The+Interview

=Initial Contact= Contact your interviewee to request an interview and arrange a time. Be sure you:
 * ** Tell them what it is for. ** A class project that is part of a larger project to interview WHS alumni and create an oral history of the school in that decade. Maybe start out with…. "Mr./Mrs. So and So, for my English class I’m doing interviews with people who attended Westfield High School during the (state your decade). I’d be interested in what you remember about growing up and living in Westfield. Could I interview you?"


 * NOTE: ** Some people may think that their stories are of no significance ("Why do you want to interview me – I’ve never done anything."). Put your request in terms that people can understand. Explain that you just want someone to tell you what it was like to attend the school or live in the community during that time. ("Well, I can tell you what we did for fun.") Thank them – tell them that they will be helping you a lot.
 * ** Tell them that it will become part of a collection of interviews ** that will be archived and used by other members of the class to create a "big picture."
 * ** Do a phone "pre-interview. ** " Find out enough so that you can design questions for them. In what activities were they involved? What did their parents do?
 * ** Do research on what historical events they have lived through. ** (Consider the Background Knowledge page for more information.) ** Design your questions. ** **Remember: You want to ask open-ended questions that will let them tell the story in their own way**.

=Asking Questions=


 * 1) In general, have a list of topics in mind, not specific questions, word-for-word, and not a specific sequence. You may, however, want to have a start-up list of questions to get your interviewee and yourself comfortable before you change to your topic list.
 * 2) Do plan the topic and form of your first substantial question after the "settling down" phase. Ask a question that will prompt a long answer and "get the subject going."
 * 3) Ask easy questions first, such as brief biographical queries. Ask very personal or emotionally demanding questions after a rapport has developed. End as you began, not with bombshells, but gently with lighter questions.
 * 4) Ask questions one at a time.
 * 5) Allow silence to work for you. Wait.
 * 6) Be a good listener, using body language such as looking at the interviewee, nodding, and smiling to encourage and give the message, "I am interested."
 * 7) If necessary, use verbal encouragement such as "This is wonderful information!" or "How interesting!" Be careful, however, not to pepper the interview with verbal encouragement such as "uh-huh," said at the same time that the interviewee is speaking.

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 * 1) Ask for specific examples if the interviewee makes a general statement and you need to know more. Or you might say, "I don't understand. Could you explain that in more detail?"
 * 2) Ask for definitions and explanations of words that the interviewee uses and that have critical meaning for the interview. For example, ask what //pinning// means. How was it used? What was its purpose?
 * 3) Rephrase and re-ask an important question several times, if you must, to get the full amount of information the interviewee knows.
 * 4) Unless you want one-word answers, phrase your questions so that they can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Don’t ask, "Did you like any of your teachers?" Ask stead, "Tell me about your favorite teacher." Ask "essay" questions that prompt long answers whenever you can. Find out not only what the person did, but also what she thought and felt about what she did.
 * 5) Ask follow-up questions and then ask some more. Be flexible.
 * 1) Be flexible. Watch for and pick up on promising topics introduced by the interviewee, even if the topics are not on your interview guide sheet.

media type="custom" key="6657079" (No, that's not me in the video, but it's a good resource for preparing to interview for your project!)