1. Interviewing
This will
be you
Adapted from “What Questions Do We Ask” by Carol Hallenbeck, Practical Ideas For
Teaching Journalism

2. Journalists Ask Questions
• What is the team going to do to get ready
for the big game, Coach?
• Why did the school board make that
decision, Sir?
• How do you think this new program will
benefit the French Department, Mrs.
Trager?

3. Open-Ended Question Openers
• What do you think…
• Why do you think…
• How do you feel about…

4. Before the Interview
• Make an appointment in advance
• Introduce yourself…Thank you
• Shake hands
• Look him/her in the eye
• Begin the interview

5. The Opener
• A beginning question or remark to start
the interview in a non-threatening manner
• Comment on the weather
• Comment on something in the office
• Comment on something of interest to the
interviewee

6. First Step Question
• Address the topic of the interview
o Reporter: “When I made the appointment, I
said that I wanted to ask your about the
preparations the Trivia Team is making for
Saturday’s competition. Would you tell me
exactly what your are doing?”

7. Qualifier Question
• How qualified is the source?
• Reporter: “Mrs. Biblioteca, how many
years have you been the adviser?”

8. Routine Factual Questions
• Ask the basics…
• The Who, What, Why, When, Where, and
How information
• What is trivia, who are the members, etc.

9. Numerical Questions
• Numerical questions provide statistical
information
• How many years has the school
competed? How many times has the
school won?

10. In-depth Questions
G-O-S-S-E-Y

11. G is for Goals
• Why do we have a trivia team?
• What are the goals of the club?

12. O is for Obstacles…
• That stand in the way
o Who are your greatest rivals?
o Who has a good chance to beat you?
o Why is this so?

13. S is for Solutions
• What are you doing to keep from getting
beaten?
• If Literature is a category which gives your
team trouble, what is the team doing
about that?

14. S is for Start
• How did the Trivia Club start?
• When did you win the first championship?
• When did you start the frosh/soph team?

15. E is for Evaluation
• Has this proved to be a worthwhile activity
for the students?
• What exactly does it contribute to our
school and the students who participate?

16. Y is for Why
• Why are all the schools all over the
country getting into the Trivia Team
business?
• Why does Kiwanis Club sponsor the club?
• Why do students want to be in the club?

17. Most Critical: Listen
• Good interviews are good __________
• Listen for the pearls and diamonds
• Ask a “responder” to find out more
o Oh?
o Really?
o Would you explain what you mean?
o Can you give me an example?

18. Solicit a Quote
• Return from the interview with quotes you
can use from your story
o Would you tell me exactly how you would sum
up your years as Trivia Team adviser?
o What do you tell your team members at the
start of a typical practice?

19. Quote Accurately
• Don’t be afraid to ask, “Do I have this
down right?”
• NEVER promise to let anyone review your
story in advance

20. Solicit Anecdotes
• Get the stories that show the source and
cohorts in action
• Ask directly: “What is the most exciting
moment your remember in a Trivia Team
match?” Did any of your players do
anything dumb? Was there a time when
you substituted a player whose
substitution won or lost the game?

21. Follow-up Questions
• Ask questions that you think of on the
spur of the moment based on what the
interviewee said.

22. Drop the Grenade
• Sometimes hard questions must be asked
• Establish a rapport with the interviewee to
make him/her more willing to respond to
the grenade
• Approach it carefully
o Some people have said that you have favorite
players who get to play all the time even
though they are not as good as other players.
How would you comment on this?

23. Recovering from the Grenade
• Reestablish the friendly relationship by
asking neutral questions
o Are you going to have breakfast together
before the match?

24. Conclude the Interview
• Thank you
• Good luck wishes
• Follow-up questions?