")
- [Sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/population-vs-sample/ "Population vs. Sample | Definitions, Differences & Examples")
  - [Population vs. sample](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/population-vs-sample/ "Population vs. Sample | Definitions, Differences & Examples")
  - [Inclusion and exclusion criteria](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/inclusion-exclusion-criteria/ "Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria | Examples & Definition")
  - [Sampling methods](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/sampling-methods/ "Sampling Methods | Types, Techniques & Examples")
    - [Probability vs. non-probability sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/sampling-methods/ "Sampling Methods | Types, Techniques & Examples")
    - [Probability sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/probability-sampling/ "What Is Probability Sampling? | Types & Examples")
    - [Non-probability sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/non-probability-sampling/ "What Is Non-Probability Sampling? | Types & Examples")
    - [Simple random sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/simple-random-sampling/ "Simple Random Sampling | Definition, Steps & Examples")
    - [Systematic sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/systematic-sampling/ "Systematic Sampling | A Step-by-Step Guide with Examples")
    - [Stratified sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/stratified-sampling/ "Stratified Sampling | Definition, Guide & Examples")
    - [Cluster sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/cluster-sampling/ "Cluster Sampling | A Simple Step-by-Step Guide with Examples")
    - [Quota sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/quota-sampling/ "What Is Quota Sampling? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Purposive sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/purposive-sampling/ "What Is Purposive Sampling? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Convenience sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/convenience-sampling/ "What Is Convenience Sampling? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Multistage sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/multistage-sampling/ "Multistage Sampling | Introductory Guide & Examples")
    - [Snowball sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/snowball-sampling/ "What Is Snowball Sampling? | Definition & Examples")
- [Collecting data](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-collection/ "Data Collection | Definition, Methods & Examples")
  - [Step-by-step](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-collection/ "Data Collection | Definition, Methods & Examples")
  - [Surveys](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/survey-research/ "Survey Research | Definition, Examples & Methods")
    - [Doing survey research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/survey-research/ "Survey Research | Definition, Examples & Methods")
    - [Designing questionnaires](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/questionnaire/ "Questionnaire Design | Methods, Question Types & Examples")
    - [Likert scales](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/likert-scale/ "What Is a Likert Scale? | Guide & Examples")
    - [Double-barreled question](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/double-barreled-question/ "What Is a Double-Barreled Question?")
  - [Interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/ "Structured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples")
    - [Types of interviews in research](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/interviews-research/ "Types of Interviews in Research | Guide & Examples")
    - [Structured interview](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/ "Structured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples")
    - [Semi-structured interview](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/ "Semi-Structured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples")
    - [Unstructured interview](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/ "Unstructured Interview | Definition, Guide & Examples")
    - [Focus group](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/focus-group/ "What Is a Focus Group? | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples")
  - [Experiments](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/experimental-design/ "Guide to Experimental Design | Overview, Steps, & Examples")
    - [Designing an experiment](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/experimental-design/ "Guide to Experimental Design | Overview, Steps, & Examples")
    - [Controlled experiments](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/controlled-experiment/ "What Is a Controlled Experiment? | Definitions & Examples")
    - [Control groups](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/control-group/ "Control Groups and Treatment Groups | Uses & Examples")
    - [Random assignment](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/random-assignment/ "Random Assignment in Experiments | Introduction & Examples")
    - [Blinding](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/double-blind-study/ "Single, Double, & Triple Blind Study | Definition & Examples")
    - [Between-subjects design](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/between-subjects-design/ "Between-Subjects Design | Examples, Pros, & Cons")
    - [Within-subjects design](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/within-subjects-design/ "Within-Subjects Design | Explanation, Approaches, Examples")
  - [Observational studies](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/observational-study/ "What Is an Observational Study? | Guide & Examples")
    - [Step-by-step](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/observational-study/ "What Is an Observational Study? | Guide & Examples")
    - [Naturalistic observation](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/naturalistic-observation/ "Naturalistic Observation | Definition, Guide & Examples")
    - [Case–control study](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/case-control-study/ "What Is a Case-Control Study? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Cohort study](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/cohort-study/ "What Is a Cohort Study? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Retrospective cohort study](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/retrospective-cohort-study/ "What Is a Retrospective Cohort Study? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Prospective cohort study](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/prospective-cohort-study/ "What Is a Prospective Cohort Study? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Participant observation](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/participant-observation/ "What Is Participant Observation? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Qualitative observation](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-observation/ "What Is Qualitative Observation? | Definition & Examples")
    - [Quantitative observation](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/quantitative-observation/ "What Is Quantitative Observation? | Definition & Examples")
  - [Systematic review](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/systematic-review/ "Systematic Review | Definition, Example, & Guide")
- [Preparing data](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-cleansing/ "What Is Data Cleansing? | Definition, Guide & Examples")
  - [Data cleansing](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-cleansing/ "What Is Data Cleansing? | Definition, Guide & Examples")
  - [Transcribing interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/transcribe-interview/ "Transcribing an Interview | 5 Steps & Transcription Software")
- [Analyzing data](/category/statistics/ "")
  - [Statistical analysis](/category/statistics/ "")
  - [Content analysis](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/content-analysis/ "Content Analysis | Guide, Methods & Examples")
  - [Discourse analysis](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/discourse-analysis/ "Critical Discourse Analysis | Definition, Guide & Examples")
  - [Thematic analysis](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/thematic-analysis/ "How to Do Thematic Analysis | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples")
  - [Textual analysis](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/textual-analysis/ "Textual Analysis | Guide, 3 Approaches & Examples")
- [Writing up methods](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/methodology/ "What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips")
  - [Methodology in a thesis](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/methodology/ "What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips")
  - [Methods in APA style](https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/methods-section/ "How to write an APA methods section")
- [Research ethics](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-ethics/ "Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples")
- [Peer review](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/peer-review/ "What Is Peer Review? | Types & Examples")

