Interviewing Skills

Why Interviews Are Important For high school students, reporting (the gathering of information through interviews, research, observation, etc.) can be more challenging than writing because it involves dealing with unfamiliar people. Interviewing is a learned skill. The more you do it, the better you will become. Some high school journalists have the bad habit of getting just enough information to “float” a story and/or interviewing only their friends. Avoid that. Get far more information than you need from MULTIPLE SOURCES. The more information you have, the better the story you will write.

BEFORE Know the assignment. What are you supposed to cover for this story? What type of story is it? Learn as much as possible about the topic and the person to whom you will be talking. Prepare a list of 10-15 open-ended, thought-provoking questions. Make an appointment in advance, but be prepared to do it “on the spot” if that’s what’s best for the source. Be sure to identify yourself and mention the topic of the interview. FYI: Interviews should be face-to-face. Phone/email should not be used unless your source is far away or it’s a follow-up. Adapted from Beth Fitts

DURING Have writing materials. Always ask permission before using a recorder. Be on time; use your good handshake! Get his/her correct identification (spelling of name, title, etc.) Adapt your style to the situation. Be formal for the superintendent; loosen up if you’re interviewing the winner of a pie-eating contest. Maintain eye contact and try to make the source feel comfortable. Displace your own ideas about the topic. Avoid editorializing when questioning and while taking notes. Be flexible. If something comes up that isn’t part of your pre-planned questions, go with it. A better story might be found in a digression! If there are grammar mistakes in a quote, go ahead and fix them unless it suits the personality of the story. Feel free to ask for clarity if necessary.

AFTER Check the facts to make sure they are accurate. Don’t rely solely on one source. Check the spelling of every name. Look for newsworthiness Write the story as soon after the interview as possible Ask yourself these questions: Is this interesting? Are there unanswered questions? Am I sure of my facts? Have I presented all sides?

“Make the quirk work” More on quotes later… After the interview, the angle of your story may change. If a better story presents itself, go with it! When selecting quotes to use with your story, keep these in mind: Quote that which is said by important people to add credibility to your story Quote unique statements, especially those that reflect genuine emotion or provide an opinion (be sure to present all sides) Incorporate a quote by the third or fourth paragraph of the article and then as often as every other paragraph Try to avoid directly quoting facts. You can paraphrase facts while still referring to your source (i.e., According to Principal Kitley, final exams will begin May 31). More on quotes later…

-- Kathy Craghead, Adviser Update Food for thought… “Writers need about 30 questions for a typical story because they can expect only 10 truly intelligent answers, and of these…perhaps at least three can be considered quotable quotes.” -- Kathy Craghead, Adviser Update

Six Tips on Interviewing from Elon Univeristy: https://www. youtube