Data Collection Methods and Tools for Research; a step-by-Step Guide to Choose Data Collection Technique for Academic and Business Research Projects

International Journal of Academic Research in Management
 
Volume 10, Issue 1, 2021, ISSN: 2296-1747 
www.elvedit.com 
18
T
ABLE
.
1.
A
DVANTAGES AND 
D
ISADVANTAGES OF 
D
IFFERENT 
I
NTERVIEW 
T
YPES 
(K
ABIR
,
2016) 
Type 
Merit 
Demerit 
Face-to-face Interviews 
-Asking detailed questions. 
-Obtaining rich data. 
-Literacy requirements are not an 
issue. 
-Possibility of clarifying questions. 
-High response rate. 
-Exploring complex and sensitive 
issues. 
-Expensive. 
-Effects of interviewers’ biases. 
-Possibility of facing some challenges 
for sensitive issues. 
-Training interviewers is necessary. 
Telephone Interviews 
-Cheap and accurate data. 
-Quick. 
-Possibility of clarifying questions. 
-Literacy requirements are not an 
issue. 
-Using fewer resources than face-to-
face. 
-Possibility of not accessing to the 
participants easily and the first time. 
-Only possible for interviewees who 
access telephone. 
-Not possible to discover sensitive 
issues.
There are different ways to record interviews including paper-based, self-reports, and tape-record 
interviews, etc. It can be also noted that they are useful to gain both qualitative and quantitative data 
using open-ended and close-ended questions. Researchers rely on interviews, generally, when they face 
complex or sensitive concepts and need detailed and high-status information (Frechtling, 2002). 
A) Types of Interviews 
In addition to the administration mode of interviews which was discussed before, interview types can be 
structured, semi-structured, and unstructured.
▪ Structured interviews: 
In these kinds of interviews, interviewees face the same set of standardized questions which 
are pre-prepared before the interview session. The possible responses are limited, and