THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERVIEW FOR DATA COLLECTION IN LEGAL RESEARCH

Abstract

This paper underscores the necessity of Interview as a vital method of data collection in legal research. The paper utilizes relevant statutes, treaties, textbooks, judicial precedents/case law. The paper is indispensable due to the scarcity of materials in the subject matter coupled with the attendant challenges faced by legal researchers using interview as a mode of data collection in legal research. There is compelling need to simplify and proffer solutions to those problems to ease research work. This paper lucidly examines nature of ethical consideration in legal research, importance of data collection, types of data collection in legal research, types of interview, characteristics, merits, demerits of interview, the practice of interview, and method of data collection in legal research. The findings of this paper are Interviews may be either structured or unstructured. Questionnaires will only be utilized where a certain amount is already known about the topic being studied. The depth interview enables the researcher to tackle sensitive embarrassing topics with the individual. Depth interviews are also useful when the decisions under study are complex. The paper concluded that Interview bias is mostly due to a lack of objectivity and or failure to administer questions properly. Focus group interviews entails small groups of persons who are encouraged to treat a topic and are restrained from straying from that topic by a moderator. It was recommended that Legal researchers should be more proactive in carrying out their research work, the universities, research institutions should vigorously teach law students and future researchers how to carry out their research work, interview as a means of data collection should be encouraged in the legal profession, law researchers should compulsorily frame their questionnaires in a manner, that they are relevant to the essence of the study.