### Interesting topics

- [AMA style](https://www.scribbr.com/category/ama/ "View all articles about AMA style")
- [Working with sources](https://www.scribbr.com/category/working-with-sources/ "View all articles about Working with sources")
- [IEEE](https://www.scribbr.com/category/ieee/ "View all articles about IEEE")
- [Commonly confused words](https://www.scribbr.com/category/commonly-confused-words/ "View all articles about Commonly confused words")
- [Commas](https://www.scribbr.com/category/commas/ "View all articles about Commas")
- [Definitions](https://www.scribbr.com/category/definitions/ "View all articles about Definitions")
- [UK vs. US English](https://www.scribbr.com/category/us-vs-uk/ "View all articles about UK vs. US English")
- [Research bias](https://www.scribbr.com/category/research-bias/ "View all articles about Research bias")
- [Nouns and pronouns](https://www.scribbr.com/category/nouns-and-pronouns/ "View all articles about Nouns and pronouns")
- [College essay](https://www.scribbr.com/category/college-essay/ "View all articles about College essay")
- [Parts of speech](https://www.scribbr.com/category/parts-of-speech/ "View all articles about Parts of speech")
- [Sentence structure](https://www.scribbr.com/category/sentence-structure/ "View all articles about Sentence structure")
- [Verbs](https://www.scribbr.com/category/verbs/ "View all articles about Verbs")
- [Common mistakes](https://www.scribbr.com/category/common-mistakes/ "View all articles about Common mistakes")
- [Effective communication](https://www.scribbr.com/category/effective-communication/ "View all articles about Effective communication")
- [Using AI tools](https://www.scribbr.com/category/ai-tools/ "View all articles about Using AI tools")
- [Fallacies](https://www.scribbr.com/category/fallacies/ "View all articles about Fallacies")
- [Rhetoric](https://www.scribbr.com/category/rhetoric/ "View all articles about Rhetoric")
- [APA Style 6th edition](https://www.scribbr.com/category/apa-style/6th-edition/ "View all articles about APA Style 6th edition")
- [Applying to graduate school](https://www.scribbr.com/category/graduate-school/ "View all articles about Applying to graduate school")
- [Statistics](https://www.scribbr.com/category/statistics/ "View all articles about Statistics")
- [Chicago Style](https://www.scribbr.com/category/chicago-style/ "View all articles about Chicago Style")
- [Language rules](https://www.scribbr.com/category/language-rules/ "View all articles about Language rules")
- [Methodology](https://www.scribbr.com/category/methodology/ "View all articles about Methodology")
- [MLA Style](https://www.scribbr.com/category/mla/ "View all articles about MLA Style")
- [Research paper](https://www.scribbr.com/category/research-paper/ "View all articles about Research paper")
- [Academic writing](https://www.scribbr.com/category/academic-writing/ "View all articles about Academic writing")
- [Starting the research process](https://www.scribbr.com/category/research-process/ "View all articles about Starting the research process")
- [Dissertation](https://www.scribbr.com/category/dissertation/ "View all articles about Dissertation")
- [Essay](https://www.scribbr.com/category/academic-essay/ "View all articles about Essay")
- [Tips](https://www.scribbr.com/category/tips/ "View all articles about Tips")
- [APA Style 7th edition](https://www.scribbr.com/category/apa-style/ "View all articles about APA Style 7th edition")
- [APA citation examples](https://www.scribbr.com/category/apa-examples/ "View all articles about APA citation examples")
- [Citing sources](https://www.scribbr.com/category/citing-sources/ "View all articles about Citing sources")
- [Plagiarism](https://www.scribbr.com/category/plagiarism/ "View all articles about Plagiarism")

