Personal Interviews

In a personal interview the researcher (or investigator) conducts a face-to-face conversation with each respondent. It is used when the researcher can reach all the members to be studied.

Advantages. It has the highest response rate. Personal contact lets the interviewer explain the study and answer the respondent's queries, and ask the respondent to expand on especially important answers. Misinterpretation and misunderstanding can be avoided, and watching the respondent's reactions gives extra, supplementary information. It allows all types of questions, and is particularly good for open-ended questions and for clarifying ambiguous questions. …