The Problem-Centred Interview: Principles and practice

Abstract

Interviewing is among the most commonly used methods in qualitative research. It is a pragmatic and reliable tool for collecting information and can be adapted to diverse situations and purposes. The discursive-dialogic reconstruction of relevant issues in the perspective of the interview partner is one of these purposes - it is at the core of the programme of the technique of the problem-centred interview (PCI). Witzel and Reiter present the first English book about this popular and widely recognised method and introduce it to the international research community. The comprehensive and hands-on introduction to methodology, principles and practice of this particular technique is organised along the logical steps of preparing, doing and processing PCIs. The authors use many practical examples from their own problem-centred research to illustrate each stage as well as common interviewing pitfalls and errors. The book also demonstrates how to work with sensitizing prior knowledge in the context of interview research. Novice and experienced interview researchers across the social, educational and health sciences will find this an invaluable guide.