##### Try our other services

[![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
\
**Proofreading & Editing**\
\
Have a human editor polish your writing to ensure your arguments are judged on merit, not grammar errors.\
\
\
Get expert writing help](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar
) [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
\
**AI Proofreader**\
\
Get unlimited proofreading for 30 days\
\
Try for free](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar) [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
\
**Plagiarism Checker**\
\
Compare your paper to billions of pages and articles with Scribbr’s Turnitin-powered plagiarism checker.\
\
\
Run a free check](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar) [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
\
**Citation Generator**\
\
Generate accurate APA, MLA, and Chicago citations for free with Scribbr's Citation Generator.\
\
Start citing](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar) [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
\
**Paraphrasing Tool**\
\
Rewrite and paraphrase texts instantly with our AI-powered paraphrasing tool.\
\
Try for free](https://www.scribbr.com/paraphrasing-tool/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar) [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2032%2032'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
\
**Grammar Checker**\
\
Eliminate grammar errors and improve your writing with our free AI-powered grammar checker.\
\
Try for free](https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=sidebar&scr_campaign=minimalistic-sidebar)

# Semi-Structured Interview \| Definition, Guide & Examples

Published on
January 27, 2022
by
[Tegan George](https://www.scribbr.com/author/tegan/ "All articles by Tegan George").

Revised on
June 22, 2023.


A **semi-structured interview** is a [data collection](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-collection/) method that relies on asking questions within a predetermined thematic framework. However, the questions are not set in order or in phrasing.

In research, semi-structured interviews are often [qualitative](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-research/) in nature. They are generally used as an [exploratory](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/exploratory-research/) tool in marketing, social science, survey methodology, and other research fields.

They are also common in field research with many interviewers, giving everyone the same theoretical framework, but allowing them to investigate different facets of the [research question](https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/).

NoteSemi-structured interviews are a mix of structured and unstructured interviews. While a few questions are predetermined, the others aren’t planned. The other three most common [types of interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/interviews-research/) are:

- **[Structured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/):** The questions are predetermined in both topic and order.
- **[Unstructured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/):** None of the questions are predetermined.
- [**Focus group interviews**](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/focus-group/) **:** The questions are presented to a group instead of one individual.

## Table of contents

01. [What is a semi-structured interview?](#definition)
02. [When to use a semi-structured interview](#when)
03. [Advantages of semi-structured interviews](#advantages)
04. [Disadvantages of semi-structured interviews](#disadvantages)
05. [Semi-structured interview questions](#questions)
06. [How to conduct a semi-structured interview](#conduct)
07. [How to analyze a semi-structured interview](#analyze)
08. [Presenting your results (with example)](#results)
09. [Other interesting articles](#other)
10. [Frequently asked questions about semi-structured interviews](#frequently-asked-questions-about-semi-structured-interviews)

## What is a semi-structured interview?

Semi-structured interviews are a blend of [structured](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/) and [unstructured](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/) types of interviews.

