Computer-assisted personal interviewing, or CAPI, uses a computer-based questionnaire during an interviewer-led interview. The interviewer records answers through the system. It differs from a self-completed online questionnaire because an interviewer is part of the interaction.
Understand the interviewer’s role
The system can display questions, record responses and guide the questionnaire sequence, while the interviewer communicates with the respondent. Explain the interaction as well as the technology. A digital device does not make an interview neutral automatically; wording, rapport and the setting still influence how the process works.
Explain routing and data checks
A questionnaire may use earlier answers to determine later questions and may include checks for incomplete or inconsistent responses. These features need careful design and testing. A programmed check is not proof that the recorded answer is correct. Consider what happens when the respondent needs clarification or the interviewer encounters an unexpected answer.
Compare CAPI with other modes
Telephone interviewer-led collection and self-completed web questionnaires offer different conditions. Compare them in relation to access, respondent needs, interviewer involvement and the question type. Avoid assuming that one mode is universally cheapest or most accurate. A comparison should state the context and the evidence behind the claim.
Consider privacy and practical limitations
Explain consent, secure storage, interviewer training and equipment availability at the level required by the project. If the coursework proposes collection, use the institution’s approved arrangements rather than a general guide as permission. Consider how interruptions, connectivity or sensitive questions could affect participation and recording.
Describe the method accurately in a report
State who conducted interviews, how participants were selected and how the questionnaire was administered. Identify relevant limitations separately from the software description. The Office for National Statistics describes CAPI within its Labour Force Survey methodology; use the current survey documentation when discussing that specific example rather than assuming all surveys use the same process.
Sources and further reading
Related study guides
- Types of Research and Study Designs: Choose by the Question
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- Primary Evidence: Meaning, Examples and Source Evaluation
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