1. Interviews
Chapter 5

2. General Interview Guidelines
Know what you want to find out.
Decide whom to ask.
Decide what sort of interview is involved.
Be comfortable.

3. Preparing and Asking Questions
Prepare Q’s before interview
Research subject
Yes/no q’s (open/closed ended q’s)
-est questions
Stock questions
Embarrassing questions
Listening to responses

4. Conducting the Interview
Ask background info
Observe your subject
Be friendly and attentive
Be aware of ethnic differences
Dress properly

5. Taking Notes
Shorthand skill
Speed writing
Tape recorder

6. Interview via Internet
Convenient (pro)
Newsgroups (pro)
Not everything is honest or accurate (con)
Miss out on non-verbals (con)

7. “Off the record” Can reporter use information, but not name?
Check with interviewee
Can reporter use information, but not name?
Can information not be used at all?
Know when back “on the record”
Must agree to be “off”

8. Writing the Interview Story
Use Details
Use Quotes
Q- and- A technique
Interview article p.111

9. Prepublication Checking
Read back story
Good human relations
Help eliminate mistakes
Difficult for a source to sue you for libel
As a journalist, you don’t have to do this
Prior Review: school administration requires opportunity to review publication (censorship)