- Unlike in an unstructured interview, the interviewer has an idea of what questions they will ask.
- Unlike in a structured interview, the phrasing and order of the questions is not set.

Semi-structured interviews are often open-ended, allowing for flexibility. Asking set questions in a set order allows for easy comparison between respondents, but it can be limiting. Having less structure can help you see patterns, while still allowing for comparisons between respondents.

## When to use a semi-structured interview

Semi-structured interviews are best used when:

- You have prior interview experience. Spontaneous questions are deceptively challenging, and it’s easy to accidentally ask a leading question or make a participant uneasy.
- Your [research question](https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/) is [exploratory](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/exploratory-research/) in nature. Participant answers can guide future research questions and help you develop a more robust knowledge base for future research.

Just like in structured interviews, it is critical that you remain organized and develop a system for keeping track of participant responses. However, since the questions are less set than in a structured interview, the [data collection](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-collection/) and analysis become a bit more complex.

### Differences between different types of interviews

Make sure to choose the type of interview that suits your research best. This table shows the most important differences between the four types.

[Structured interview](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/)[Semi-structured interview](#definition)[Unstructured interview](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/)[Focus group](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/focus-group/)Fixed questionsFixed order of questionsFixed number of questionsOption to ask additional questions

## Advantages of semi-structured interviews

Semi-structured interviews come with many advantages.

- ### Best of both worlds


Semi-structured interviews are often considered “the best of both worlds.” Combining elements of structured and unstructured interviews gives semi-structured interviews the advantages of both: comparable, [reliable](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-reliability/) data, and the flexibility to ask follow-up questions.

- ### No distractions


The ability to design a thematic framework beforehand keeps both the interviewer and the participant on task, avoiding distractions while encouraging two-way communication.

- ### Detail and richness


While similar methods-wise to [structured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/), questionnaires, and [surveys](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/survey-research/), semi-structured interviews introduce more detail and richness due to their more open-ended nature. Participants can be asked to clarify, elaborate, or rephrase their answers if need be.


## Disadvantages of semi-structured interviews

However, semi-structured interviews also have their downsides.

- ### Low validity


The flexibility of semi-structured interviews can also lessen their [validity](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-validity/). It can be challenging to compare responses between participants depending how far the interviewer departed from the predetermined list of questions.

- ### High risk of [research bias](https://www.scribbr.com/faq-category/research-bias/)


The open-ended nature of semi-structured interviews can lead to the temptation to ask leading questions, leading to [observer bias](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/observer-bias/). Conversely, your respondents may also seek to give you the answers they think you want to hear, leading to [social desirability bias](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/social-desirability-bias/), or react differently to being observed, leading to [Hawthorne effect](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/hawthorne-effect/).

- ### Difficult to develop good semi-structured interview questions


Semi-structured interviews can be difficult to conduct correctly due to their delicate balance of prior planning and spontaneous asides. Every participant is different in their willingness to share. It can be difficult to be both encouraging and unbiased.


## Semi-structured interview questions

Since they are often open-ended in style, it can be challenging to write semi-structured interview questions that get you the information you’re looking for without biasing your responses. Here are a few tips:

- Define what areas or topics you will be focusing on **prior** to the interview. This will help you write a framework of questions that zero in on the information you seek.
- Write yourself a guide to refer to during the interview, so you stay focused. It can help to start with the simpler questions first, moving into the more complex ones after you have established a comfortable rapport.
- Be as clear and concise as possible, avoiding jargon and compound sentences.

Example: Semi-structured interview questions

- How often per week do you go to the gym? a) 1 time; b) 2 times; c) 3 times; d) 4 or more times
- Do you enjoy going to the gym?
  - If yes: What feelings does going to the gym bring out in you?
  - If no: What do you prefer to do instead?
- Have you ever had an employer that provided a free gym membership?
  - If yes: How did this membership affect your job performance? Did you stay longer in the role than you would have if there were no membership?
- Do you think that employers should or should not provide free gym memberships?
  - Why?

## How to conduct a semi-structured interview

Once you’ve determined that a semi-structured interview is the right fit for your [research topic](https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/dissertation-topic/), you can proceed with the following steps.

