What is important in audio or video tape recording is that it involves more of in-depth interviews, and not only asking questions, but methodically recording and documenting the replies to review for deeper meaning and understanding (Guion, Diehl & McDonald, 2001). If participants’ preference is email response, then participants also need to feel comfortable writing their own accounts of their experiences (Mann & Stewart, 2000). One of the advantages of email interviews are that participants can indicate or decide when to reply to questions. It is known that many people obviously spend time and effort inscribing, reviewing and editing their response before they send it (Mann & Stewart, 2000). Nonetheless participants in face-to-face interviews will often correct or clarify their replies as they speak; there is more chance for email interviewees to do the same. Time for replication and editing can consent participants to create rich and complex accounts of their experiences, in their own words, closing many gaps that would not have been covered in the audio or video transcription (Gibson, 2010).
Reference:
Gibson, L. (2010). Using email interviews. Economics and Social Research Council. Retrieved from http://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/1303/1/09-toolkit-email-interviews.pdf
Guion, L. A., Diehl, D. C., & McDonald, D. (2001). Conducting an in-depth interview. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, EDIS.
Mann, C. and Stewart, F. (2000) Internet Communication and Qualitative Research: A Handbook for Researching Online, London: Sage – Another essential guide for researchers that are thinking of the using the internet in research.
