Three most
important characteristics of the
interviewer
(1) Sincerity (altruistic purpose
clearly stated)
(2) Curiosity, open
mind
(3) Listening
ability
Ten Stages of
Interviewing
(1) Definition of purpose (Know
what you want and you're halfway there)
(2) Choice of
respondent (Knowing who has the answers).
(3) Pre-interview
research
(4) Planning your
interview
(5) Making an
interview appointment
(6) Meeting-greeting
your respondent/preliminary (icebreaker) conversation
(7) Getting down to
business - your first planned questions
(8) Reaching a
friendly conversational rapport, like old friends
talking
(9) The "bomb."
Potentially embarrassing questions - to be handled
carefully
(10) Ending the
interview - watch for the "afterglow effect"
A
definition
Journalistic Interview: Gathering
information on behalf of an audience by asking
questions.
Pre-interview
checklist
1. Have I made the purpose of my interview clear-both to myself and to
my source? (What do you really want from this interview and
how eager are you to obtain this information? The more
specific your purpose and the more apparent your enthusiasm,
the more likely you are to gain cooperation.)
2. Have I made it
clear (to myself and to the source) why I want information
from this
particular individual? (The source may be flattered to be singled
out.)
3. Have I eliminated
my own pre-conceived biases and removed my emotional
barriers to communications?
4. Have I done
preliminary research on the person and topic to be
discussed--read things about him/her, done preliminary
interviews so that I can develop new areas of
inquiry?
5. Has my research
included preparation for "small talk"
or "icebreaker" kinds
of commentary? (e.g., reviewing news accounts of recent
Supreme Court decisions when preparing to interview a
lawyer.)
6. Before requesting
the interview, have I prepared a few "sample" questions
cold-bloodedly calculated to be both provocative and
ego-reinforcing?
7. Am I prepared to
use my listening "down time" effectively? (Your mind runs 3
to 4 times faster than people's speech so that you can tune
in and out of the conversation. You can make effective use
of the "non-listening" time to evaluate what is said, make
comparisons with other data, take notes, and to think up new
questions.)
8. Am I (or will I be
by interview time?) well rested, well nourished, sober, with
all mental faculties alert so that I can catch the fine
nuances of meaning or things left half-expressed or even
unsaid-in short, ready to listen between the
lines?
Advanced
Interviewing
1. The best
interviewers are those who enjoy people and are eager to
learn more about the people they meet--and who
are eternally curious about darned near
everything.
2. Your reputation
precedes you. Any veteran subject will likely inquire about
you and your methods. Journalists known to be Fair,
Accurate, Complete, and Temperate (FACT acronym) usually
enjoy better cooperation than those who are unfair,
inaccurate, etc.
3.Your own demeanor
is important. Avoid arrogance. Smile a lot, laugh
uproariously at silly attempts at humor, and try to put joy
and spirit into the conversation.
4. It's important
that you communicate your interview
purpose precisely,
even dramatically. Show that you believe in the purpose of
your interview and are enthusiastic about it. Sometimes the
explanation itself will send the respondent on the right
track with little or no further questioning.
5. A pattern for
questioning-chronological, for example-is useful. Another
pattern goes by the acronym GOSS: GOALS (what do you want to
achieve?), OBSTACLES (what stands in the way of
achievement?), SOLUTIONS (how did you or will you remove the
obstacles?), and START (how did it all begin?). A pattern
for observation: SCAM: Setting, Character, Action,
Meaning.
6. Small talk can
helps, not only at the icebreakng stage but throughout the
interview. Be careful. Don't trivialize and don't
dominate the conversation. It's what the
source
says that's
important.
7. Probes-followup
questions-are essential. It's seldom the fast question that
gets to the heart of the matter it's the seventh, or maybe
16th-questions you didn't know you were going to ask but
have chosen to ask because of your careful, thoughtful
listening.
8. Writers: Probe for
anecdotes--that is, for illustrative stories that will make
moments come alive in your writing. Work to obtain specific
information-the more detailed the better.
9. Rejoice audibly
and often when source rewards
you with (A)
anecdotes, (B) examples, (4) quotable quotes and
metaphorical expressions ('I'm like a master mechanic
tinkering under the hood of government," says H. Ross
Perot.)
10. If it's
metaphorical quotes you want, try employing metaphorical
questions. ("Governor, do you hope to hit a home run with
this legislative proposal?")
11. Listening
includes non-verbal demonstration--listening
with the eyes, with smiles and nods, and by avoiding signs
that you're not listening (such as slumped body
posture).
12. Writers: If
something happens in an interview that causes you both to
laugh, consider recreating it as a scene for your
story--make your readers laugh, too.
13. Listen for a
crossroads (significant decisions made in any situation) and
epiphanies (what nugget of learning has come from the
experience?).
14. Avoid asking
people how they "feel" about _____. It's the most trite,
overused question in American journalism and sources begin
to hate it after time. A good substitute: "What were you
thinking when ____?"
15. Avoid using the
term "interview." Call it a "conversafion" or "discussion"
or "chat."
16. Don't be afraid
to drop names. If you've talked to people your source holds
in high regard, don't hesitate to suggest that "Colin Powell
says you have some good ideas on international relations,"
or "Your mother sends her regards--says I should ask about
the time you hit George Bush on the head with a golf
hall."
Final
thoughts
1. Journalism is fun, and the most
fun is talking to people.
2. Your age (if
young) is not a liability--most people enjoy the role of
"teacher."
3. Your "shyness" (if
any)-same deal, particularly if you show careful
listening.
4. Even when you're
saying little or nothing, you're conveying information
(through body language, paralanguage (voice
inflections).
5. It's not the
questions you ask that make for a successful interview but
the attention you pay to the answers you receive.
6. If you expect
people to reveal themselves, try revealing a little of
yourself and (especially) your purpose in asking a
particular line of questions.
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