### Step 1: Set your goals and objectives

You can use guiding questions as you conceptualize your research question, such as:

- What are you trying to learn or achieve from a semi-structured interview?
- Why are you choosing a semi-structured interview as opposed to a different type of interview, or another research method?
- What questions or topics do you anticipate you’ll have follow-up questions about?


If you want to proceed with a semi-structured interview, you can start designing your questions.

### Step 2: Design your questions

Try to stay simple and concise, and phrase your questions clearly. If your topic is sensitive or could cause an emotional response, be mindful of your word choices.

One of the most challenging parts of a semi-structured interview is knowing when to ask follow-up or spontaneous related questions. For this reason, having a guide to refer back to is critical. Hypothesizing what other questions could arise from your participants’ answers may also be helpful.

### Step 3: Assemble your participants

There are a few sampling methods you can use to recruit your interview participants, such as:

- [Voluntary response sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/sampling-methods/#voluntary): For example, sending an email to a campus mailing list and sourcing participants from responses.
- [Stratified sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/stratified-sampling/) of a particular characteristic trait of interest to your research, such as age, race, ethnicity, or gender identity.
- [Convenience sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/convenience-sampling/) of those around you, such as other students at your university


NoteRegardless of which method you choose, be careful of [sampling bias](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/sampling-bias/), which occurs when some members of a [population](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/population-vs-sample/) are more likely to be included in your study than others.

### Step 4: Decide on your medium

It’s important to determine ahead of time how you will be conducting your interview. You should decide whether you’ll be conducting it live or with a pen-and-paper format. If conducted in real time, you also need to decide if in person, over the phone, or via videoconferencing is the best option for you.

Note that each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages:

- Pen-and-paper may be easier for you to organize and analyze, but you will receive more prepared answers, which may affect the [reliability](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-reliability/) of your data.
- In-person interviews can lead to nervousness or interviewer effects, where the respondent feels pressured to respond in a manner they believe will please you or incentivize you to like them.
- Videoconferencing can feel awkward or stilted, which could affect your results.


NoteBe sure that you receive [informed consent](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-ethics/#informed-consent) from each of your participants prior to beginning the interview. Here, your participants consent to video or audio recording and sign a confidentiality agreement and an agreement to anonymize or pseudonymize data.

Informed consent should always be given in a written format, **not** orally.

### Step 5: Conduct your interviews

As you conduct your interviews, keep environmental conditions as constant as you can to avoid bias. Pay attention to your body language (e.g., nodding, raising eyebrows), and moderate your tone of voice.

Relatedly, one of the biggest challenges with semi-structured interviews is ensuring that your questions remain unbiased. This can be especially challenging with any spontaneous questions or unscripted follow-ups that you ask your participants.

TipRemember to refer to your guide and keep your [research question](https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/) front-of-mind when asking unplanned questions, and strive to always keep them relevant to the topic.

## How to analyze a semi-structured interview

After you’re finished conducting your interviews, it’s time to analyze your results. First, assign each of your participants a number or pseudonym for organizational purposes.

The next step in your analysis is to [transcribe](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/transcribe-interview/) the audio or video recordings. You can then conduct a content or thematic analysis to determine your categories, looking for patterns of responses that stand out to you and [test your hypotheses](https://www.scribbr.com/statistics/hypothesis-testing/).

### Transcribing interviews

Before you get started with transcription, decide whether to conduct verbatim transcription or intelligent verbatim transcription.

- If pauses, laughter, or filler words like “umm” or “like” affect your analysis and research conclusions, conduct verbatim transcription and include them.
- If not, you can conduct intelligent verbatim transcription, which excludes fillers, fixes any grammatical issues, and is usually easier to analyze.

TipIf you’re able to type quickly, consider increasing the speed of your recordings to 1.25 or 1.5. This can speed up the transcription process substantially.

If your research budget allows it, you can use [transcription software](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/transcribe-interview/#transcription-software). However, you should double-check the transcriptions against the audio prior to moving to the coding stage.

Transcribing presents a great opportunity for you to [cleanse your data](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-cleansing/). Here, you can identify and address any inconsistencies or questions that come up as you listen.

Your supervisor might ask you to add the transcriptions to the [appendix](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/appendix/) of your paper.

