Interview Guide Generator

How to Use the Interview Guide Generator

1. 1. State the research question — twice. Once as you would write it in a proposal, and once in the words a participant would use. The second version goes into the introduction script.
2. 2. Pick the interview type. Semi-structured gives you topics, follow-ups and probes to move between freely; structured fixes the wording and the order and numbers every question.
3. 3. Add your topics. Name each one and, ideally, write your own main questions. Leave the questions blank and the guide uses two open template questions for that topic.
4. 4. Read the question check. Every question you typed is tested for closed, leading, double-barrelled, "why" and overlong wording, and the planned length is divided across your main questions.
5. 5. Copy, pilot, revise. Copy the guide into Word or Google Docs or download it, try it with one person like your participants, and rewrite what fell flat.

Structured vs Semi-Structured Interviews

The generator builds the first two. A semi-structured guide is a map rather than a script: you cover every topic, but the participant's answers decide the route. A structured guide is a script, which is why it adds a line to the introduction warning that the questions may sound formal.

Main Questions, Follow-Ups and Probes

Herbert and Irene Rubin's Qualitative Interviewing separates the three kinds of question a guide holds. Main questions open each topic and are prepared in advance. Follow-up questions pick up something the participant has just said — a term they used, an event they mentioned in passing — so they are sketched in the guide but finished in the moment. Probes are short, neutral prompts that keep someone talking without steering them: "Could you give me an example?", "What happened next?", or simply a pause. The guide lists probes once, because they work anywhere, and follow-ups under each topic.

Writing Questions That Get Real Answers

The check flags five faults in the questions you type. Here is how three of them read, and one way to fix each:

• Open, not closed. A question that can be answered "yes" gets exactly that. "Can you tell me about…" and "Could you describe…" are not flagged — they work as invitations.
• Neutral, not leading. "Don't you think the induction was too short?" tells the participant what you hope to hear. Ask about the induction, and let them judge it.
• One thing at a time. A question with "and" or "or" often asks two things; people answer the half they remember.
• Short. Spoken questions over about 25 words lose their beginning before the participant starts to answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an interview guide and a questionnaire?

A questionnaire is answered by the participant on their own, so its questions must work without help and are usually closed — scales, choices, short answers. An interview guide is used by the interviewer in a conversation, so its questions are open, and probes and follow-ups do much of the work. Use the Survey Question Generator for a questionnaire.

How many questions should a semi-structured interview have?

Plan by time, not by count. Each main question needs room for the answer, the follow-ups and the probes, so the generator divides your planned length by the number of main questions. If each one gets only two or three minutes, you have written a questionnaire to read aloud — cut or merge questions until each topic has room to breathe.

What is a probe in an interview?

A probe is a short, neutral prompt that encourages a participant to go on or add detail without suggesting what to say — "Could you give me an example?", "What happened next?", "What do you mean by that?", or a patient silence. Unlike a follow-up question, a probe does not depend on what was just said, so the same probes work throughout the interview.

Should I send the interview questions to participants in advance?

Practice varies. Sharing the topics in the information sheet helps people decide whether to take part and can put them at ease; sharing the exact questions can produce rehearsed answers. Many researchers share the topics but not the wording. Follow your ethics committee's expectations, especially for sensitive subjects.

How do I avoid leading questions?

Remove any opinion from the question and any hint of the answer you expect. Replace "Wasn't the training useful?" with "Tell me about the training." Avoid evaluative adjectives you supplied yourself, and use the participant's own words in follow-ups rather than yours.

Do I need to pilot an interview guide?

Yes, if you can. One or two practice interviews with people like your participants show which questions confuse, which overlap, and how long the guide really takes. Revise the guide before the first real interview, and keep a note of what you changed for your methods section.