Conduct interviews.
A successful interview involves careful planning before the interview, but it also requires keen listening skills and the ability to ask appropriate follow-up questions while conducting the interview. Courtesy and consideration for your subject are crucial at all stages of the process.
Planning an interview involves the following:
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Choosing an interview subject. For a profile of an individual, your interview will be with one person; for a profile of an organization, you might interview several people, all with different roles or points of view. Prepare a list of interview candidates, as busy people might turn you down.
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Arranging the interview. Give your prospective subject a brief description of your project, and show some sincere enthusiasm for your project. Keep in mind that the person you want to interview will be donating valuable time to you, so call ahead to arrange the interview, allow your subject to specify the amount of time she or he can spare, and come prepared.
Preparing for the Interview
In preparation for the interview, consider your objectives:
- Do you want details or a general orientation (the “big picture”) from this interview?
- Do you want this interview to lead you to interviews with other key people?
- Do you want mainly facts or opinions?
- Do you need to clarify something you have observed or read? If so, what?
Making an observational visit and doing some background reading beforehand can be helpful. Find out as much as you can about the organization or company (size, location, purpose, etc.), as well as the key people.
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Good questions are key to a successful interview. You will likely want to ask a few closed questions (questions that request specific information) and a number of open questions (questions that give the respondent range and flexibility and encourage him or her to share anecdotes, personal revelations, and expressions of attitudes):
| Open Questions |
Closed Questions |
| What do you think about ? |
How do you do ? |
| Describe your reaction when happened. |
What does mean? |
| Tell me about a time you were . |
How was developed? |
The best questions encourage the subject to talk freely but stick to the point. You may need to ask a follow-up question to refocus the discussion or to clarify a point, so be prepared. If you are unsure about a subject’s answer, follow up by rephrasing the subject’s answer, prefacing it by saying something like “Let me see if I have this right” or “Am I correct in saying that you feel ?” Avoid forced-choice questions (“Which do you think is the better approach: or ?”) and leading questions (“How well do you think is doing?”).
Another key to good interviewing is flexibility. Ask the questions you have prepared, but also be ready to shift gears to take full advantage of what your subject can offer.
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Take notes. Take notes during the interview, even if you are recording your discussion. You might find it useful to divide several pages of a notebook into two columns or to set up a word processing file in two columns. Use the left-hand column to note details about the scene and your subject or about your impressions overall; in the right-hand column, write several questions and record answers to your questions. Remember that how something is said is as important as what is said. Look for material that will give texture to your writing—gesture, verbal inflection, facial expression, body language, physical appearance, dress, hair, or anything that makes the person an individual.
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Listen carefully. Avoid interrupting your subject or talking about yourself; rather, listen carefully and guide the discussion by asking follow-up questions and probing politely for more information.
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Be considerate. Do not stay longer than the time you were allotted unless your subject agrees to continue the discussion, and show your appreciation for the time you have been given by thanking your subject and offering her or him a copy of your finished project.
For an example of a student’s interview notes, see Chapter 3.
After the interview, do the following:
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Reflect on the interview. As soon as you finish the interview, find a quiet place to reflect on it and to review and amplify your notes. Asking yourself questions like these might help: What did I learn? What seemed contradictory or surprising about the interview? How did what was said fit my own or my readers’ likely expectations about the person, activity, or place? How can I summarize my impressions?
Also make a list of any questions that arise. You may want to follow up with your subject for more information, but limit yourself to one e-mail or phone call to avoid becoming a bother.
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Thank your subject. Send your interview subject a thank-you note within twenty-four hours of the interview. Try to reference something specific from the interview, something you thought was surprising or thought provoking. And send your subject a copy of your finished project with a note of appreciation.
PRACTICING THE GENRE
In pairs, practice the genre by interviewing a classmate:
- First, spend five to ten minutes writing questions and thinking about what you’d like to learn. Then, during a ten-minute interview, ask the questions you have prepared, but also ask one or more follow-up questions in response to something your classmate has told you.
- Following the interview, spend a few minutes thinking about what you learned about your classmate and about conducting an interview. What might you do differently when conducting a formal interview?