Interviewer Approaches

This text examines the problems of gaining co-operation on sample surveys and evaluates the tactics for optimizing response currently available. In this study what actually happens "on the doorstep" between interviewer and respondent is revealed, as interviewers tape recorded their interactions with the people approached for interview. These exchanges on the doorstep not only determine the response rate for a survey, but also provide the respondents introduction to the subject matter of the survey, thus creating a mind set which may affect their answers. As a result of this research, evidence is available about this process, which should enable good practice to be distinguished from bad, and allowing present day interviewer training courses to take account of what has been learnt. The research data is interpreted within a theoretical framework and also contains practical detail for all those interested in the subject of interviewing and field work management.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Interviewing in survey research: survey research comes of age; the place of the interviewer in survey research; survey interviewers - a declining army?; the interviewer's vital role; respondent burden; the interview takes place in a social context; ethicak considerations in survey interviewing; exposition; respondents' rights. Part 2 Nonresponse: multistage random sampling; what do we mean by nonresponse?; trends and variations in nonresponse; does nonresponse matter?; quota sampling; reusable samples; a typical analysis of response. Part 3 The interviewer's task in obtaining interviews: initial preparation; the first visit to the interviewing area; finding addresses; establishing eligibility of the address; making contact at the address; the respondent selection procedure; other types of contacting work. Part 4 Field management options: number of calls and calling patterns; reissuing noncontacts and refusals to another interviewer; letters to respondents - in advance or at the time of interview?; telephone appointments; monetary incentives; reducing respondent burden; interviewer motivation; length of fieldwork period; piloting; monitoring progress. Part 5 The first contact: tape recorded doorstep introductions; the model of the doorstep situation; putting the message over; the experiment in scripting interviewers' survey introductions; response to interviewers' approach; the dynamics of persuasion. Part 6 Why do people agree to be interviewed?: helping behaviour; the respondent's decision process; goals and motives; why do people refuse to be interviewed?. Part 7 Interviewer doorstep strategies: situational analysis; identifying the goals; the rules governing the doorstep interaction; establishing the roles of interviewer and respondent; the repertoire of behavioural elements; sequence of episodes; analysis of stress elements; achievement motivation; cognitive structure; social skills training applied to doorstep situations. Part 8 Training to get high response rates: selecting potentially good interviewers; general principles of training; content of basic training; social skills training techniques; training course requirements; the project briefing; supervision and monitoring; CAPI. Part 9 Gaining co-operation on telephone surveys: an expanding mode of data collection; access to the public by telephone; response to telephone surveys; minimizing noncontacts; reducing noncontacts; reducing refusals; interviewer qualities; selection, training and management of telephone interviewers; the future. Part 10 Other types of survey: longitudinal studies; workplace surveys; elites and professionals; surveys among elderly and disabled people; ethnic minority surveys; people on the move; surveys on sensitive topics; development work. Appendices: address record form; outline training module.