Quick Help: Interviews

Quick Help: Interviews

  • Determine your exact purpose, and be sure it relates to your research question and hypothesis.

  • Set up the interview well in advance. Specify how long it will take, and if you wish to record the session, ask permission to do so.

  • Prepare a list of factual and open-ended questions. Brainstorming or freewriting can help you come up with questions.

  • Even if you are taping, take notes.

  • If you are taking notes on paper, leave plenty of space after each question. If the interview proceeds in a direction that seems fruitful, don’t feel that you have to ask all of your prepared questions.

  • Record the subject, date, time, and place of the interview.

  • Ask your interviewee for permission to use video, audio, or quotations that will appear in print.

  • Thank those you interview, either in person or in a letter or email.