### Coding semi-structured interviews

Next, it’s time to conduct your [thematic](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/thematic-analysis/) or [content analysis](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/content-analysis/). This often involves “coding” words, patterns, or recurring responses, separating them into labels or categories for more robust analysis.

Due to the open-ended nature of many semi-structured interviews, you will most likely be conducting thematic analysis, rather than content analysis.

- You closely examine your data to identify common topics, ideas, or patterns. This can help you draw preliminary conclusions about your participants’ views, knowledge or experiences.

- After you have been through your responses a few times, you can [collect the data](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-collection/) into groups identified by their “code.” These codes give you a condensed overview of the main points and patterns identified by your data.

- Next, it’s time to organize these codes into themes. Themes are generally broader than codes, and you’ll often combine a few codes under one theme. After identifying your themes, make sure that these themes appropriately represent patterns in responses.

TipIf you encounter problems with the themes you’ve set, consider splitting them up, combining them, or discarding them, so they are as useful and accurate as possible.

### Analyzing semi-structured interviews

Once you’re confident in your themes, you can take either an inductive or a deductive approach.

- An [**inductive approach**](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/inductive-reasoning/) is more open-ended, allowing your data to determine your themes.
- A [**deductive approach**](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/deductive-reasoning/) is the opposite. It involves investigating whether your data confirm preconceived themes or ideas.

NoteThematic analysis is relatively subjective, which can lead to issues with the [reliability](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-reliability/) of your results. Its dependence on your judgment and interpretations can lead to biased analysis.

Be extra vigilant about remaining objective here, even if your analysis does not confirm your initial [hypotheses](https://www.scribbr.nl/methodology/hypotheses/) or thoughts.

## Presenting your results (with example)

After your data analysis, the next step is to report your findings in a [research paper](https://www.scribbr.com/category/research-paper/).

- Your [methodology section](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/methodology/) describes how you collected the data (in this case, describing your semi-structured interview process) and explains how you justify or conceptualize your analysis.
- Your [discussion](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/discussion/) and [results sections](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/results/) usually address each of your coded categories.
- You can then [conclude](https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/write-conclusion/) with the main takeaways and avenues for further research.

### Example of interview methodology for a research paper

Let’s say you are interested in vegan students on your campus. You have noticed that the number of vegan students seems to have increased since your first year, and you are curious what caused this shift.

You identify a few potential options based on literature:

- Perceptions about personal health or the perceived “healthiness” of a vegan diet
- Concerns about animal welfare and the meat industry
- Increased climate awareness, especially in regards to animal products
- Availability of more vegan options, making the lifestyle change easier

Anecdotally, you hypothesize that students are more aware of the impact of animal products on the ongoing climate crisis, and this has influenced many to go vegan. However, you cannot rule out the possibility of the other options, such as the new vegan bar in the dining hall.

Since your topic is [exploratory](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/exploratory-research/) in nature and you have a lot of experience conducting interviews in your work-study role as a research assistant, you decide to conduct semi-structured interviews.

You have a friend who is a member of a campus club for vegans and vegetarians, so you send a message to the club to ask for volunteers. You also spend some time at the campus dining hall, approaching students at the vegan bar asking if they’d like to participate.

Here are some questions you could ask:

- Do you find vegan options on campus to be: excellent; good; fair; average; poor?
- How long have you been a vegan?
- What is the single biggest factor that led to your decision to become vegan?
  - Follow-up questions can probe the strength of this decision (i.e., was it overwhelmingly one reason, or more of a mix?)
- Do you think that more people should be vegan?
  - Why?

Depending on your participants’ answers to these questions, ask follow-ups as needed for clarification, further information, or elaboration.

NoteBe careful of leading questions. Here’s an example:

- **Do you think consuming animal products contributes to climate change?** → The phrasing implies that you, the interviewer, do think so. This could bias your respondents, incentivizing them to answer affirmatively as well.

- **What do you think is the biggest effect of animal product consumption?** → This phrasing ensures the participant is giving their own opinion, and may even yield some surprising responses that enrich your analysis.

After conducting your interviews and transcribing your data, you can then conduct thematic analysis, coding responses into different categories. Since you began your research with several theories about campus veganism that you found equally compelling, you would use the inductive approach.

