Although it may not be the first thing that comes to mind, talking with people one-on-one can provide useful information on your speech topic. Faculty members on your campus or experts in your community can provide insights, explanations, and stories different from online and print resources. For example, interviewing an organ-donor recipient produces a powerful personal story about the importance of organ donation.

If you decide to talk with someone as part of your research, you will need to plan an information interview—a meeting in which you ask questions to gain knowledge or understanding about a particular topic. To conduct a successful interview, you will need to arrange an appointment and indicate how much time you will need with the person. Show respect for your interviewee’s time by sticking to the agreed-upon time frame and having questions prepared in advance. When you interview the person, maintain a friendly but professional manner. For more details about how to conduct an information interview, check out the appendix on pages A-10 to A-13.