All empirical research involves some form of data collection. One of the approaches commonly used in the human sciences, is survey research. This article focuses on the various forms of interviews and using the questionnaire technique as a data collection instrument often associated with surveys. It puts the different interview types on a continuum, ranging from structured to unstructured interviews into perspective against two underlying types of data, namely qualitative and quantitative data. The article sensitises the prospective researcher for some pitfalls when using the interview as a data collection technique and includes some hints for the prospective researcher when using the interview data collection technique in practice. It also attempts to bring order into the vocabulary when using the concepts: procedure and technique.