More than words: methods to elicit talk in interviews

Abstract

Lay Summary In health services and primary care research, semi-structured interviews are a very common method of generating data. These interviews have a pre-determined set of topics, with questions and prompts written in advance, though there is flexibility to adjust the interview to match the direction set by the participant. Like all methods, semi-structured interviews have limits, some of which can be addressed through adaptation. In the social sciences, some interview methods include prompts beyond verbal questions to participants, called elicitation tools. Visuals (e.g. photos), videos, audio excerpts and texts can be brought into interviews to orient the discussion. Another type of interview—mobile interview—happens in places meaningful to the participants. Depending on the research question, elicitation methods can enrich semi-structured interviews. This methods brief will introduce interviewing with elicitation tools, and outline strengths of such methods.