City Research Online

Abstract

Chapter Outline
In this chapter we look at the use of interviews and focus groups within social science and linguistics research. Working on the basis that they are closely related methods, we begin by examining the arguments, put forward by a number of critical commentators, that they are fundamentally flawed in offering up artificial or contaminated data. In line with those criticisms, we agree that there are some serious problems involved where they are deployed and understood – in traditional terms - as means of mining particular ‘nuggets of truth’. Rather, following a more constructionist stance, we recommend that interviews and focus groups are treated as collaborative or interactional events in which the interviewer or moderator plays an important, participative role. So conceived, we argue that there is a legitimate case for employing either of these research methods – and we provide a critical review of what are widely considered to be their primary strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we discuss the benefits and disadvantages of conducting interviews and focus groups virtually – a practice that has intensified in the (post)pandemic era.

Learning objectives
After reading this chapter, readers should:
• have an overview of key reasons, benefits and challenges of using interviews and focus groups
• gain a critical understanding of interviews and focus groups in linguistics research
• be familiar with illustrations of critical perspectives through examples of relevant data
• have an understanding of key issues around the online uses of these methods

Publication Type:	Book Section
Additional Information:	Published in final form in, Litosseliti, L. (Ed.). (2024). Research Methods in Linguistics. London,: Bloomsbury Academic. http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781350429192
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
Departments:	School of Health & Medical Sciences School of Health & Medical Sciences > Language & Communication Science
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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