Concentration and stamina are essential
qualities for coping with these simultaneous demands.
One task that can be omitted from this list – and indeed that is best deliberately
set aside during interviews – is analysis. During the interview, the
researcher needs to be totally dedicated to interviewing. Their attention
should be focused on listening and responding. It is deleterious to be thinking
about analytical constructs, or considering how what is being said sits
within analytical themes, during the interview since this means that the
researcher will not be giving their full attention to what the participant is
saying. It can lead to questions that are rooted in the researcher’s over-hasty
interpretation of what they are hearing, rather than questions which seek to
understand the interviewee’s interpretation and the meaning something
holds for them.