Once you’ve identified themes and patterns from your data, you can draw inferences and conclusions. Your results section usually addresses each theme or pattern you found, describing each in turn, as well as how often you came across them in your analysis. Feel free to include lots of (properly anonymized) examples from the data as evidence, too.

## Other interesting articles

If you want to know more about [statistics](https://www.scribbr.com/category/statistics/), [methodology](https://www.scribbr.com/category/methodology/), or [research bias](https://www.scribbr.com/faq-category/research-bias/), make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

**Statistics**

- [Student’s _t_-distribution](https://www.scribbr.com/statistics/t-distribution/)
- [Normal distribution](https://www.scribbr.com/statistics/normal-distribution/)
- [Null and Alternative Hypotheses](https://www.scribbr.com/statistics/null-and-alternative-hypotheses/)
- [Chi square tests](https://www.scribbr.com/statistics/chi-square-tests/)
- [Confidence interval](https://www.scribbr.com/statistics/confidence-interval/)
- [Quartiles & Quantiles](https://www.scribbr.com/statistics/quartiles-quantiles/)

**Methodology**

- [Cluster sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/cluster-sampling/)
- [Stratified sampling](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/stratified-sampling/)
- [Data cleansing](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/data-cleansing/)
- [Reproducibility vs Replicability](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/reproducibility-repeatability-replicability/)
- [Peer review](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/peer-review/)
- [Prospective cohort study](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/prospective-cohort-study/)

**Research bias**

- [Implicit bias](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/implicit-bias/)
- [Cognitive bias](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/cognitive-bias/)
- [Placebo effect](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/placebo-effect/)
- [Hawthorne effect](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/hawthorne-effect/)
- [Hindsight bias](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/hindsight-bias/)
- [Affect heuristic](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/affect-heuristic/)
- [Social desirability bias](https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/social-desirability-bias/)

## Frequently asked questions about semi-structured interviews

[When should you use a semi-structured interview?](https://www.scribbr.com/frequently-asked-questions/when-should-you-use-a-semi-structured-interview/)

A **[semi-structured interview](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/)** is a blend of [structured](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/) and [unstructured](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/) types of interviews. Semi-structured interviews are best used when:

- You have prior interview experience. Spontaneous questions are deceptively challenging, and it’s easy to accidentally ask a leading question or make a participant uncomfortable.
- Your [research question](https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/) is [exploratory](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/exploratory-research/) in nature. Participant answers can guide future research questions and help you develop a more robust knowledge base for future research.

[What are the 4 main types of interviews?](https://www.scribbr.com/frequently-asked-questions/what-are-the-4-main-types-of-interviews/)

The four most common [types of interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/interviews-research/) are:

- **[Structured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/):** The questions are predetermined in both topic and order.
- **[Semi-structured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/):** A few questions are predetermined, but other questions aren’t planned.
- **[Unstructured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/):** None of the questions are predetermined.
- [**Focus group interviews**](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/focus-group/) **:** The questions are presented to a group instead of one individual.

[What is social desirability bias?](https://www.scribbr.com/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-social-desirability-bias/)

Social desirability bias is the tendency for interview participants to give responses that will be viewed favorably by the interviewer or other participants. It occurs in all [types of interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/interviews-research/) and [surveys](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/survey-research/), but is most common in [semi-structured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/), [unstructured interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/), and [focus groups](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/focus-group/).

Social desirability bias can be mitigated by ensuring participants feel at ease and comfortable sharing their views. Make sure to pay attention to your own body language and any physical or verbal cues, such as nodding or widening your eyes.

This type of bias can also occur in observations if the participants know they’re being observed. They might alter their behavior accordingly.

[What is an interviewer effect?](https://www.scribbr.com/frequently-asked-questions/interviewer-effect/)

The interviewer effect is a type of bias that emerges when a characteristic of an interviewer (race, age, gender identity, etc.) influences the responses given by the interviewee.

There is a risk of an interviewer effect in all [types of interviews](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/interviews-research/), but it can be mitigated by writing really high-quality interview questions.

[What’s the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning?](https://www.scribbr.com/frequently-asked-questions/difference-inductive-deductive/)

[Inductive reasoning](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/inductive-reasoning/) is a bottom-up approach, while deductive reasoning is top-down.

