Analysing Nuance: The Strengths and Limitations Of Interviews in Educational Research

This paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of interviewing as a research method by looking at it through the lens of fieldwork into educational leadership and management. An overview of literature is followed by specific examples from the research. These illustrate that interview responses operate on a number of levels, all of which need to be taken into account if research is to make justifiable claims to be describing the truth of a situation. The conclusion is that interviewing remains a meaningful way to gather data, especially if they are factual or technical in character, but that, for interpretative comments, the researcher must be careful in the analysis to which he or she subjects them.