Question 1: Define what is meant by a 'structured interview' in sociological research.

Answer: A structured interview is a method where the researcher asks the same predetermined questions in the same order to all participants, often using a fixed set of response options.

Question 2: Explain one advantage of using interviews over questionnaires when collecting data in sociology.

Answer: Interviews allow for more in-depth responses and clarification of answers, providing richer qualitative data than questionnaires.

Question 3: Identify and describe two potential disadvantages of conducting interviews in sociological research.

Answer: 1. Interviews can be time-consuming and expensive to carry out. 2. The presence of the interviewer may lead to social desirability bias, where respondents give answers they think are acceptable.

Question 4: Describe a scenario in which an unstructured interview might be preferred over a structured interview.

Answer: An unstructured interview might be preferred when exploring complex or sensitive topics where the researcher wants to allow the interviewee to express their thoughts freely without a set sequence of questions.

Question 5: What ethical considerations should a researcher keep in mind when conducting interviews with participants?

Answer: The researcher should ensure informed consent, protect participants' confidentiality, avoid causing distress, and be honest about the purpose of the research.

Question 6: Sketch a diagram illustrating the basic flow of conducting a semi-structured interview, including stages such as preparation, questioning, and analysis.

Answer: A simple flowchart with the following stages: 1. Prepare questions and ethical approval. 2. Conduct interview with open-ended questions. 3. Record responses. 4. Transcribe and analyze data.

Question 7: Explain the term 'interviewer bias' and how it might affect the results of an interview-based study.

Answer: Interviewer bias occurs when the interviewer's own beliefs, attitudes, or behavior influence the participant's responses, potentially affecting the validity of the data.

Question 8: Describe how rapport between the interviewer and interviewee can impact the quality of data collected.

Answer: Good rapport can make the interviewee more comfortable and willing to share honest and detailed responses, improving data quality. Poor rapport may lead to superficial or guarded answers.

Question 9: Draw a diagram to show how data collected from interviews can be analyzed and used in sociological research.

Answer: A diagram showing: 1. Transcription of interviews. 2. Coding of responses into themes. 3. Analysis of themes for patterns. 4. Drawing conclusions based on findings.

Question 10: Suggest one way in which sociologists can minimize bias during interviews.

Answer: Sociologists can use standardized questions and train interviewers to be neutral and non-leading to reduce bias.