onfirms or refutes different hypotheses about society and is a crucial part of the development of knowledge in modern society. Qualitative research is a method among many others of how we describe and explain our social world, however, it is the principal way that we base our starting theories of society to later be examined. “The label ‘qualitative research’ is used as an umbrella term for a series of approaches to research in the social sciences” (Flick 2007). While quantitative research is draws more attention to the numerical aspect of research and can assist in establishing mathematical support for hypotheses, qualitative research tends towards the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of different experiences. Interviews and participant observation are two of the most popular approaches when conducting qualitative research. Interviews can be branched off into structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews, all of which have their own benefits and drawbacks as a research method. When a researcher uses interviews as their research method, a researcher will utilise all available meaning from the data collected. Although the effectiveness of interviews can be questioned depending on the situation or context in which the interview is being conducted, interviews are generally seen as an effective method of social research because of the authenticity of the interview process. Participant observation allows the researcher to see the ‘backstage culture’ of a particular group, therefore allowing the researcher to attain a more genuine opinion or conception on a particular matter. Participant observation encourages the researcher to observe more than just a select groups opinion, but also their behaviour, which helps the researcher understand why and how a group of people would have formed that opinion and come to that conclusion. In-depth interviews and participant observation offer different strengths and weaknesses depending as research methods that are highlighted depending on the topic being studied. In-depth interviews are generally fairly loose, semi-structured interviews that are commonly referred to as ‘conversations with a purpose’ (Burgess, cited in Mason, 1998:38). This structure helps an interviewee feel more at ease, therefore encouraging them to talk for longer about the topic being researched. They can be used to study in more detail with particular interviewees topics that have been covered in wider surveys. Alternatively, they can be used as a part of an ethnographic approach to researching a topic. The in-depth intervi>