Book review: Salmons, J. (2010). Online Interviews in Real Time. SAGE Publications

Book review: Salmons, J. (2010). Online Interviews in Real Time. SAGE Publications

Reviewer: Stanislava Stoyanova

This book is very useful for the researchers who prepare all kinds of interviews, not only online interviews. The latter are the interviews conducted with ICT – text messaging, videoconferencing,
multichannel meetings, 3-D immersive environments, social networking sites,
etc.

The structure of different types of interviews (structured, semistructured, unstructured, in-depth interviews, life story and oral history interviews, postmodern interviews, active interviews, co-constructed
narratives, creative interviews, etc.) is described. The pros and cons of
conducting an interview online rather than in person are discussed.

Some distinctions between different kinds of online communication (text and multichannel) are made in order to be suggested the appropriate technologies for carrying out the research. The
interrelationships between epistemologies, theories, methodologies and methods in
research design are mapped. Some ethical issues in online research are
specified. Special attention is paid to the informed consent and participants’
agreements in public versus private Internet continuum. The preparation of the
interview questions is related to the private or public setting of the online
interview (Public-Private Internet Continuum).

The chapters of this book represent the consecutive stages of doing online interviews – identifying question, e-research design, technology selection, ethical review, plan sampling, recruit
of participants, preparing for interview, conducting interview, follow-up and
verification, data analysis, and reporting findings. 

The different types of sampling and procedures of selection of research participants for online interviews are described (probability sampling, purposeful sampling, etc.). The sampling typology is
presented in details in a table where each approach is described along with its
advantages. Some suggestions for ensuring of credible research participants are
made. The nomination approach relies on verification of identity by another
person who knows the potential participant – participant is nominated by
trustworthy third party. The existing sample frames approach relies on
verification by membership in a group, organization, or reliable administrative
list.

Several steps for carrying out an online interview are presented along with some examples of such interviews (one conducted by the author of this book and several online interviews carried out by several
other researchers the author of the book expresses her acknowledgments to). The
technologies that offer researchers and participants the opportunity to
communicate using visual modes in online interviews are described. The trends
in and the future of online interview research, qualitative and mixed research
methods are discussed. The Appendix contains a literature survey about
qualitative data analysis. A Glossary of Terms concludes the book and each of
its chapters. Each topic is illustrated by some tables and figures. For
example, a table clarifies different kinds of methodologies: qualitative
(action research, case study, grounded theory, phenomenology, and multiple
qualitative methodologies) and quantitative (experimental and
quasi-experimental), and mixed methods.  

Some additional materials related to the topics of the book are available on the book’s website (www.sagepub.com/salmonsstudy). They are listed at the end of the book chapters. The resources on this website are
updated regularly, because communication technologies may have changed
significantly after the time of writing and publication of this book.

This book is also useful for students, because each chapter includes discussions and assignments whose goal is to assist better understanding and preparation for the process of online
interviewing.