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Practice Interview Scenario
Read the briefing below carefully before you begin.
Background
You are a postgraduate student conducting a qualitative research interview as part of a small-scale study exploring parents' perspectives on their children's experience of primary school in Malta. Your study takes a broadly interpretivist approach and uses semi-structured interviews to understand how parents make sense of their children's school lives, friendships, learning, and wellbeing.
You have ethical approval for the study. Participants have been recruited through informal networks and each has been given a participant information sheet and signed a consent form. They have been told the interview will last around 45 to 60 minutes, that it will be audio-recorded, that their identity and that of their child will be anonymised, and that they can withdraw or skip any question without giving a reason.
Your Participant
Marija Camilleri is 38 years old and lives in a town in the north of Malta. She works part-time as an administrative assistant at a private clinic. She is married to Joseph and has two children: Elena, aged 9, who is the focus of your interview, and Luca, aged 5. Elena attends a Church school and is currently in Year 5.
Marija was introduced to you by a mutual contact who knows her socially. She agreed to take part as a favour, and although she has read the information sheet and signed the consent form, she does not have a clear sense of what qualitative research involves. She has never been interviewed before.
Practical Details
The interview is taking place in Marija's living room, mid-morning, while her children are at school. You have your recording equipment set up. Marija has offered you a coffee and is sitting opposite you. She is polite and welcoming but appears a little tense.
Your Task
Conduct the interview. Your aim is to develop an understanding of Elena's experience of school as Marija sees it, including aspects such as friendships, learning, daily routines, wellbeing, and any concerns or sources of pride Marija may have as a parent.
You should draw on the interviewing techniques covered in the course, including how you introduce yourself and the project, how you build rapport, how you formulate and sequence your questions, your use of probes, your management of silence, and how you handle any sensitive moments that arise. There is no fixed script: you decide what to ask, in what order, and how to respond to what Marija tells you.
You may end the interview whenever you feel you have reached a natural conclusion. The full transcript will be reviewed afterwards as part of your formative assessment.
A Note Before You Begin
Treat this as you would a real first interview with a real participant. Marija is a person, not a test. What you get out of the interview will depend almost entirely on how you conduct it.
Research Participant
Qualitative interview — speak naturally, probe deeply
Formative Feedback Report
Review your interview performance below. When ready, discuss the feedback with the tutor.
Academic Tutor
Discuss your feedback and deepen your understanding
Session complete
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