Elite Interviewing in Political Science: Insights from Leading Journals

Interviewing elites provides unique insights and generates reliable data for investigating political complexities (Berry 2002).1 Scholars often revere this tool and underscore the advantages of its use in developing and testing theories, but there is a limited discussion on designing and reporting elite interviews. This article draws on an original dataset of articles from major political science journals (2000–2023) to analyze the use and evolution of elite interviewing and assess reporting practices. Given the iterative nature of data collection and analysis in interview research, thorough reporting is crucial for enhancing transparency and accountability (Bleich 2013). Therefore, researchers should prioritize robust reporting practices to maximize the potential of elite interviews, focusing on aspects such as transparent sampling and clear documentation.