Home Chapter 10. Continuers in research interviews
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 10. Continuers in research interviews

A closer look at the construction of rapport in talk about interfaith dialogue
  • Elizabeth M. Pope
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
Interactional Studies of Qualitative Research Interviews
This chapter is in the book Interactional Studies of Qualitative Research Interviews

Abstract

Richards (2011) discussed the importance of understanding the role that continuers (Schegloff 1982) play in research interviews, proposing that understanding how talk is organized has been overlooked in researcher training. This paper draws from ethnomethodology and conversation analysis to explore the researcher’s use of “mm hm” as a response token in a set of three interviews conducted with one participant during a qualitative case study. Specifically, it focuses on how the use of “mm hm” as a continuer, an acknowledgement token used as a way to give attention to participant accounting, and the use of silence might contribute to the interactional accomplishment of establishing rapport. Finally, the researcher reflects on the usefulness of examining response tokens in research interviews ethnomethodologically, the implications for developing interviewing expertise, and offers suggestions for future research.

Abstract

Richards (2011) discussed the importance of understanding the role that continuers (Schegloff 1982) play in research interviews, proposing that understanding how talk is organized has been overlooked in researcher training. This paper draws from ethnomethodology and conversation analysis to explore the researcher’s use of “mm hm” as a response token in a set of three interviews conducted with one participant during a qualitative case study. Specifically, it focuses on how the use of “mm hm” as a continuer, an acknowledgement token used as a way to give attention to participant accounting, and the use of silence might contribute to the interactional accomplishment of establishing rapport. Finally, the researcher reflects on the usefulness of examining response tokens in research interviews ethnomethodologically, the implications for developing interviewing expertise, and offers suggestions for future research.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Contributors xi
  5. Transcription conventions xv
  6. Preface xvii
  7. Part I. Introduction
  8. Chapter 1. Introduction 3
  9. Part II. Exploring the interactional details of interviewer-interviewee identities and knowledge production in research interviews
  10. Introduction to Part II. Exploring the interactional details of interviewer-interviewee identities and knowledge production in research interviews 31
  11. Chapter 2. “Like us you mean?” 37
  12. Chapter 3. Research interviewers as ‘knowers’ and ‘unknowers’ 59
  13. Chapter 4. On doing ‘being feminist’ and ‘being researcher’ 79
  14. Chapter 5. “What does it mean?” 103
  15. Chapter 6. Epistemic shifts 125
  16. Part III. Exploring conversational resources and social actions produced in interviews
  17. Introduction to Part III. Exploring conversational resources and social actions produced in interviews 143
  18. Chapter 7. “That’s a stupid question!” 147
  19. Chapter 8. “But you’re gonna ask me questions, right?” 181
  20. Chapter 9. “It doesn’t make sense, but it actually does” 201
  21. Chapter 10. Continuers in research interviews 219
  22. Chapter 11. Discourse strategies of mitigation in an oral corpus of narratives of life experience collected in interviews 239
  23. Part IV. Summing up
  24. Chapter 12. The way(s) of interviewing 271
  25. References 283
  26. Author index 319
  27. Subject index 325
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.220.10pop

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Contributors xi
  5. Transcription conventions xv
  6. Preface xvii
  7. Part I. Introduction
  8. Chapter 1. Introduction 3
  9. Part II. Exploring the interactional details of interviewer-interviewee identities and knowledge production in research interviews
  10. Introduction to Part II. Exploring the interactional details of interviewer-interviewee identities and knowledge production in research interviews 31
  11. Chapter 2. “Like us you mean?” 37
  12. Chapter 3. Research interviewers as ‘knowers’ and ‘unknowers’ 59
  13. Chapter 4. On doing ‘being feminist’ and ‘being researcher’ 79
  14. Chapter 5. “What does it mean?” 103
  15. Chapter 6. Epistemic shifts 125
  16. Part III. Exploring conversational resources and social actions produced in interviews
  17. Introduction to Part III. Exploring conversational resources and social actions produced in interviews 143
  18. Chapter 7. “That’s a stupid question!” 147
  19. Chapter 8. “But you’re gonna ask me questions, right?” 181
  20. Chapter 9. “It doesn’t make sense, but it actually does” 201
  21. Chapter 10. Continuers in research interviews 219
  22. Chapter 11. Discourse strategies of mitigation in an oral corpus of narratives of life experience collected in interviews 239
  23. Part IV. Summing up
  24. Chapter 12. The way(s) of interviewing 271
  25. References 283
  26. Author index 319
  27. Subject index 325
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 18.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/z.220.10pop/html
Scroll to top button