Semi-Structured Interviews and Focus Groups

Abstract

A semi-structured interview is a verbal interchange where one person, the interviewer, attempts to elicit information from another person by asking questions. Although the interviewer prepares a list of predetermined questions, semi-structured interviews unfold in a conversational manner offering participants the chance to explore issues they feel are important. A focus group is a group of people, usually between 6 and 12, who meet in an informal setting to talk about a particular topic that has been set by the researcher. The facilitator keeps the group on topic but is otherwise non-directive, allowing the group to explore the subject from as many angles as they please. This chapter explains how to go about conducting both semi-structured interviews and focus groups whether they be in-person or online. These two methods share some characteristics in common but are distinct. They can be used separately or together. Our review traces some of the early work in contemporary geography that used these methods, especially from feminist perspectives, but also highlights recent scholarship to demonstrate the evolution and creative vibrancy of this work over time.