INTERVIEWING PROCEDURES
EXCERPTED FROM The Basics of Media Writing: A Strategic Approach by Scott A. Kuehn and Andrew Lingwall (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2016)
Interviews are semiformal interpersonal communication situations–part conversation and part interrogation. Unlike everyday one-on-one communication, interviews should be planned, with questions thought out before discussion takes place. As a journalist, you should be prepared to lead your subject through a series of questions to obtain the information you seek. […]
All interviews contain an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction occurs as you and the source greet each other. Rapport-building small talk helps set the subject at ease, so plan a few conversation starters ahead of time: the weather, results of recent sports events, or major news topics of interest in the local area. Through careful observation of your subject during small talk, you can also determine whether he or she is likely to be cooperative or evasive and get a sense of how much time you may have for your questions.
The question-and-answer section formed the body of the interview. Ask a question or two based on your story research, and then let your source speak for a while. Open your eyes and your mind and absorb what he or she is saying. Take notes and ask the sourceto slow down or restate anything you didn’t get at first. Think ahead to your next question, and other new ones that may arise, but resist the temptation to jump in with them too quickly. Often, sources will make some of the most important statements near the beginning of the interview. When you sense that your source has finished answering the question or is drifting too far from it, it’s time to ask your next question
Types of Interview Questions
Many reporters find it useful to begin their interviews with more general, less challenging questions and then proceed to more specific challenging questions. The best approach depends on the situation. In general, reporters have three basic types of interview questions.
The closed-ended question seeks brief answers like confirmation of a date, time, address, or some other objective response. For example,
- Where were you when the tornado occurred?
- Did you get a look at the man who stole the car?
- What time did you see the plane go down?
- What is your name and address?
Closed-ended questions are easy to answer and often work very well to move a subject into a deeper line of conversation.
The open-ended question allows the subject to give details and perspective and long answers. They are most useful for uncovering descriptions and explanations. For example,
- Can you describe how this wedding gown is made?
- How was the dog behaving just before it bit the neighbor?
- What inspires you to run so many marathons?
- Which organic ingredients are used in this skin care line?
Subjects have to think a bit more to answer open-ended questions, so be patient as they answer. A healthy mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions works well for most interviews
Reporters use probing questions to seek additional information from their subjects. A subject may tell you only part of what he or she knows. Ask probing questions to gather more details. Probes are not usually planned. Reporters learn this technique through experience and use it to ask follow-up questions.
In general, there are three types of probes. Clarification probes ask for verification and precise detail. They are usually closed-ended questions. Amplification probes seek out more in-depth explanations of events and issues, and usually consist of open-ended questions. Silent probes work well when you hear someone give a description or make a statement and then pause. In this case, patiently wait for the subject to resume talking and listen carefully to what he or she says next. Subjects often naturally want to fill in silence spaces with more explanation. This is precisely when some of your most valuable information may emerge