SO308 Principles of Social Research Data Analysis 4: Interview Directions: Choose one participant that will agree to an administration of the interview schedule. Find a quiet and comfortable place that sets your participant as ease. Remember not to deviate from the set interview schedule (although you can give minimal responses to requests for clarification or use neutral prompts or probes to get them going or keep them on track). Give your participant a pseudonym and record no information that could lead to their unique identification. Take detailed and exhaustive notes! Record everything because you may not realize that something is important until after the fact. Remember that the purpose of these content analyses is to gather data about how members of different groups think about, talk about, behave toward, or otherwise respond to another. You don’t have to record information that does not pertain to our purpose, but do record everything that may shed light on our research topic! Take detailed notes during the interview. Include what they said and how they said it [important body language, pauses, and other non-verbal expressions should be noted in square brackets]. Find a quite place as soon after the interview is concluded to record your notes into this form. Clean your notes by removing your shorthand and explaining every detail. Remember that these notes need to be understandable on their own. Include everything and add additional details as you recall them. When you add detail after the fact in this first pass, use “Bright Green” text to distinguish it from your first observations. Then set your notes aside for about 24 hours so that you can think about them some more. Make a third pass through your notes and use “Blue” text to distinguish these subsequent reflections from your first observations and your initial additions. It is important to make these distinctions clear because your understanding of the interview may change with time. Do not worry if your first, second, and third passes through your data agree with one another. Again, your perspective may change. It is important that you do not delete previous notes, but merely add to them each time through. Finally, in all three passes, be careful to distinguish between what was said and your interpretation of what was said. Actual descriptions should be recorded in regular text (in the appropriate color), but your interpretations, opinions, and inferences from the data should be italicized. Try to maintain this “fact-value” distinction as carefully as you can (although it is impossible to be perfect in this regard). You can use as many pages for your notes as you need. This document will expand to make room. But please be conscientious about recording everything, including your reactions as the interviewer! Good luck and have fun! INTERVIEW NOTES Data Collector ID: Location of Interview: Date: Time: Duration of Interview: Description of S.

1. SO308 Principles of Social Research
Data Analysis 4: Interview
Directions:
Choose one participant that will agree to an administration of
the interview schedule.
Find a quiet and comfortable place that sets your participant as
ease. Remember not to deviate from the set interview schedule
(although you can give minimal responses to requests for
clarification or use neutral prompts or probes to get them going
or keep them on track). Give your participant a pseudonym and
record no information that could lead to their unique
identification. Take detailed and exhaustive notes! Record
everything because you may not realize that something is
important until after the fact. Remember that the purpose of
these content analyses is to gather data about how members of
different groups think about, talk about, behave toward, or
otherwise respond to another. You don’t have to record
information that does not pertain to our purpose, but do record
everything that may shed light on our research topic!
Take detailed notes during the interview. Include what they
said and how they said it [important body language, pauses, and
other non-verbal expressions should be noted in square
brackets]. Find a quite place as soon after the interview is
concluded to record your notes into this form. Clean your notes
by removing your shorthand and explaining every detail.
Remember that these notes need to be understandable on their
own. Include everything and add additional details as you
recall them. When you add detail after the fact in this first
pass, use “Bright Green” text to distinguish it from your first
observations.

2. Then set your notes aside for about 24 hours so that you can
think about them some more. Make a third pass through your
notes and use “Blue” text to distinguish these subsequent
reflections from your first observations and your initial
additions. It is important to make these distinctions clear
because your understanding of the interview may change with
time. Do not worry if your first, second, and third passes
through your data agree with one another. Again, your
perspective may change. It is important that you do not delete
previous notes, but merely add to them each time through.
Finally, in all three passes, be careful to distinguish between
what was said and your interpretation of what was said. Actual
descriptions should be recorded in regular text (in the
appropriate color), but your interpretations, opinions, and
inferences from the data should be italicized. Try to maintain
this “fact-value” distinction as carefully as you can (although it
is impossible to be perfect in this regard). You can use as many
pages for your notes as you need. This document will expand to
make room. But please be conscientious about recording
everything, including your reactions as the interviewer! Good
luck and have fun!
INTERVIEW NOTES
Data Collector ID:
Location of Interview:
Date:
Time:
Duration of Interview:
Description of Surroundings:

