In-depth Interviews

OBJECTIVES:
Qualitative study is used to build research hypotheses and to provide input for survey questionnaires and also develop strategic insights into e-journals as part of the scientist's communication toolkit.

METHODS:
The project began investigation with an open-ended qualitative inquiry of interested parties, namely, life scientists such as editors, postdoctoral associates, graduate students, researchers in non-academic institutions, and medical practitioners who could be users of e-journals. This process was based on ethnographic- style interviews, averaging about one and half hour length, structured around five sections . Recording of these interviews were transcribed and analyzed; they helped guide the survey question design process (see findings). These interviews were conducted by Institute for the Future, a not-for-profit research and consulting organization in February and March, 2001.

Last updated: 10-25-02