This is a tough situation, Emily. Have you already obtained IRB approval for the study? It can be quite difficult to get IRB approval because of the non-voluntary nature of locked care inpatients. That will be your first hurdle.

Then, if you do not audio record the interview, how will you capture your data with any degree of reliability. Taking field notes is a "classic" approach, but it is definitely old school. I think it could prove to be quite a barrier to future publications of your results.

If you do have to conduct the interviews without recording them, make sure that you space the interviews apart so that you can make immediate field notes after each one. I would also recommend having another interviewer at least observe each interview and also prepare independently his/her own field notes. At least the comparison of the two separate sets of field notes would add credence to your claims for objectivity.

Hi Emily,

I think Peter is right there, isn't he? What I want to add to his points in this seemingly difficult situation is that in each interview, you pace the questions such that you have ample time to do the field notes taking. This means intentionally going through the process as gradual as it would allow you to have adequate notes taken. Here I am talking about your own notes and that other a dedicated note taker (if you have one). 

One strategy you can adopt is continually asking your respondents to repeat what you think is important, re-stating what the respondents say (the repeat and re-stating processes allow you to capture what has been said).

In the note taking process, you can focus on: 

1. Key issues (not on everything that is said). This mainly because of the very difficult situation of your study. 

2. Bullet the ideas so it is possible to capture as much important issues as possible.

All the best with your research,

Thomas

We have done interviews in locked facilities and the participants were happy to be recorded. We had clear ethical protocols for consent etc and the participants were clear about these and voluntarily opted in to the research. I would attempt to do this in your study, don't assume that people will not want to be recorded. If they do say no remember you can also be creative in supplementing your own writing up of the interview, eg timelines, having people write up their thoughts in a web chart, drawing etc.

Hopefully the following sources could help: 

• Alshenqeeti, H. (2014). Interviewing as a Data Collection Method: A Critical Review. English Linguistics Research, 3, 1, pp. 39-45.
• Bachiochi, P. D. and Weiner, S. P. (2004). Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis. In: Rogelberg, S. G. (ed.) Handbook of Research Methods in Industrial and Organizatinal Psychology. Oxford, UK: Backwell Publishing, pp. 161- 183.
• Bryman, A. and Cassell, C. (2006). The researcher interview: a reflexive perspective. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, 1, 1, pp. 41-55.
• Grove, S. J. and Fisk, R. P. (1992). Observational Data Collection Methods for Services Marketing: An Overview. Academy of Marketing Science. Journal, 20, 3, pp. 217-224.
• Polkinghorne, D. E. (2005). Language and Meaning: Data Collection in Qualitative Research. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52, 2, pp. 137-145.

I agree with Robyn Munford and recommend that you do try it.  I too have conducted research interviews in  locked facilities. Each individual is given the right to decline the recording and I never had a single refusal.  I wonder why your colleagues assume you will have difficulty because  impatiens will be uncomfortable.  Without making any assumptions about your study group, in my experience, inpatients at a locked facility are/were rather compliant and often wanting to please (for lack or other terminology). 

Also, the setting and staff may influence patients' attitude (fear, agreeable, cooperative etc. ) Perhaps assistance with explaining the recording from a trusted staff person might work.

I have conducted many semi structured interviews even outside their office environment. Many interviewees have declined to record the conversations.

This could be due confidentiality of the details or fear of repercussions/intimacy. In short, as long as you could jot the key points at the interviews, write them in proper sentences upon returning to your office and revisit the interviewees to confirm those points, i believe this is good enough.  Please take a look at my paper on 'Measuring performance of small and medium sized enterprises: ground theory' [attached].

Article Measuring Performance of Small-and-Medium Sized Enterprises:...

Well, I am having the same issue right now. I am conducting semi-structured interviews, and my participants are afraid of being identified. They clearly stated that if you want the truth, no recording, otherwise you can turn it on and we will tell you what is safe to say. Their livelihoods depend on a very powerful industry and if identified they can lose their jobs, in addition to the rest of the community looking down on them. I respected their wishes and their stories are incredible. I write as fast as I can word by word, and I ask them to repeat several times. They told me they don’t mind repeating. I truly believe they would never have shared all they did so far if I had the recorder on.

Well done !

Georgia Halkia-- i had the same issue more than once; taking a lesson from diret practice social work, i'd take at least 15 min (longer if needed for lengthy interviews) to review what i had written while still fresh in my mind and clarify my own notes/verbatim writings.

A good suggestion- it is always important to have adequate time for planning, the interview, writing up field notes and debriefing wth a supervisor/research team. I always advise my students to space out qualitative interviews so they allow time for reflection.

I did also word by word wirting the interviews during my dtaa colelction for m.phil thesis. I took support from another reseercher to make notes alongside for comparison if anything yet to be left. My research was based on the divorced women of rural and urban areas. Only two divorced women allowd to have recording the interivews out of ten which is total sample size for my research study. I successfully done it but it took much time. In case the interviwees do not feel comfort to record their voice during the interviews then they should be given apace and relax mode to have full freedom to give the insights. Emily Treichler