Conducting Interviews and Using Survey Data
Helpful tips and tricks to get the most helpful information
Step 1: Research, Research, Research
Then research some more! The only way to come up with good questions is to know everything there is to know about your subject.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Who are you interviewing?
- What is their expertise?
- Why is this valuable to you in your research?
- What do you hope to find out?
Step 2: Contact the Person You Wish to Interview
Ask when a good time would be to do the interview. Be polite. Say "please" and "thank you." Try to set up the interview in person. If this isn't possible, then set up a phone interview.
Step 3: Read Over Your Research and Brainstorm and create a list of at least 15 Questions
- The more specific your questions are, the better.
- Never ask questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
- Make your interviewee talk.
- Be sure to write all your questions down in a notebook, then practice asking them with a partner.
- Become very familiar with your questions before you go into the interview.
Types of Interview Questions
- Organize and group your questions in the order that makes the most sense.
- Open-ended
- Specific
- Sensory
- Meaning-seeking
- Elaboration and clarification
Step 4: Come Prepared
You will want to bring:
- A pen or pencil
- A notebook
- A list of good questions
- A recording device (always ask permission before recording an interview)
- Arrive at your interview with plenty of time to spare.
- If you’ve never been to the place where your interview is taking place, go early and scout it out. There is nothing more unprofessional than a reporter who is late.
- You can also use the time you are waiting to make notes about the surroundings. You won’t remember details later, so write them down.
Step 5: Conduct Your Interview in an Organized, Timely Manner
During the interview:
- Be courteous to your subject.
- Always take time to ask for an explanation about things you don't understand.
- Don’t be afraid of uncomfortable silences and pauses.
- Let the interview take its natural course.
- Look the person in the eye when asking questions.
- Always listen carefully to the answers.
- Don't ask a question that has already been answered.
- Don't read through your questions one right after another like you can't wait to be finished.
Step 6: Even If You Are Recording an Interview, Take Notes
- Taking notes is important – but make sure you are still paying attention.
Step 7: Review Your Research and Your Interview Notes
- Circle or highlight quotations that you think will be good for your article.
- Use the information you’ve gotten from your interview thoughtfully.
Using Survey Data: 4 Steps to Creating Successful Surveys
- Step one: create the questions
- Step two: ask the questions
- Step three: tally the results
- Step four: present the results
Step One: Create the Questions
The first thing is to decide is:
What questions do you want answered?
Step Two: Asking The Questions
Now you have your questions, go out and ask them! But who to ask?
If you survey a small group you can ask everybody (called a Census)
If you want to survey a large group, you may not be able to ask everybody so you should ask a sample of the population (called a Sample)
When you are sampling you should be careful who you ask.
To be a good sample, each person should be chosen randomly
If you only ask people who look friendly, you will only know what friendly people think!
Step 3: Tally the Results
Step Four: Presenting the Results
Now you have your results, you will want to show them to other people in the best possible way.
