Interviewing skills

1
Interviewing skills

• ACOM 490/586
• January 2007

2
Interviewing skills

• Interviews/asking questions
• Set aside time to conduct the interview
• Ask probing questions
• Understand the subject matter
• Get the scientist to provide the answer in
  laymans terms

3
Types of questions

• Close-ended questions short answers
• Open-ended questions provides longer answers
• Probes questions that follow up on something the
  interviewee has said. May be neutral or
  challenging.
• Personal questions personal life of the subject.
  Must be approached carefully

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Interview tips

• Avoid yes/no questions.
• Prepare at least 10 questions.
• Think of your audience in preparing questions.
• Start with the 5 Ws and the H questions.
• Dont be afraid to depart from question set
• Be on time!

5
Interview tips

• Dress appropriately.
• State the purpose of the interview.
• Break the ice with light conversation.
• Let your subject do the talking.
• Listen carefully to the answers and take good
  notes.
• Develop an efficient note-taking system
• Get at least three good, insightful quotes

6
Interview tips

• Write down exact spelling of name(s).
  Double-check them!
• Ask for permission to phone back later for more
  information, if necessary.
• Collect more information than you think youll
  need.
• Dont be bashful about asking the person to
  repeat something important.
• Be aware of your surroundings. A few notes about
  the room and other surroundings may be useful in
  a feature story to help set the mood of your
  piece.

7
The interview

• Never plunge in with the tough questions.
• Break the ice, explain who you are, what youre
  doing.
• The opening question should be an open-end
  inquiry that sets the source off on his or her
  favorite subject.
• One question should logically follow another.
  Listen to what the person is saying.

8
The interview

• Listen for hints that suggest questions you had
  not thought of remain flexible!
• As the person talks, ask yourself, What is my
  lead going to be? Do I understand enough to
  state a theme clearly and support it with quotes
  and documentation?

9
The interview

• Do not be afraid to ask naïve questions. Youre
  not going to know everything!
• Get in the habit of asking water-treading
  questions. What do you mean? Why is that?

10
Independent practice

• Spend the next five minutes interviewing a
  classmate and then write a lead for your
  interview.