Computer-assisted personal interviewing

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Computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) is an interviewing technique similar to computer-assisted telephone interviewing, except that the interview takes place in person instead of over the telephone. Either the respondent or the interviewer sits at a computer terminal and enters the answers. If no interviewer is present, the term Computer-assisted self interviewing (CASI) may be used.

  • Either the respondent or an interviewer sits at a computer terminal and answers a questionnaire using the keyboard or mouse.
  • Help screens and courteous error messages are provided.
  • Colorful screens and on and off-screen stimuli can add to the respondent's interest and involvement in the task.
  • This method has been classified as a personal interview technique since an interviewer is usually present to serve as a host and to guide the respondent.
  • This approach is used in shopping malls, preceded by the intercept and screening process.
  • It is also used to conduct business-to-business research at trade shows or conventions.

For example, CAPI is used as the method of data collection for the British Crime Survey.

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[edit] Advantages

This form of interview is substantially cheaper when a large number of respondents is required, because

  • There is no need to recruit or pay interviewers.
  • There is no need to transcribe the results into a computer form. The computer program can be constructed so as to place the results directly in a format that can be read by statistical analysis programs such as PSPP or DAP.
  • The program can be placed on a web site, potentially attracting a world-wide audience.

[edit] Disadvantages

  • The survey is likely to attract only respondents who are "computer savvy", thus introducing potential bias to the survey.
  • The survey can miss feedback, provide clarification/quality control that a personal interviewer could provide (ex. lots of respondents think the question asks one thing, when it actually asks another)

[edit] Computer-assisted self interviewing

The big difference between a computer-assisted self interview (CASI) and a computer-assisted personal interview is whether or not an interviewer is present. There are two kinds of computer-assisted self interviewing, namely a "video-CASI" and a "telephone-CASI". Video-CASI are often used to make a complex questionnaire more understandable for the person that is being interviewed. Audio-CASI has the same advantage, but could also reduce problems that interviewees have with literacy. Furthermore, both types have a big advantage over computer-assissted personal interviewing, because subjects are more inclined to answer sensitive questions. The reason for this is that they feel that a CASI is more privative.

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