Checkpoint #9

The Interview Plan

A major source of information for your research is an "expert". 

You'll conduct a live interview– either in person or via teleconference (Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, etc.) – to gather more information about your topic. This checkpoint shows that you are preparing for this interview and sets you up for success. You'll complete steps 1-4 on the Doc linked to your Google Classroom assignment.

1

Who will you speak with?
What are their credentials?

Do some initial brainstorming. What kind of person might you speak with? I use the term "expert" in quotation marks- loosely defined as someone who knows more about your topic than you do.

2

Reach out

You can make initial contact by email, but you'll be performing the interview face-to-face (perhaps pixellated faces via Zoom or another video chat platform).

Most people really like helping students, so you shouldn't be intimidated by asking.  You should, however be prepared and polite to explain that you are:
• conducting a research topic for school that you chose because you are interested in the topic;
(inform them)
• think they would be a good person to interview because of their specific expertise. 
(flatter them)

DON'T assume anyone will know what you mean when you say I-Search.  It's more universally understandable to call it a research project.

3

Plan a time and place

Hammer it out. Offer several specific times, but don't leave it too "open" or you may never land on an opportunity.

4

Prepare

Generate Open-ended Questions
You want your interview questions to invite conversation and their personal perspective. Don't ask them questions that can be answered in one or two words. Start your questions with How do...? To what extent does..? Do you think....? In what ways does...?

Framing your questions to invite dialogue in this way gets you much more quotable information.

Your interviewee is not an encyclopedia
Avoid having your subject tell you facts and steer them toward their opinions. They are a person with experiences that inform their opinions. You can get facts from an article. Get a "take" from your interview.

5

Figure out how you're going to record it

You'll be prepared with questions, but you don't want to be writing down everything the person says. A good interviewer listens and reacts, asks follow-up questions and probes for elaboration. This works best if you are confident that you can listen to the interview later and take notes.

A great tool is the QuickTime program on your computer.  To use it:
   • Open it
   • Select "New Audio Recording" from the File menu
   • Hit the round circle (Record)
   • Hit the square (Stop) 
   • Save the file to a handy location.

Always ask permission to record. It's illegal not to.