initial interviewing impressions

Conducted my first pilot interview today. I came face to face with my inexperience interviewing. This has been something I have planned to work on throughout the past two years at Goddard, but have never really successfully worked it into my studies until now. Just a few minutes ago, I was checking to see how well the recorder had picked up the conversation. It seems to be ok, a bit noisy, but I can work with that. I intend to at least begin transcribing the interview this afternoon.

Some impressions: I found myself wanting to share my own experiences with my participant this morning. How do I navigate that though? I don't want the telling of my experiences to influence the response of my participant. Yet, as my friend pointed out this morning, what if, in telling my experience, I assist my participant in articulating something they have felt but have not been able to bring into words? It seemed that, as the interview progressed this morning, I became less concerned with how I was going to conduct this conversation (conduct being a key word here) and more at ease and willing to let the conversation flow. At moments, my pilot participant would ask me what areas I had intended to cover with my questions this morning, which felt like, in a sense, we were stepping in and out of roles. In fact, by the end of our time this morning, the interview was bidirectional, much more comfortable, and equally as enlightening. It illuminated how unnecessary my tension was about being prepared for this first pilot interview. I noticed that as the conversation diverged from the specific topic miscarriage there continued to emerge little gems of information about my participant's response to his miscarriage experience.

Looking back at this pilot interview, I received what I needed from it in the way of practice as well as understanding about how this data collection process might be like. I have some notes about what areas I specifically want to talk to men about regarding their miscarriage*, I have a better sense of the possibilities of approaching those areas, and I have a much clearer awareness about the unnecessary tension I am carrying with me about this project. I am going to be fine, I can see that more now.

Wednesday morning I have my final pilot interview with another friend. After today, I already feel much more relaxed about going into this interview with him.

*Areas I want to cover with participants:

• knowledge of miscarriage before and after event
• responses from & interactions with others (medical professionals, family, and friends)
• relationship between belief system and event of miscarriage
• emotional & intellectual response to pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage