Qualitative interviewing is among the most widely used methods in the
social sciences, but it is arguably the least understood. In The
Science and Art of Interviewing, Kathleen Gerson and Sarah Damaske
offer clear, theoretically informed and empirically rich strategies for
conducting interview studies. They present both a rationale and guide to
the science-and art-of in-depth interviewing to take readers through all
the steps in the research process, from the initial stage of formulating
a question to the final one of presenting the results. Gerson and
Damaske show readers how to develop a research design for interviewing,
decide on and find an appropriate sample, construct a questionnaire,
conduct probing interviews, and analyze the data they collect. At each
stage, they also provide practical tips about how to address the
ever-present, but rarely discussed challenges that qualitative
researchers routinely encounter, particularly emphasizing the
relationship between conducting
well-crafted research and building powerful social theories. With an
engaging, accessible style, The Science and Art of Interviewing
targets a wide range of audiences, from upper-level undergraduates and
graduate methods courses to students embarking on their dissertations to
seasoned researchers at all stages of their careers.
