Aims

The acquisition of a specific research technique: interviews.At the end of the course, students should be able to choose the method of interview best suited for their aims of research and to prepare, realize, and analyze interviews on their own.

Main themes

Several methods of interview (non directed interviews, standardized interviews, life narration, focus groups) are presented and compared. The concrete carrying out will also be studied in detail with practical exercises for the various stages of an inquiry by interviews: preparation (questions asked, constitution of the sample, contact with those to be interviewed), realization and analysis (methods of content analysis, presentation of the results, discussion). The status of the material collected will be discussed.

Content and teaching methods

The seminar is focussed on the acquisition of a particular technique of research: realize and analyze interviews.It consists of theoretical lectures and of the active involvement of students who will be asked to do exercises.The aim of the seminar is to provide guidance to the methodological aspects of research projects that students undertake in the context of their final thesis (mémoire). Special attention will be given to the comprehensive interview and its running in the various stages (selection of the questions to be asked, conduct, analysis).

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Evaluation
Evaluation based on an individual paper: each student will be asked to realize an interview. Every stage of the interviewing process will be marked separately with a particular attention to the logic of the whole strategy and to the validity of the choices made at each stage.

Documents
Main information on slides.

References
o BOUTIN G., L'entretien de recherche qualitatif, Sainte-Foy, Presses de l'Université du Québec, 1997.
o JONES RUSSEL A., Méthodes de recherche en sciences humaines, Bruxelles / Paris, De Boeck & Larcier, 2000, pp. 137-167.
o KAUFMANN J. Cl., L'entretien compréhensif, Paris, Nathan, 1996.
o MAROY C., " L'analyse qualitative d'entretiens ", in. ALBARELLO L. et al., Pratiques et méthodes de recherche en sciences sociales, Paris, Armand Colin, 1995, pp. 83-110.
o POURTOIS J.P. et DESMET H., Epistémologie et instrumentalisation en sciences humaines, Lège, Ed. Pierre Mardaga, 1988.o RUQUOY D., " Situation d'entretien et stratégie de l'interviewer ", in. ALBARELLO L. et al., Pratiques et méthodes de recherche en sciences sociales, Paris, Armand Colin, 1995, pp. 59-82.

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