Allows the interviewers to observe verbal and non-verbal behavior of the respondents. Means of obtaining personal information, attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs. Reduces anxiety so that potentially threatening topics can be studied. Disadvantages Unstructured interviews often yield data too difficult to summarize or evaluate. Training interviewers, sending them to meet and interview their informants, and evaluating their effectiveness all add to the cost of the study.
Structured interviews are rigidly standardized and formal.
The same questions are presented in the same manner and order to each subject. The choice of alternative answers is restricted to a predetermined list. The same introductory and concluding remarks are used. They are more scientific in nature than unstructured interviews. They introduce controls that permit the formulation of scientific generalizations.