1. Interviewing
This will
be you
Adapted fromAdapted from “What Questions Do We Ask” by Carol Hallenbeck,“What Questions Do We Ask” by Carol Hallenbeck, Practical Ideas For Teaching JournalismPractical 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. Research the topic
before the interview
• Make sure to get to know the person or the
topic before the interview.

4. Prepare questions ahead of time
• Make sure to make a list of questions ahead of
time.
• These questions should not be able to be answered
with a simple “yes” or “no.”
• Write questions that make the interviewee answer
with a statement. This will yield better quotes.
• Get as many specific details as possible.
• Remember that an interview is a conversation.
• Make sure your questions are specific and short.

5. At the interview
• Be on time
– Remember, you are taking their time.
• Be patient
– Make sure the person has finished
answering a question before going to the
next.
• Be flexible
– Be ready to change your line of
interviewing if the person has more
interesting things to say.

6. …at the interview
• Be quiet
– You want the person you are interviewing to
do most of the talking
• Be smart
– Ask the tough questions last. That way, if the
person refuses to answer, at least you will
have all of the other information you need
• Be polite
– Remember to say “Thank You.”

7. Type of Questions
• Always have a list of questions prepared
• Don’t be afraid to stray from your prepared
questions if the person starts talking about
other interesting items.

8. 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
– MOST IMPORTANT: Gain their trust of your
thoroughness, by asking for the spelling of
their name and double-checking you wrote
it down correctly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17. 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?

18. 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?

19. 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?

20. 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?

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

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

23. 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?

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

25. Imaginative Questions
• Often redirect the interview. Ask
something you thought of because of a
source’s answer.
• “Do your team members carry good luck
charms?” “Why do you believe there are
no girls on the academic team?”

26. 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.
– 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?

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

28. Finally…
• Remember to take good notes or tape record the
interview.
• Pay attention to the answers you are given.
• Don’t be afraid to ask the subject to repeat or
slow down.
• Find a quiet place to conduct the interview.
• Make sure to ask how to spell the person’s name.
• Make sure to listen intently.

29. Conclude the Interview
• Thank the source for his/her time.
• Ask if you can check back if you have any
further questions.
• Invite the interviewee to call you if they
find they have more to say.
• Collect phone numbers, e-mail addresses,
etc. and leave yours.

30. “Off the Record”
• If the source tells a reporter that what s/he is about
to say is “off the record,” this means the source
does not want the information printed. If the
reporter listens to the information, s/he is bound
by reporter’s ethics not to publish it.
• To relieve yourself of responsibility, say “If I
cannot print it, please do not give me the
information.”
• If you do listen to it, you may try to find someone
who does want it printed.

31. No Comment
• If the source says “No comment,” this
means s/he will not answer the question.
• Why s/he won’t talk is of interest.
• Reporters must rely on information from
elsewhere to make the story happen.

32. Practice #1
• You hear a rumor that dances at your school
have been canceled because of some
difficulties at last Friday’s dance. You make
an appointment with Assistant Principal
Chris McCabe.. After being admitted to his
office, you greet him with a smile, sit down
as he waves you to a chair across from him
and say…

33. Interviewing Day Two
• Proof of how research really makes a
difference:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OlpKwjCI

34. Practice #2
• You stumble over a kitten as you leave your
Spanish II class. It “meows” pitifully and you
notice it is skin and bones. Then notice another
cat by the trashcan. You count 20 before the day
is over. You make an appointment with School
Resource Officer Jeanice Corum to find out
where the flood of abandoned cats is coming
from. You sit in his office after school and say…

35. Practice #3
• Your editor assigns you to cover the impending
impeachment of North StuCo president Katelynn
Downey. It is the first time in the history of North
that anyone has tried to remove a StuCo officer
from his/her job. Downing is very popular with
the athletes and cheerleaders, but has enemies
among other student groups. You pull senior Jim
Smith, the student leading the fight for
impeachment, out of class. You take him to a
quiet place to sit down and you say…

36. Practice #4
• You are a football drop-out. As a sophomore you
were too little and too slow to make the squad.
But there is one body, senior Billy Blimp, who
has sat on the bench for four years without ever
playing one game. Friday’s game is the last game
of the season. You want to write a story about this
400-pound bench warmer, and arrange to meet
him for lunch. As you get comfortable in the
senior courtyard, you say…

37. Interview Practice
• To get ready for interviews, we are going to
interview each other.
• I’ll draw names to find your partner
• Today: work on creating 10 questions to
interview your partner
– Remember the order of questions
• Must get the questions checked by me by
end of the hour

38. Interview Day Three
• Focus today is to interview your partner.
• Reminders:
– Introduce yourself
– Ask name/spelling
– Ask your questions
– LISTEN
– Conclude interview and thank them
• Must finish both interviews today
• When finish, clean up interview notes