Interviewing

conversation

Make your informant

Control the direction

Exhibit professionalism

Background research

Be structured

Listen!

Good listeners

• Don't interrupt
• Use body language so interviewer knows they're heard/important
• Encourage response

Your opening question(s)

Open v. closed

Open questions

• Tell me about the time...
• Describe the people who...
• Describe the first time you...
• Tell me about the person who taught you...
• What stands out when you remember...
• Describe a typical day in your life

Closed questions

• Do you like your job?
• Where did you go to school?
• How many hours a week do you work?
• Was the experience hard?

Choose "why"

Follow your

Extending questions

Extending questions

• Can you tell me what that was like?
• Tell me more about that experience.
• What led to that? What happened next?