SURVEY RESEARCHThe last interview stage is the exit when the
interviewer thanks the respondent and leaves. The
interviewer usually goes to a quiet, private place to
edit the questionnaire and record other details such
as the date, time, and place of the interview. Often
interviewers write a thumbnail sketch of the
respondent and interview situation, including the
respondent’s attitude (e.g., serious, angry, or laugh-
ing) and any unusual circumstances (e.g., “Tele-
phone rang at question 27 and respondent talked
for 4 minutes before the interview started again”).
He or she notes anything disruptive that happened
during the interview (e.g., “Teenage son entered
room, sat at opposite end, turned on television with
the volume loud, and watched a baseball game”).
The interviewer also records his or her personal
feelings and anything that was suspected (e.g.,
“Respondent became nervous and fidgeted when
questioned about his marriage”).
Training of Interviewers
A large-scale survey requires hiring multiple inter-
viewers.^65 A professional-quality interview requires
carefully selecting interviewers and providing them
with rigorous training. As with any employment
situation, adequate pay and good supervision are
important for consistent high-quality performance.
Unfortunately, professional interviewing has not
always paid well or provided regular employment.
In the past, most interviewers were middle-aged
women willing to accept irregular part-time work.
Good interviewers are pleasant, honest, accurate,
mature, responsible, moderately intelligent, stable,
and motivated. They have a nonthreatening appear-
ance, have experience with many types of people,
and possess poise and tact. If the survey involves
interviewing in high-crime areas, interviewers need
to be protected.EXPANSION BOX 13
Example of Probes and Recording Full Responses
to Closed QuestionsInterviewer question:What is your occupation?
Respondent answer:I work at General Motors.
Probe:What is your job at General Motors? What type of work do you do there?
Interviewer question:How long have you been unemployed?
Respondent answer:A long time.
Probe:Could you tell me more specifically when your current period of unemployment
began?
Interviewer question:Considering the country as a whole, do you think we will have good
times during the next year, or bad times, or what?
Respondent answer:Maybe good, maybe bad, it depends, who knows?
Probe:What do you expect to happen?
Record Response to a Closed Question
Interviewer question:On a scale of 1 to 7, how do you feel about capital punishment or
the death penalty, where 1 is strongly in favor of the death penalty, and 7 is strongly opposed
to it? (Favor) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 _ (Oppose)
Respondent answer:About a 4. I think that all murderers, rapists, and violent criminals
should get death, but I don’t favor it for minor crimes like stealing a car.