Using the Diary–Interview Method with Time-Constrained Professionals: The Case of Journalists and Harassment

Abstract

This article presents a methodological reflection on the diary–interview method’s value and application when used with professionals whose schedules are both demanding and unpredictable, drawing on the authors’ insights from a study examining the harassment and intimidation of journalists. Our experiences demonstrate that combining solicited diary entries with recurring interviews can yield substantial advantages over using either method alone. Diaries are particularly well suited to capturing rich, situated data and individual perspectives, adding distinctive value especially when exploring sensitive or personal issues. Interviews that probe these accounts and revisit incidents in greater depth, in turn, enhance understanding of participants’ emotions, responses, and sensemaking processes. The effective implementation of the diary–interview approach, however, demands considerable investment and commitment from participants, which can pose substantial challenges when working with time-constrained professionals. Our experiences underscore the importance of meticulous advance planning, careful recruitment, and methodological adaptation, as well as the need for flexibility, persistence, and sustained engagement on the part of researchers to maximize the method’s potential with such target groups.