Discussion - In-person interviews have for many years been the gold standard

Discussion

In-person interviews have for many years been the "gold standard" in survey research because the presence of an interviewer increases the response rate allows for better rapport with the interviewee, facilitates clarification of questions and instructions, and provides feedback about the interviewer's situation. However, researchers who design in-person interviewing projects are now making increasing use of technology to ensure consistent questioning of respondents and to provide greater privacy while answering questions. But having a respondent answer questions on a laptop while the interviewer waits is a very different social process than asking the questions verbally. Which approach would you favor in survey research? What tradeoffs can you suggest there might be in terms of quality of information collected, rapport building, and interviewee satisfaction?