Inductive reasoning takes you from the specific to the general, while in deductive reasoning, you make inferences by going from general premises to specific conclusions.

#### Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

> George, T.
> (2023, June 22). Semi-Structured Interview \| Definition, Guide & Examples. Scribbr.
> Retrieved September 9, 2024,
> from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/

[Cite this article](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/apa/?searchQuery=https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/)

##### Is this article helpful?

27410

You have already voted. Thanks :-)Your vote is saved :-)Processing your vote...

![Tegan George](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%200%200'%3E%3C/svg%3E)

## [Tegan George](https://www.scribbr.com/author/tegan/ "All articles by Tegan George")

Tegan is an American based in Amsterdam, with master's degrees in political science and education administration. While she is definitely a political scientist at heart, her experience working at universities led to a passion for making social science topics more approachable and exciting to students.



## Other students also liked

[**Structured Interview \| Definition, Guide & Examples** A structured interview is a data collection method that relies on asking questions in a set order to collect data on a topic.\
\
**109**](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/structured-interview/)

[**Unstructured Interview \| Definition, Guide & Examples** An unstructured interview is a data collection method that relies on asking questions to collect data on a topic with no set pattern.\
\
**47**](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/unstructured-interview/)

[**What Is a Focus Group? \| Step-by-Step Guide & Examples** A focus group is a small group of participants who share their feelings or perceptions on a particular topic with researchers.\
\
**342**](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/focus-group/)

![Scribbr](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20108%2086'%3E%3C/svg%3E)

#### Scribbr

- [Our editors](https://www.scribbr.com/about-us/editors/)
- [Jobs](https://jobs.scribbr.com/)
- [Partners](https://www.scribbr.com/about-us/partners/)
- [FAQ](https://help.scribbr.com/en/)
- [Copyright, Community Guidelines, DSA & other Legal Resources](https://www.scribbr.com/legal/copyright-community-guidelines-dsa-other/)

#### Our services

- [Plagiarism Checker](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/)
- [Proofreading Services](https://www.scribbr.com/proofreading-editing/)
- [Citation Generator](https://www.scribbr.com/citation/generator/)
- [AI Proofreader](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-proofreader/?scr_source=footer&scr_medium=footer&scr_campaign=ai-proofreader)
- [AI Detector](https://www.scribbr.com/ai-detector/)
- [Paraphrasing Tool](https://www.scribbr.com/paraphrasing-tool/)
- [Grammar Checker](https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/)
- [Free Text Summarizer](https://www.scribbr.com/text-summarizer/)
- [Paragraph Rewriter](https://www.scribbr.com/paragraph-rewriter/)
- [Sentence Rewriter](https://www.scribbr.com/sentence-rewriter/)
- [Rewording Tool](https://www.scribbr.com/rewording-tool/)

#### [Contact](https://www.scribbr.com/contact/)

- [info@scribbr.com](mailto:info@scribbr.com)
- [+1 (510) 822-8066](tel:+15108228066)

- [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/company/scribbr "LinkedIn")

[Trustpilot](https://trustpilot.com/review/www.scribbr.com)

- [Nederlands](https://www.scribbr.nl/)
- [English](https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/semi-structured-interview/)
- [Deutsch](https://www.scribbr.de/)
- [Français](https://www.scribbr.fr/)
- [Italiano](https://www.scribbr.it/)
- [Español](https://www.scribbr.es/)
- [Svenska](https://www.scribbr.se/)
- [Dansk](https://www.scribbr.dk/)
- [Suomi](https://www.scribbr.fi/)
- [Norwegian Bokmål](https://www.scribbr.no/)

[- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)\
- ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%2040%2026'%3E%3C/svg%3E)](https://www.scribbr.com/frequently-asked-questions/which-payment-methods-do-you-accept/)

- [Terms of Use](https://www.scribbr.com/legal/terms-of-use/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.scribbr.com/legal/privacy-policy/)
- [Happiness guarantee](https://www.scribbr.com/happiness-guarantee/)

##### Search...

×

0 results


## What is your plagiarism score?

[Scribbr Plagiarism Checker](https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism-checker/?scr_source=knowledgebase&scr_medium=exit-intent&scr_campaign=plagiarism-score)