`This is an excellent book. It will be required reading on my methods courses' - Nigel Fielding, University of Surrey

This book is comprehensive, easy to read, fascinating and a must for every college library where students study research methods for short reports or longer theses' - Educational Review

Students at postgraduate, and increasingly at undergraduate, level are required to undertake research projects and interviewing is the most frequently used research method. This book provides a comprehensive and authoritative introduction to interviewing. It covers all the issues that arise in interview work: theories of interviewing; design; application; and interpretation. Richly illustrated with relevant examples, each chapter includes handy statements of `advantages' and `disadvantages' of the approaches discussed.

Interviews and Research in the Social Sciences
Triangulation in Data Collection
Why Interviews?
Designing an Interview-Based Study
Feasibility and Flexibility
Approaches to Interviewing
Achieving a Successful Interview
Interviewing in Specialised Contexts
Protecting Rights and Welfare
Transcribing the Data
Meanings and Data Analysis
Writing the Report, Disseminating the Findings

Hilary Arksey worked in SPRU for many years, building up a reputation in research into informal care and carers needs. She led on this work in the Unit. It took her to many interesting places around the world where her experience and knowledge in this field helped to spread good practice and research collaborations. She retired from SPRU in 2010.
Social Policy Research Interests
    Informal care
    Carers, disability and employment
    Qualitative research methods