3. Description of Interview Participant (include physical
description, dress, and rough demographics):
SCHEDULE OF QUESITONS:
1. We all belong to different groups, and all groups have some
relative status in society. Some of those groups have higher
status and so give their members advantages relative to others.
Many of these are related to physical characteristics (such as
race, gender, or attractiveness), cultural characteristics (such as
ethnicity, religion, or regional origin), or access to resources
(such as wealth, income, or education). What do you think the
most important groups are today for giving their members
advantages?
2. What do you think the most significant groups are today
resulting in disadvantages for their members?
3. Is the United States an equal society? Does everyone get the
same fair chance? Why do you think the way you do?
4. Is the United States more equal now than in the past? Why
do you think the way you do?
5. Is equality and fair opportunity discussed enough as an issue
in the United States today? Why do you think the way you do?
6. What things could we do as a country to improve equality in
the United States, or does it need improving? Why do you think
the way you do?
7. Is prejudice inevitable? Why or why not?
8. There is a lot of talk about "diversity" today. Do you
believe this is an appropriate value for us to pursue as a

4. country? What would an effectively diverse society look like to
you?
9. Race, cultural heritage, sex, sexual orientation, money,
religion, and ideology have all been historical points of division
in societies. Which do you think are the most important for us
today? Are there others that you think are important?
10. Is there an American way of life that you believe all
Americans should accept? If so, what does that look like? If
not, why not?
11. Do you believe you belong to any groups that are afforded
higher status in our society? What are they and how has this
affected your life? Has this ever resulted in your disadvantage?
12. Do you believe you belong to any groups that are afforded
lower status in our society? What are they and how has this
affected your life? Has this ever resulted in your disadvantage?
13. Do you feel you have ever been discriminated against? If
so, what were the circumstances? If not, why do you feel that
has never been the case?
14. Do you feel that any other groups are angry at a group that
you are a member of? Has this ever personally affected you?
15. Were you raised with any prejudices that you recognize? If
so, what were they? How do you feel about them now?
16. What are the most important ways that prejudice and
discrimination might effect your day to day life?
17. What are the most important ways that prejudice and
discrimination might be a national or international issue in the
coming years?

5. © Park University SO308 – Assignment 5 – Page 1 9/17/2007
Week 5 Assignment – “Data 4: Interview”
Learning Outcomes
2. Apply the principles of the scientific method to social
science research.
5. Apply the fundamental aspects of measurement and construct
variables based on those
principles.
9. Apply the principles of ethical research.
10. Gather interactive and nonreactive data.
11. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
12. Collect, analyze, and critically evaluate empirical data.
13. Present research results to specific audiences.
Directions
Assignment 5 – “Data 4: Interview” exercise (40 points or 4%
of your overall grade, due Sunday at
midnight CST of Week 5).
Read the instructions then administer the interview schedule (in
DA4data.doc in the “Doc Sharing”

6. section of this course) to one person. Do not deviate from the
assigned interview schedule. If your
participant allows, you might want to make an audio recording
of your interview to help you construct your
interview notes. Do not submit the recording.
Write up your interview notes and send them to your instructor
through the Dropbox as a .doc, .rtf, or
.txt file, using the field notes specifications. Your interview
notes should contain dense and rich
descriptions of everything you observed (including body
language and other non-verbal cues), and will
likely run to 10 or 15 single-spaced pages (really, many
students do write notes this detailed, but there is
no minimum or maximum — just write them up completely and
to the best of your ability).
Write up a summary of your findings and experience. What are
the results you found? What
challenges did you encounter? What would you do different
next time if you were to repeat this exercise?
You will post your “Reflection” essay in the forum provided
then participate in a conversation with the
other students and compare your experiences. Post your
“Reflection” as early as possible in the week to
allow time for a good discussion to develop.
A Perform 1 interview.
B Write up your interview notes and submit them to your
instructor in the form provided.
C Write up a “Reflection” on your findings and experience
(400 to 500 words).
D Post your write-up in the “Reflections” discussion thread and
respond to at least 2 other student

7. postings.
© Park University SO308 – Assignment 5 – Page 2 9/17/2007
Submitting the Assignment and Due Date
Submit your assignment to the Dropbox by Sunday midnight
CST of Week 5.
Format
General Format (same as in week 2)
Write up your interview in a similar professional manner!
Grading Criteria
This assignment is worth 40 points.
Requirements: Points
Covered the topic and project requirements thoroughly:
A - Perform 1 interview, write up your field notes in as much
detail
as you can and submit them in the form provided. 15
B - Write up a summary of your findings and experience and
post it
in the “Reflections” discussion thread. 10
C - Respond to at least 2 other student postings in this

