Interviewing

This will be you

Adapted from Adapted from ““What Questions Do We AskWhat Questions Do We Ask”” by Carol Hallenbeck, by Carol Hallenbeck, Practical Ideas For Teaching JournalismPractical Ideas For Teaching Journalism

Journalists Ask Questions

• What is the team going to do to get ready for the big game, coach?

• Why did the school board make that decision, sir?

• How do you think this new program will benefit the French department, Mrs. Trager?

Research the topic before the interview

• Make sure to get to know the person or the topic before the interview.

Prepare questions ahead of time• Make sure to make a list of questions ahead of

time.• These questions should not be able to be answered

with a simple “yes” or “no.”• Write questions that make the interviewee answer

with a statement. This will yield better quotes.• Get as many specific details as possible.• Remember that an interview is a conversation.• Make sure your questions are specific and short.

At the interview• Be on time

– Remember, you are taking their time.• Be patient

– Make sure the person has finished answering a question before going to the next.

• Be flexible– Be ready to change your line of interviewing

if the person has more interesting things to say.

…at the interview

• Be quiet– You want the person you are interviewing to do

most of the talking• Be smart

– Ask the tough questions last. That way, if the person refuses to answer, at least you will have all of the other information you need

• Be polite– Remember to say “Thank You.”

Type of Questions

• Always have a list of questions prepared

• Don’t be afraid to stray from your prepared questions if the person starts talking about other interesting items.

The Opener

• A beginning question or remark to start the interview in a non-threatening manner– Comment on the weather – Comment on something in the office – Comment on something of interest to the interviewee – MOST IMPORTANT: Gain their trust of your

thoroughness, by asking for the spelling of their name and double-checking you wrote it down correctly.

First Step Question

• Address the topic of the interview– Reporter: “When I made the appointment, I

said that I wanted to ask you about the preparations the Trivia Team is making for Saturday’s competition. Would you tell me exactly what you are doing?”

Qualifier Question

• How qualified is the source?

• Reporter: “Mrs. Biblioteca, how many years have you been the sponsor?”

Routine Factual Questions

• Ask the basics…

• The Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How information

• What is trivia, who are the members, etc.

Numerical Questions

• Numerical questions provide statistical information

• How many years has the school competed? How many times has the school won?

Open-Ended Question Openers

• What do you think…

• Why do you think…

• How do you feel about…

• Tell me about…

In-depth Questions

G-O-S-S-E-Y

G is for Goals

• Why do we have a trivia team?

• What are the goals of the club?

O is for Obstacles…

• That stand in the way – Who are your greatest rivals?– Who has a good chance to beat you?– Why is this so?

S is for Solutions

• What are you doing to keep from getting beaten?

• If literature is a category which gives your team trouble, what is the team doing about that?

S is for Start

• How did the Trivia Club start?

• When did you win the first championship?

• When did you start the frosh/soph team?

E is for Evaluation

• Has this proved to be a worthwhile activity for the students?

• What exactly does it contribute to our school and the students who participate?

Y is for Why

• Why are all the schools all over the country getting into the Trivia Team business?

• Why does Kiwanis Club sponsor the club?

• Why do students want to be in the club?

Most Critical Step: Listen

• Good interviewers are good __________

• Listen for the pearls and diamonds

• Ask a “responder” to find out more– Oh?– Really?– Would you explain what you mean?– Can you give me an example?

Quote Accurately

• Don’t be afraid to ask, “Do I have this down right?”

• NEVER promise to let anyone review your story in advance.

Solicit Anecdotes

• Get the stories that show the source and cohorts in action

• Ask directly: What is the most exciting moment your remember in a Trivia Team match? Did any of your players do anything dumb? Was there a time when you substituted a player whose substitution won or lost the game?

Follow-up Questions

• Ask questions that you think of on the spur of the moment based on what the interviewee said.

Imaginative Questions

• Often redirect the interview. Ask something you thought of because of a source’s answer.

• “Do your team members carry good luck charms?” “Why do you believe there are no girls on the academic team?”

Drop the Grenade

• Sometimes hard questions must be asked.• Establish a rapport with the interviewee to

make him/her more willing to respond to the grenade.

• Approach it carefully.– Some people have said that you have favorite

players who get to play all the time even though they are not as good as other players. How would you comment on this?

Recovering from the Grenade

• Reestablish the friendly relationship by asking neutral questions.– Are you going to have breakfast together

before the match?

Finally…

• Remember to take good notes or tape record the interview.

• Pay attention to the answers you are given.• Don’t be afraid to ask the subject to repeat or

slow down.• Find a quiet place to conduct the interview.• Make sure to ask how to spell the person’s name.• Make sure to listen intently.

Conclude the Interview

• Thank the source for his/her time.

• Ask if you can check back if you have any further questions.

• Invite the interviewee to call you if they find they have more to say.

• Collect phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc. and leave yours.

“Off the Record”

• If the source tells a reporter that what s/he is about to say is “off the record,” this means the source does not want the information printed. If the reporter listens to the information, s/he is bound by reporter’s ethics not to publish it.

• To relieve yourself of responsibility, say “If I cannot print it, please do not give me the information.”

• If you do listen to it, you may try to find someone who does want it printed.

No Comment

• If the source says “No comment,” this means s/he will not answer the question.

• Why s/he won’t talk is of interest.

• Reporters must rely on information from elsewhere to make the story happen.

Practice #1

• You hear a rumor that dances at your school have been canceled because of some difficulties at last Friday’s dance. You make an appointment with Assistant Principal Chris McCabe.. After being admitted to his office, you greet him with a smile, sit down as he waves you to a chair across from him and say…

Interviewing Day Two

• Proof of how research really makes a difference:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OlpKwjCIHw

Practice #2

• You stumble over a kitten as you leave your Spanish II class. It “meows” pitifully and you notice it is skin and bones. Then notice another cat by the trashcan. You count 20 before the day is over. You make an appointment with School Resource Officer Jeanice Corum to find out where the flood of abandoned cats is coming from. You sit in his office after school and say…

Practice #3• Your editor assigns you to cover the impending

impeachment of North StuCo president Katelynn Downey. It is the first time in the history of North that anyone has tried to remove a StuCo officer from his/her job. Downing is very popular with the athletes and cheerleaders, but has enemies among other student groups. You pull senior Jim Smith, the student leading the fight for impeachment, out of class. You take him to a quiet place to sit down and you say…

Practice #4

• You are a football drop-out. As a sophomore you were too little and too slow to make the squad. But there is one body, senior Billy Blimp, who has sat on the bench for four years without ever playing one game. Friday’s game is the last game of the season. You want to write a story about this 400-pound bench warmer, and arrange to meet him for lunch. As you get comfortable in the senior courtyard, you say…

Interview Practice

• To get ready for interviews, we are going to interview each other.

• I’ll draw names to find your partner

• Today: work on creating 10 questions to interview your partner– Remember the order of questions

• Must get the questions checked by me by end of the hour

Interview Day Three• Focus today is to interview your partner. • Reminders:

– Introduce yourself– Ask name/spelling– Ask your questions – LISTEN– Conclude interview and thank them

• Must finish both interviews today• When finish, clean up interview notes