Structured Interview
An interview in which every participant is asked the same questions in the same order, with little or no deviation from the script.
A structured interview follows a fixed schedule: predetermined questions, asked in a set order and standard wording, often with fixed response options. The interviewer does not improvise follow-ups, so every participant experiences the interview in nearly the same way. This standardization makes responses directly comparable across participants and reduces interviewer effects, which is why structured interviews function much like verbally administered questionnaires and often feed quantitative analysis. The cost is flexibility: unexpected but relevant topics cannot be pursued.
In a thesis, choose a structured format when comparability matters more than depth, for example when you need consistent data from many participants or multiple interviewers. Document the schedule fully and include it in an appendix. Examiners will assess whether the rigidity of the format fits your research question, so state that reasoning rather than leaving it implied.
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