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Designing Effective Interview Guides: Balancing Structure and Flexibility

Learn how to create interview guides that maintain consistency while allowing for meaningful, in-depth responses.

Making a great interview guide doesn’t need to be scary. Think of it like a map: clear starting point, key stops, and space to explore. This student version shows you what to ask, how to ask it, and how to keep it natural.

What you'll learn

  • The 4 core parts of a strong interview guide
  • How to write open, clear questions (no jargon)
  • How to keep structure while staying flexible

Quick start: build a guide in ~20 minutes

  1. Write a one‑line goal (what insight do you need?).
  2. Draft 5–7 core questions (open‑ended, clear).
  3. Add 2–3 probes you can reuse ("Can you tell me more?").
  4. Plan your opening and closing (rapport + wrap‑up).

Key components of an interview guide

  • Opening questions to establish rapport
  • Core questions tied to your research goal
  • Neutral probes to deepen answers
  • Closing questions to reflect and confirm

Write questions students actually use

Use open, simple wording and avoid leading or double‑barreled questions.

Example

Weak → "Do exams stress you out and make you sleep less?"
Better → "Tell me about your sleep during exam weeks."

Probe → "What changed first? Can you give an example?"

Recommended structure (60 minutes)

  1. Introduction and context (5–10)
  2. Main questions (30–40)
  3. Follow‑ups and probes (10–15)
  4. Conclusion and wrap‑up (5)

Homework use

  • Methods sections: Paste your one‑line goal and question list.
  • Results sections: Link each theme back to a core question.
  • Appendix: Include the full guide for clarity and grading.

Common mistakes

  • Leading questions that hint at the “right” answer.
  • Two questions in one (double‑barreled).
  • No probes prepared—conversation stalls quickly.

References

  • Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2015). Interviews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing.
  • Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data.