From: France Belanger [belanger@vt.edu] Sent: Wednesday, 1 September 1999 04:10 To: ISWORLD@LISTSERV.HEANET.IE Subject: Summary: Advice on Taping research Interviews I received numerous excellent responses to my request for advice on whether it would be appropriate or not to record a series of research interviews to be conducted soon. Thank you to everyone who responded (acknowledgements follow the summary). Overall, there was an overwhelming majority that suggested that using recorders is a not only good, but very important thing to do. However, many experienced researchers specifically mentioned that tape recording is a complement, not a replacement for taking good field notes. Basic recommendations include obtaining permission to record. Specific recommendations are described below for those who want further information. General Comments 1. Depends on the content of interviews (sensitive, confidential), the level of the people you are interviewing, and also the nature of the material you are seeking. 2. Identify company policy about such matters. 3. Either use the recorder for all, or for none. Otherwise you may have introduced a variable that influences some responses, but not others 4. One recording method you might consider is cognitive mapping--either with a paper and pencil or using Decision Explorer software. Recommendations for recording: 1. Use a very small microcassette recorder which is quite unobtrusive, unthreatening, not eye-catching in appearance, black colored (opinions vary a lot here!)... However, some small tape recorders produce remarkably bad quality recordings which simply cannot be understood, particularly if they are voice-actuated. If you can, tape on regular size tapes, not the microcassettes, as the sound quality is better. Or use a professional quality recorder if you can, as the better the tapes are the easier (and cheaper, if someone else is doing it) they are to transcribe. The best type is a dictaphone, as it is so small that people do not notice it. By using the auto reverse feature, I was able to start the recorder, set it unobtrusively to the side and never touch it again for the 40 (+/-) minute interviews. 2. Make sure the tape is long enough to last the entire interview. 3. Bring extra cassettes and extra batteries. Also take a second taping device with you in case of failure. 4. Ask interviewees before if they don't mind that you record the interview to be able to concentrate on what they are saying and not be distracted by note taking. 5. Put the small tape recorder on desk (or surface available), letting them see that it is not on, tell them you are turning it on, turn it on, then before anything else note that they are aware that it's on for the session 6. Stress that the tape will be destroyed after transcription. 7. Reassure interviewees that the information collected will not be used in any "other way" without their consent. 8. Offer to show interviewees the entire transcripts of interviews before making any use of them (involves major transcribing effort). 9. Take notes anyway. The tape is no substitute for taking notes; it is a su pplement just in case something important, particularly in the exact wording, remains unclear after the initial session. Interviewees generally appreciate the fact that taping means you're not relying upon sketchy notes, and that you can guarantee that you'll get an accurate record of what they've said. 10. Use a "human subjects" sheet that explains the purpose of the research and that they can withdraw from continuing without penalty at any time. 11. Start with some neutral questions like 'what are the work procedures here?' 12. Make sure that the mike power is high enough to capture the voice of both the interviewer and the interviewee clearly. 13. If they are still uneasy (ask them) then immediately shut down the recorder and have a colleague there to take notes (don't try to take notes yourself and also run the session - too difficult). 14. Tell interviewees they can ask to have the recorder paused at any time 15. Offer to give them a copy of the tape 16. Offer to sign an NDA and to specifically limit the use of the tape to specified research; when requested, offer to destroy/return the tape after the project is completed 17. Offer to have someone from legal and/or PR present Benefits of recording 1. If not recorded, your notes will never contain all of what has been said in the interview. "When comparing notes with my recordings, I have been *amazed* at just how much I missed - even when I thought my notes were really excellent." 2. By having actual transcripts you are able to do a more thorough content analysis. I used a qualitative software tool called QSR Nud*ist to help with the analysis. 3. When you publish your research, it makes a more persuasive and compelling argument to include actual quotes from your interviewees--something you might not get verbatim if you just take notes. 4. frees interviewer to listen and respond 5. allows better eye contact & development of rapport 6. allows replay for other team members 7. Note Taking keeps interviewer alert, show interviewer interest and demonstrates preparedness, but may loses eye contact, and therefore rapport, and lose train of conversation Drawbacks of Recording 1. Some people are made very nervous by a recording device because they know you have documented EXACTLY what they said and they may be concerned about it ending up in the hands of someone they would not wish to hear it. 2. interviewer may not listen 3. difficulty locating passages on tape 4. Cost of transcription may be high. "I have used recordings in the past, though lately I have tended to go with notes for ease of analysis. It takes 4 hours to transcribe each hour of tape." Reference books: Strauss A. and Corbin J. "Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedure and Techniques", Sage Publications Miles M.B. and Huberman M.A. "An Expanded Sourcebook: Qualitative Data Analysis", Sage Publications. Eden and Ackermann book (Colin Eden and Fran Ackermann. (1998). Making Strategy: The Journey of Strategic Management. Sage; ISBN 076195225X.) Rubin, H.J., and Rubin, I.S., Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA., 1995. Banxia website (http://www.banxia.com/index.html). Banxia distributes Decision Explorer worldwide. Acknowledgements: I would like to thank all of the following people for their insights. I would also like to apologize to all of you that I know personally for not taking the time to reply to your individual emails. Carol Pollard, Ranganathan, Shailendra Palvia, Fred Niederman, Ned Kock, Sherry Ryan, Ronald McGaughey, Parag Kosalge, Paul Licker, Paul van Fenema, Kai Jakobs, Ralph Westfall, Sabine Hirt, John Lamp, Sid Huff, Bruce Campbell, Sharon W. Tabor, Catherine Middleton, Anne Chartier, Bonnie Kaplan, Dave Chatterjee, Susan Gasson, Rob Fichman, Iris Vessey, Traci A. Carte, Marius Janson, Harvey Enns, Eleanor Wynn, Deborah J. Armstrong, Richie Platt, Brian Detlor, Astrid Lipp, Joseph Williams, Barbara M. Wildemuth, Jacques C. Verville, William S. Remington, Donald L. Day, Michael H. Zack, Connie Knapp, Kevin Kobelsky, Lisa Murphy, Anol Bhattacherjee, Brad Crisp, Marie-C. Boudreau, Derrick J. Neufeld, Valerie Spitler. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ France Belanger, Ph.D. Department of Accounting and Information Systems (ACIS) Center for Global Electronic Commerce (CGEC) Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech 3007 Pamplin Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0101 (540) 231-6720 Fax (540) 231-2511 belanger@vt.edu Home: http://www.cob.vt.edu/belanger/ ACIS: http://www.cob.vt.edu/accounting/ CGEC: http://www.cob.vt.edu/CGEC/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ===== Start of ISWorld List Footer ===== I moved to a new institution, how do I change my subscription to the ISWorld List? Answer to this and other questions, along with description of common Listserv commands and account options are available at: If your question is not answered please contact the list manager at gabe@isds.bus.lsu.edu ===== End of ISWorld List Footer =====