Qualitative Methods: Unstructured Interviews and Focus Groups

Qualitative methods prioritise depth, meaning, and the exploration of social life from the perspective of those involved. They are closely associated with the interpretivist tradition in sociology, which emphasises understanding the subjective meanings that individuals attach to their actions and experiences. In this lesson, we examine two key qualitative methods: unstructured interviews and focus groups, as well as the intermediate form of semi-structured interviews.

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Unstructured Interviews

An unstructured interview (also called an informal, in-depth, or open-ended interview) is a flexible, conversation-like interaction between the researcher and the participant. Unlike structured interviews, there is no fixed set of questions — instead, the interviewer has a general topic or theme and allows the conversation to develop naturally.

Key Definition: Unstructured interview — a flexible, in-depth interview in which the interviewer has a general topic area to explore but does not follow a fixed set of predetermined questions. The conversation develops organically, guided by the respondent's answers.

Characteristics of Unstructured Interviews