For this method, I chose to use the interview method. I find this method before in my previous research projects and I felt it to be more suitable and informative because it allows you to come up with your own questions. I never really had experience interviewing children because all my interviews involved adults. But being that I have worked with children all my life from various age groups between 4-14 year olds, I do know what to ask and what not to ask the children on a regular basis.
I decided to interview my best friend’s nine year old son Nicholas. I conducted the interview at my best friend’s house because that is obviously where he lives. I felt he would be more comfortable in the presence of his home. He had his action figures and his bed and his games so he was very relaxed. I explained to him the purpose of my interview and told him that he has all the free range when he answers the questions. The main point in my interview was to understand why he loves to dance and what made him become involved in music.
To start off the interview, I asked him “Why do you like to dance”? He replied, “Because I like how the music makes my body feel.” I then asked him “what about the music feels good?” he replied, “It’s just how the beat drops. And when the beat drops, you have to move and let your body go with the music”. When he answered, I laughed because I thought this was a funny answer. Before I can ask my next question, he laughs and says “Chyna, you dance too. I always see you moving when the music drops”. So we both laughed and I said “yeah, you’re right”.
The interview went efficiently. It was very easy to perform this method because I have known Nicholas since he was a baby. I knew he would be comfortable to talk to me about anything and that he would let me know if he didn’t feel like answering a question or if he wasn’t able to understand what was being asked. I would most definitely use this type of method in my group’s research project because it provides a great amount of information that both the reader and the researcher can use to obtain a more detailed understanding of how an individual feels on a particular topic.
