Abstract:

This paper is mostly about the future of face-to-face interviewing. My thesis is that we will see two revolutions in the methodology of data collection in this area before the end of the century which I shall call the 'CAPI' and the 'HAPPI' revolutions (the latter would cover telephone interviewing as well). I would like to describe how each of these is likely to come about and then discuss some of the implications for the structure and conduct of research. Whilst I will be basing most of my argument on the situation in the UK there is no reason why most of what I have to say should not apply in much of the rest of Europe and possibly beyond.