2.3 Conducting an Interview

Planning an Interview

1. Focus on your purpose. Determine exactly what you would like to learn from this interview. Write out your purpose for your interview and review your purpose statement for your report.

I will interview ____________ to find out more about __________________.

2. Do your homework. Learn all you can about the topic beforehand. The more you know, the better your chance of using the interview time effectively. If the person has published anything relevant to your topic, read it before the interview. Check the company website. Be sure the information this person might provide is unavailable in print.  What is the person’s expertise?  Has he or she worked on a particular project in the field that you want to know about? Is there a gap in your research that this person can help you fill in?

3. Contact the intended respondent. Do this by phone or email and be sure to introduce yourself and your purpose.  Let the person know why are you interviewing him/her and what you plan to do with the information.  For example, if you are interviewing a person for your capstone project, briefly introduce yourself (a student in ______program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in ______) and your project (the name of your project).

4. Request the interview when it is convenient for the respondent. Give the person enough time to respond. Ask for permission to record him or her.

Preparing the Questions

5. Make each question clear and specific. Focus on what is most important for your project.

6. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”.

Conducting the Interview

1. Make a good start. Dress appropriately and arrive on time. Thank your respondent; restate your purpose; explain why you believe she or he can be helpful; explain exactly how you will use the information.

2. Let the respondent do the most talking. Keep your opinions to yourself.

3. Be a good listener.  Don’t doodle or let your eyes wander. People reveal more when the listener seems genuinely interested.

4. Stick to your interview plan. If the respondent wanders, politely nudge the conversation back on track (unless the added information is useful).

5. Ask for clarification or explanation whenever necessary.  If you don’t understand an answer, say so. Request an example, an analogy, or a simplified version.

• Would you go over that again please?
•  Is there a simpler explanation?

6. Keep checking on your understanding. Repeat major points in your own words and ask if the technical details are accurate and if your interpretation is correct.

7. Be ready with follow-up questions.

• Why is it like that?
• Could you say something more about that?
• What more needs to be done?
• What happened next?

8. Keep note-taking to a minimum. Record statistics, dates, names and other precise data, but not every word. Jot key terms or phrases that later can refresh your memory.

Concluding the Interview

1. Ask for any final comments. The respondent may be able to lead you to additional information.

• Have I missed anything?
• Would you care to add anything?
• Is there anyone else I should talk to?
• Are there any other sources that I should look at?

2. Invite the respondent to review your version. If the interview will be published, ask the respondent to check your final draft (for misspelled names, inaccurate details, misquotations.) and to approve it. Offer to provide copies of any document in which this information appears.

3. Thank your respondent.

4. As soon as you leave the interview, write a complete summary (or record one verbally).  Do this while responses are fresh in your memory. Check with your instructor whether a summary of the interview will be acceptable or if you need a transcript (word for word) of the interview.  You may need to include the the summary or interview transcript in the appendices.