GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING AN EFFECTIVE INTERVIEW WITH A PRIMARY SOURCE

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW. Remember you may have only one opportunity to talk with your person. Take full advantage of that! Be prepared is your key. Generally there are three ways to get this information: a sit-down interview, a telephone call, or E-mail. Each has it strengths and limits, but remember because of space and time you may be limited to only one of these. Hopefully if you impress your person enough they will allow you a second interview. You probably should ask for the possibility of additional time at the end of your interview time. Anyway:

1. Prepare by reading and studying all you can find about your subject thoroughly before you meet for the interview, so you can go in knowing what information you want to learn from the source. Also, this helps you establish a good and comfortable rapport with your subject.

2. Be precise with the appointment time and date for your meeting or telephone call. Then, respect your subject’s own time constraints by arriving or calling promptly and being prepared.

3. Schedule the use of a room for the interview that will keep the interview free from distractions and noise. If this is a telephone interview or E-mail do the same.

4. Having a recording machine will help you to efficiently and precisely gather quotes, without slowing down the subject by writing in longhand. Also, it will allow you to actively and fully listen to what the subject is saying, so you can ask good follow up questions when you uncover information you were unaware of beforehand. Find a reliable recording device, and check in advance to be sure you have fresh batteries on hand (if necessary) or an available outlet and power cord. Bring a new 60 minute audio cassette, and have an extra one on hand just in case you need it for more recording time or for technical problems. Tell the interviewee that the purpose of the recording device is for the sake of accuracy as you gather quotes and information while carefully listening. Make it clear that it is only for your personal use and will not shared or played in a presentation to class. A subject might like to know this in advance, as some people feel uncomfortable being recorded.

5. Type out a list of questions, which you plan to ask the subject.

6. Consider sending the interviewee a summary of the type of questions you will be asking so he or she could have some time to think about the people or events that shape the topic the interview.

PREPARING THE QUESTIONS:

1. All of these questions should be “open ended.” This means that they require thoughtful explanations, rather than a simple “yes” or “no” response.

example of an ineffective question: “Were you surprised that the girls’ soccer team made it to the championships in their opening season?”

example of an effective open-ended question: “What do you feel is responsible for the girls being able to make it into the championships with such little experience as a club?”

2. Try to break your questions down into single ideas, rather than many ideas embedded one question. This will allow your subject to stay focused on the task of the question. Additionally, this will ensure that all aspects of your questions are addressed and not forgotten or glossed over by the subject.

3. Try to phrase your questions or prompts in very concrete terms. Do not get sidetracked with buzzwords or specialized language. Try, also, to give the person you are interviewing some frames of reference that allow them to talk and share unsolicited information. For example, you can ask the following type of question:

example of a concrete prompt that allows a subject to recall memories: “Recall for me, if you will, the morning of the championship game when your team took to the field.”

A question such as this will allow the subject to recall memories.

ON THE DAY OF THE INTERVIEW:

1. Consider touching base with your interviewee to remind him or her of your appointment. Then, also, be sure you are at the appointment promptly and prepared with recording equipment, pen/paper, and question list.

2. During the interview, try to send positive non-verbal cues to your subject. You should convey a sense of alertness, interest, and ease. If you can, make eye contact, nod your head in agreement, smile.

3. Listen actively. You cannot possibly have planned for every question in advance. Try to find the balance between keeping the interview on track and not being afraid to ask a clarifying question or follow up question as the interviewee reveals information that you were unaware of previously. These are golden moments. Follow up on them with appropriate questions.

4. Ask questions at a slow and calm pace, speaking clearly. Be sure to pause and give the subject “think time.” This pause in speaking is never as long as it seems to us when we are waiting for the answer, and it will result in more thoughtful responses.

5. Stay alert from signals from the interviewee that he or she is willing to share more than the information, which you asked. For instance, he or she might share an idea and say to you, “Ah, but you don’t want to open up that issue.” Frequently, this is a way of the subject testing the waters to see if you only want to stick closely to the scripted questions. Don’t be afraid to say, “Why don’t you tell me about it?” You might find out something you never would have known to ask. Remember you may not know what the subject of your history paper is going to be until you ask a question that unlocks your story-issue. View your questions as keys unlocking a hidden story. Another metaphor is to see yourself as a detective investigating a potential crime with possible suspects.

6. Do not cut off or talk over your interviewee. This will encourage him or her to give brief answers that are not as effective or insightful.

7. If the interviewee seems to be getting tired or pressed from time. Don’t rush ahead at all costs. Stop and ask to reschedule a follow up appointment.

8. Thank your subject for his or her time. If you took notes, rather than using a recorder, set up a time to verify your notes before leaving.

Sources researched for this handout:

“Oral History Techniques: How to Organize and Conduct Oral History Interviews.” Dr. Barbara

Truesdell, Director of Indiana Univ. Oral Research Center. www.indiana.edu (12 Mar. 2003).

Segall, Vivian. Journalism Teacher at Masuk High School. Monroe, CT. (11 Mar. 2003).

“Ten Tips for a Better Interview.” The International Journalists’ Network. www.ijnet.org (3 Mar. 2003).

(Mr. Sidoli would like to give a special thanks to Miss Jean Evans, WHS English Department for the preparation of this sheet.)