interview tips

• Set up your interview
  *make contact with your potential interviewee
  *ask his or her permission to conduct the interview
  *be flexible and work with the person’s busy schedule
  *decide together whether you will conduct the interview via e-mail or in person
  *give the person a sense of how long the interview will take
  
• Prepare for the interview
  *do background research on the person
  *find out as much as you can before the interview
  *write out your questions in a logical order
  *avoid questions that have simple yes/no answers
  *word questions in a way that elicits thorough responses (open-ended is good)
  *avoid unclear or leading questions
  *get necessary supplies: a tape recorder, pens and plenty of paper
  
• Conduct the interview
  *present yourself professionally (dress depends on specific context of interview)
  *be ready to improvise a bit, asking follow-up questions or for further clarification
  when necessary or appropriate
  *take careful and thorough notes, asking the interview to repeat key lines and phrases
  when necessary or appropriate
  *don’t take up more of the person’s time than necessary
  *use common courtesy—appreciate the person sacrificing his/her time
  
• Follow-up afterward
  *send a thank-you note, or at least a thank-you e-mail (most experts suggest that a
  formal letter is preferable)
  *cite the interview properly in your written report (see handbook for guidelines about
  how to do this in MLA Style)
  
  Ethical Issues:

*Do no harm to yourself; do no harm to your interviewee.
*Don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation. Don’t take risks (beyond the risks
associated with living your everyday life) in order to conduct the interview.
*Represent your interviewee fairly, accurately, honestly. He or she has generously
given you the time of day; reciprocate that consideration.
*Explain the context of your research. What’s your purpose? What’s the scope of
your project? What’s the assignment?
*Give the interviewee the option of seeing your final written report.