Describe the similarities and differences between a structured and an unstructured interview, using any examples.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. 1 mark for each example that is linked to one type of interview (maximum of 2 marks in total).
2. Examples can include examples from studies using such questionnaire/interviews, or of ways they could be used.
3. Max 4 if only structured / only unstructured interviews.
4. Max 5 if only similarities / only differences.
5. Similarities:
6. • interviews are a form of self-report / a way to ask the participant questions;
7. • interviews are face-to-face / telephone / real time;
8. Differences:
9. • structured interviews follow set questions;
10. • they may also have set dress/tone to standardise the interviewer;
11. • e.g. Dement and Kleitman asked participants to describe their dream (a single structured question);
12. • unstructured interviews are more flexible / the interviewer can add questions in response to the participant's responses;
13. • unstructured interviews (tend to) use more open questions / ask for descriptions/detail / (tend to) produce qualitative data;
14. • e.g. Schachter and Singer interviewed participants and asked 'How are you feeling?';
15. • e.g. Dement and Kleitman sometimes went in to the participants to ask them more questions about each dream;