8. “Reflections” thread. 10
Format – 5
Total 40
Questions and Issues:
If you have any questions or issues, please post them to the Q &
A or Reflections discussion thread.
Interview Directions:
The interview continues our study of prejudice and
discrimination using a fourth methodology. It
encourages you to delve deeply into the thoughts, feelings, and
recollections of one participant as in a
case study. You should perform your interview in a quiet place,
free from distractions, and comfortable
for your participant. Record those data according to the
directions and submit them to your instructor so
that they may be included in the complete data set. This must
be completed on time.
Write up your summary and reflection of your field
observations (400 to 500 words) and post it in the
“Reflections” thread. Remember that this is not an analysis of
these data (that will come in Week 8), it is
a reflection on the methodology and your experience. Reply
substantively and critically to at least two
other students.
The interview schedule and data recording form are found in the
file DA4data.doc (under the “Doc

9. Sharing” tab of this course).
Question 1Refer to the Chapter 5 Case Study 5-1 on Page 187 of
your text.Answer the following questions.Question 1Find the
total square footage that requires painting for the bedroom and
the living/dining room, and then find the total square footage for
the entire painting job assuming two coats of paint.
BedroomWallsLength of the wall12Width of the wall14Height
of the wall8Height of the wall8No. of walls2No. of walls2Total
AreaTotal AreaCeilingLength of the ceiling12Width of the
ceiling14Total AreaNot require paintingCloset AreaDoor
AreaWindowTotal area not requiring paining =Closet Area +
Door Area + WindowBedroom Net Area to be Painted =Area of
walls + Area of Ceiling - Not Require PaintingLiving/Dining
RoomWallsLength of the wall20Width of the wall30Height of
the wall10Height of the wall10No. of walls2No. of walls2Total
AreaTotal AreaCeilingLength of the ceiling20Width of the
ceiling30Total AreaNot require paintingPatio Door AreaSingle
Windows AreaNo. of WindowsTotal Windows Area =Single
Windows Area * No. of WindowsPicture Window AreaTotal
area not requiring paining =Patio Door Area + Total Windows
Area + Picture Window AreaLiving/Dining Room Net Area to
be Painted =Area of walls + Area of Ceiling - Not Require
PaintingEntire JobTotal Square Footage =Bedroom Net Area to
be Painted + Living, Dining Net Area to be PaintedNo. of coats
of paintGrand Total Sq. Footage =Total Square Footage * No. of
coats of paintQuestion 2One gallon of paint will cover 350
square feet and costs $35, and each surface will require two
coats. Using your answer to question 1, determine the total
number of gallons required and total cost for paint, by rounding
up to the nearest gallon. No. of square feet 1 gallon of paint
would coverGrand Total Sq. Footage to be painted =C55No. of
gallons of paint needed for the job =C64/C63Cost of one gall of
paintTotal Cost of the paint =No. of gallons needed for the
job*Cost of one gallon of paintQuestion 3Using a painting rate

10. of 150 square feet per hour (including prep time), a labor rate of
$20 per hour, and a desired profit margin of 30% (or 0.3),
calculate the total labor cost, profit margin, and final bid price
for this paintingjob—including the total paint cost from
question 2. Painting Ratesquare feet per hourGrand Total Sq.
Footage to be painted =C55No. of labor hours =Grand Total Sq.
Footage to be painted divided by Painting RateLabor RateTotal
Cost of Labor =Labor Rate*No. of labor hoursTotal Cost of
Materials (Paint) =C68Total Cost of Labor + Materials
(Paint)Profit Margin =C83*Desired Profit MarginFinal Bid
Price =Total cost of material + Labor + Profit Margin
Question 2 Refer to the Chapter 6 Case Study 6-3 on Page 224
of your text.Answer the following questions.Part 1Part
3RoomDimensionsArea in Square FeetCost to Carpet% of total
cost by RoomMaster bedroom16ft by 18 ftBedroom #112 ft by
13 ftBedroom #210 ft by 12 ftHallway10 ft by 3 ftLiving
room15 ft by 20 ftTotal CostPart 2Cost to carpetper square
yard1 square yardsquare feetCost to carpetper square feetPart
4Discount (%)Total CostTotal Savings =Discount(%)*Total
CostPart 5Cash they can payArea of carpet they can afford to
buysquare feetAmount to borrowTotal CostTotal SavingsCurrent
Cash they holdAmount to borrow =Total Cost - Total Savings -
Current Cash they holdPart 6Cost to carpet only
bedroomsAmount to carpet living room and hallwayPart
7Amount saved per monthAmount NeededNo. of monthsmonths