Research: Interview tips

Research suggestions:
Interviewing

Before the interview:	Research the topic	The more you know about your topic prior to the interview, the more precise your questions will be and the more useful the answers will be. Research print and online sources, then ask your interviewee questions that remain unanswered.
	Determine the best person to interview.	Your relative or your neighbor may know something about your topic and be easy to ask, but he/she may not provide the best information.
	Set up an interview appointment.	Never just drop by to do an interview, even if you are interviewing a friend, family member or a member of the faculty at your school. Give him/her the opportunity to prepare for the interview.
	Inform your interviewee from the beginning.	Telling your interviewee about your topic and how you are planning to use the interview may result in more information and more openness during the interview.
	Ask the interviewee's permission to tape.	Taping and interview without permission is unethical.
	Practice with any equipment in advance.	Being taped can be intimidating, but dealing with technical difficulties adds to everyone's stress. Check the batteries and test your tape.
	Make a list of questions.	Listing questions will help you to determine the specific information that you want to learn. Listing the questions with space for answers can be helpful, but be flexible once you are in the interview. (Don't stop the interviewee's comments just to follow your original order.)
	Make sure that your questions are appropriate.	Choose questions that the interviewee can answer. Avoid questions about what people in general might think, questions that push the person to a particular conclusion (leading questions), or questions that antagonize.
When it is time for the interview:	Arrive early.	Being late wastes valuable interview time and makes you look uncommitted. If you are going to an unfamiliar place, allow extra time.
	Dress appropriately.	Appropriate dress varies depending on the circumstance. If you are going to a workplace, dress like the people who work there.
	Start your recorder and then leave it alone.	Using a recorder can be distracting under any circumstances, but drawing attention to the recording makes the situation worse.
	Be appreciative.	Express appreciation to the interviewee. He/she is doing you a favor.
	Don't be too familiar.	If you are interviewing someone you don't know well, start by calling the person by Mr. or Ms. Many people will ask you to use their first names, but don't make assumptions.
	Start out with a short ice breaker.	Casual conversation can put your interviewee at ease, but don't let the time slip away with too much small talk.
	Pay attention.	Don't let your mind wander and don't appear to be inattentive (looking our the window, looking at your watch, fidgeting).
	Make regular eye contact.	Eye contact is tricky when you are taking notes. Keep your notes brief and fill in the gaps later.
	Stay on track.	Your interviewee may bring up relevant issues you did not consider; if so, let him/her discuss them. If the interviewer goes on tangents that are not relevant to your research; however, it is your responsibility to get the interview back on the subject (even if your are interviewing your boss!)
	Stay on schedule.	Without obviously looking at your watch, pay attention to the time passing during the interview. Don't let the interview stay on one question too long.
	Ask for spellings or material in quotations.	Ask for spellings of names and unfamiliar words. Also ask for restatements of any direct quotations that you think you will use. This is especially easy to forget if you are taping.
	Thank the interviewer for his/her time.	Besides being polite, this is a good way to cue the interviewee that the interview is drawing to a close.
After the interview:	Review the interview and your notes.	Rehearsing the interview in your mind on the way home can be helpful. Even better, spend time later that day looking over your notes and filling in what you remember but did not have time to write down.
	Listen to your tape and transcribe what you need.	Transcribing a tape can take a long time, so allow enough time and write down only what you need.
	Ask for clarification.	Most people would rather take additional time with you than be misquoted.
	Write your document or speech, while the information is still fresh.	You will have more options for using the interview in your project if you still have a vivid memory of the experience. Write a rough draft of the part of the document or presentation that is relevant to the interview.
	Give credit where it is due. Cite your source.	Indicate in your document or speech which information came from your interview. List the interview in your list of sources (Works Cited, References, Bibliography).
	Send a follow-up thank you.	A thank you message could be a handwritten note or an e-mail. The person will be much more likely to help you again (and other people) if you are appreciative.
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