Final answer:
The main purpose of conducting interviews when little information is available is to gather information and insights from experts, which is part of primary research. Interviews can also validate existing information and contribute to the creation of new knowledge on the subject.
Step-by-step explanation:
When tasked with writing a report on a topic for which there is little or no existing information, conducting interviews with experts or veterans is essential. The purpose of conducting interviews in this situation can be manifold. Primarily, interviews serve to gather information and insights from those who have authoritative knowledge or direct experience in the field. This aligns with the process of primary research, where direct information is collected to provide new and original insights into a given subject. Additionally, interviews can validate existing information by cross-referencing expert opinions or facts presented by interviewees. Although creating new information might not be the explicit goal of every interview, the insights gained can indeed contribute to the generation of new knowledge within a field that has yet to be thoroughly explored.
Interviews are particularly useful for gathering information that is not recorded in literature or available online, such as personal experiences or professional practices that have not been widely documented. The iterative process of asking questions, seeking clarifications, and probing further into subtopics allows the researcher to obtain detailed and nuanced data that would be hard to access otherwise. This comprehensive research approach ensures that the time spent in interviewing is far from wasted, but rather is a valuable and intentional step in the research process.