|
Interview Procedures
Initial
Contact
Instructions
given to research assistants regarding the initial contact were as
follows.:
Introduce
yourself as a former Success Story award recipient or a former adult education
teacher. Remind them about the Success Stories project. I have found that
mentioning their trip to Hershey is a good reminder. You will have full
information about each individual before the first telephone
contact.
Tell the
person you are going to interview that you were given their name, address and
telephone number by the State Department of Education. Ask if you have the
correct person. In nearly all cases either their program director or I have
checked the address and telephone. All but one person that I spoke with was
delighted to be remembered and willing to
cooperate.
If they say
you have reached the right person, check their address once again and ask them
if they have a few minutes to discuss an important study the state is
conducting about former award winners. If they say they have the time, provide
the following information in your own words and schedule an appointment time to
see them in person.
If they
cannot talk with you then, request a time to call back and explain the project.
Interview
Protocol.
The interview
protocol provided the following scenario for research assistants to
follow:
-
I am
working on an important project with other Success Stories award winners
throughout Pennsylvania. Our job is to find out what has happened in the lives
of former outstanding adult students since they received their award. We need
your help and are interested in your opinions.
-
The facts
and opinions you discuss with me will be combined with information received
from other award winners to provide a picture of the current lives of
Pennsylvania’s outstanding adult learners. No names will be mentioned in
our report.
-
I would
like to schedule a one-hour interview with you. I can meet you at a library or
an adult class near your home. (This can be done at their home provided you
– the interviewer - are comfortable with this and it is necessary. We have
a few older and infirm participants and that might be easier for
them).
-
I will be
taping the interview. But what you say is strictly between the two of us. I
will give you a code name . All the information from your interview will be
labeled with your code name and combined with other outstanding adult
learners’ information for our report. Your real name will never be
used.
-
We need you
to sign a consent form. I will send this to you at _______ Check address
again. I must have this form signed before we can do the interview. Can we
schedule it for a week from today?
|