The expert interview is a frequently used method in empirical social research. It is used in policy and implementation research, in industrial sociology, in elite and use research and in many areas of applied social research. The main interest in the interview is the expert knowledge, the expertise of a person (cf. Bohnsack et al. 2003, p. 57).
Against the background of the increasing use of the expert interview in nursing science, this interview form is presented as a method of qualitative social research in the first part of this paper.
A further chapter deals with the question of who can be drawn into the circle of experts for this interview form. The following chapters contain the concrete application of the expert interview as well as the evaluation of the data.
An excursus at the end of the thesis introduces the expert interview in health and care research. A critical methodological discussion of the expert interview concludes this paper.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The expert interview
3 Scientific and methodological foundations
3.1 Strategy and approach of empirical social research
3.2 Methodological classification of the expert interviews
4 The circle of experts for the expert interview
4.1 The expert and the expert knowledge according to Meuser and Nagel
4.1.1 Experts with operational knowledge
4.1.2 Experts with contextual knowledge
4.1.3 Experts in exploration
4.2 The expert term according to Bogner and Menz
4.2.1 The voluntarist expert concept
4.2.2 The constructivist concept of experts
4.2.3 The sociological concept of experts in the sociology of knowledge
4.3 The expert after glasses and laudel
4.3.1 The expert as a privileged person in a functional context
4.3.2 The expert as a person with special knowledge of social issues
4.4 The application of the expert interview and selection of experts
4.5 Application forms of the expert interview
5 The guideline-based expert interview as Survey method
5.1 From research question to interview guide
5.2 From the research question to select the experts
5.3 The guiding questions and guideline construction
5.4 Typing of interview questions
5.5 Guide function
5.6 Practical information on guideline construction
5.7 Data collection considerations
5.7.1 Scheduling
5.7.2 Case group selection and case size
5.8 Conducting the expert interview and the role income of the interviewers
5.9 The interview situation as a potential problem area
5.10 Notes on data evaluation
6 The expert interview in health and nursing research
6.1 Application examples of health and nursing research
6.2 Frequency of application and methodological reflection
7 Criticism of the method of expert interview
7.1 Criticism of the concept of experts and expertsknow
7.2 Other interview procedures with experts
8 Summary
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This paper aims to provide a comprehensive methodological introduction to the expert interview as a tool for qualitative social research, specifically within the context of nursing science, while critically examining the definition and selection of experts and the practical execution of the method.
- Theoretical and methodological foundations of qualitative expert interviews.
- Definitions and selection criteria for experts in sociological discourse.
- Practical construction of interview guidelines and data collection strategies.
- Application and challenges of expert interviews in health and nursing research.
- Critical methodological reflection on the expert interview as an independent research method.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2.2 The constructivist concept of experts
The role of "being an expert" is based on the attribution of expertise by the researcher. It determines the selection and the expert becomes a construct of research interest. With the mechanism of attribution of the expert role, a methodical-relational approach and a social-representational approach are pursued. The methodical-relational approach is interested in objective factual knowledge and is not only looking for experts in the top hierarchical levels of an organization. In the social-representational approach of the concept of expert, on the other hand, the particularly representative personalities and members of functional elites are meant, who are equipped with influential specialist knowledge and prestige (cf. Bogner et al. 2005 b, p. 40 f.).
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the expert interview's role in empirical research and outlines the paper's scope in nursing science.
2 The expert interview: Defines the expert interview as a reconstructive qualitative method designed to gain insights into insider knowledge and action structures.
3 Scientific and methodological foundations: Positions the expert interview within the interpretative paradigm of qualitative social research, distinguishing it from quantitative, statistics-based strategies.
4 The circle of experts for the expert interview: Explores various sociological definitions of "experts" and criteria for their selection in research.
5 The guideline-based expert interview as Survey method: Details the practical process of conducting expert interviews, including guide construction, interviewer roles, and data collection.
6 The expert interview in health and nursing research: Examines specific applications and challenges of the method within the healthcare and nursing sectors.
7 Criticism of the method of expert interview: Addresses methodological criticisms, including the imprecision of the term "expert interview" and the complexity of expert selection.
8 Summary: Concludes that while the expert interview is widely used and popular, it lacks a uniform theoretical foundation and requires further methodological debate.
Keywords
Expert interview, qualitative social research, nursing science, expert knowledge, interview guide, reconstructive method, methodology, empirical research, functional elite, contextual knowledge, data collection, interview situation, theory generation, research ethics, social systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper focuses on the expert interview as a specific method of qualitative social research, particularly analyzing its methodology, definition, and application in professional fields like nursing science.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
The main themes include the definition of expertise, the development of interview guidelines, the interaction between interviewer and interviewee, and the methodological positioning of the expert interview within social science.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The primary goal is to explain the expert interview as an independent research method and to highlight the current discourse on selection criteria and practical implementation challenges.
Which scientific methods are analyzed?
The paper primarily analyzes qualitative methods, with a focus on guideline-based expert interviews, and contrasts them with quantitative, statistics-based research paradigms.
What does the main body address?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations, the definition and selection of experts according to various authors, the practical construction and application of interviews, and a critical discussion of the method.
Which keywords define this research?
Key terms include expert interview, qualitative research, nursing science, insider knowledge, and methodological reflection.
How is the "expert" defined in this study?
The study highlights different perspectives, including functional elites as experts, the constructivist view of the researcher assigning the role, and the broad definition of experts as individuals who can reconstruct social processes.
Why is the expert interview considered a "reconstructive" method?
It is considered reconstructive because its aim is not just to collect opinions, but to systematically reconstruct the unconscious logic, routines, and implicit knowledge behind expert actions.
- Quote paper
- Stefanie Monke (Author), 2007, The expert interview as a method of qualitative social research, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1158768
