The potentials and pitfalls of using Skype for qualitative (longitudinal) interviews

Weller, Susie (2015) The potentials and pitfalls of using Skype for qualitative (longitudinal) interviews. NCRM Working Paper. NCRM.

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Abstract

The use of digital communication technologies has become increasingly commonplace in social research. Yet, sparse attention has been paid to the potential of such technologies in Qualitative Longitudinal Research (QLR). This paper explores the implications of introducing one such technology, internet video calls (e.g. Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts), as a new mode of data collection into an established QLR study that has primarily generated data using biographical interviews conducted in participants’ homes. The paper draws on the ‘Your Space’ project; a decade-long study following the lives of up to 52 young people from across Britain. Funded as one of eleven ESRC National Centre for Research Method’s ‘Methodological Innovation Projects’ the most recent phase of the project investigates the implications of shifting from physical co-present interviewing to remote modes on key issues for QLR research such as sample maintenance, research relationship continuity, and rapport. In doing so, it assesses whether internet video calls might be a useful means of conducting short ‘catch-up’ interviews between the main waves of data collection, or as an alternative way of carrying out case study intensive interviews.

Item Type: Working Paper (NCRM Working Paper)
Subjects: 1. Frameworks for Research and Research Designs > 1.21 Digital Social Research > 1.21.1 Online qualitative fieldwork
2. Data Collection > 2.5 Qualitative Interviewing
2. Data Collection > 2.5 Qualitative Interviewing > 2.5.1 Qualitative interview design
2. Data Collection > 2.5 Qualitative Interviewing > 2.5.3 Face-to-face qualitative interviewing
2. Data Collection > 2.5 Qualitative Interviewing > 2.5.4 Qualitative telephone/video call interviewing
2. Data Collection > 2.5 Qualitative Interviewing > 2.5.9 Recording interviews
2. Data Collection > 2.5 Qualitative Interviewing > 2.5.10 Videoing interviews
3. Data Quality and Data Management > 3.2 Quality in Qualitative Research
4. Qualitative Data Handling and Data Analysis > 4.2 Interaction Analysis
4. Qualitative Data Handling and Data Analysis > 4.16 Qualitative Longitudinal Analysis
8. Research Management and Impact > 8.2 Confidentiality and Anonymity
8. Research Management and Impact > 8.3 Research Ethics
Depositing User: NCRM users
Date Deposited: 04 Aug 2015 12:19
Last Modified: 14 Jul 2021 14:00
URI: https://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/id/eprint/3757

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