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Conducting an Interview. Ateneo de Manila High School English Department Mr. Galinato. OBJECTIVES. Know the use of an interview. Be familiar with the different types of: interviews, topics to cover in an interview, and questions to ask in an interview.
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Conducting an Interview Ateneo de Manila High School English Department Mr. Galinato
OBJECTIVES • Know the use of an interview. • Be familiar with the different types of: • interviews, • topics to cover in an interview, and • questions to ask in an interview. • Know the proper sequence of questions in an interview. • Know the proper wording of effective questions.
OBJECTIVES • Note the important steps to take: • before, • during, • and after the interview.
INTRODUCTION • Interviews are particularly useful for pursuing in-depth information about a topic. • Usually open-ended questions are asked during interviews. • Before you start to design your interview questions, ask yourself what problem or issue needs to be addressed.
TYPES OF INTERVIEWS • Informal / Conversational Interview • No predetermined questions are asked in order to remain as open and adaptable as possible to the interviewee’s nature and priorities. • During the interview, the interviewer “goes with the flow.”
TYPES OF INTERVIEWS • General Interview Guide Approach • This is intended to ensure that the same general area of information are collected from each interviewee. • This provides more focus than the conversational approach, but still allows a degree of freedom and adaptability in getting information form the interviewee.
TYPES OF INTERVIEWS • Standardized / Open-ended Interview • The same open-ended questions are asked to all interviewees. • An open-ended question is where respondents are free to choose how to answer the question. • This approach facilitates faster interviews that can be more easily analyzed and compared.
TYPES OF INTERVIEWS • Closed / Fixed-response Interview • All interviewees are asked the same questions and asked to choose answers from the same set of alternatives. • This format is useful for those not practiced in interviewing.
TYPES OF TOPICS IN QUESTIONS • Behaviors • what a person has done or is doing • Opinions / Values • what a person thinks about a topic • Feelings • what a person feels about a topic • Knowledge • to get facts about a topic
TYPES OF TOPICS IN QUESTIONS • Sensory • what people have seen, touched, heard, tasted, and smelled • Background / Demographics • standard background questions such as age, education, profession, etc. Note: These questions can be asked in terms of past, present, or future.
TYPES OF QUESTIONS • Opening Question • Put the subject at ease with a question designed to draw out energy and enthusiasm for the topic. • Example: “Thank you for agreeing to talk with us. What excites you the most about…?” • Factual Questions • Create a record of all the important details of the story even if you won’t use all the answers in the final cut. • Use the basic questions “who, what, where, when, why, and how?”
TYPES OF QUESTIONS • Probing Questions • Listen to the answers you are getting. • Probe further, ask for more details. • Hypothetical Questions • Invite the subject to do their own probing beyond personal experience. • Example: “What if you were given the chance to live over again? Is there anything you would have done differently?”
SEQUENCE OF QUESTIONS • Get the respondents involved in the interview as soon as possible. • Before asking about controversial matters such as feelings and conclusions, ask first about some facts. • This way, respondents can more easily engage in the interview before warming up to more personal matters. • Intersperse fact-based questions throughout the interview. • This is to avoid long lists of fact-based questions, which tend to leave respondents disengaged.
SEQUENCE OF QUESTIONS • Ask questions about the present before questions about the past or future. • It’s usually easier for them to talk about the present and then work into the past or future. • The last questions might be to allow respondents to provide any other information they prefer to add and their impressions of the interview.
WORDING OF QUESTIONS • Wording should be open-ended. • Respondents should be able to choose their own terms when answering questions. • Questions should be as neutral as possible. • Avoid wording that might influence answers. • Questions should be asked one at a time.
WORDING OF QUESTIONS • Questions should be worded clearly. • This includes knowing any terms particular to the program or the respondent’s culture. • Be careful in asking WHY questions. • This type of question infers a cause-effect relationship that may not truly exist. • These questions may also cause respondents to feel defensive (i.e. that they have to justify their response), which may inhibit their responses to this and future questions.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW • Choose a setting with little distraction. • Avoid loud lights or noises. • Ensure the interviewee is comfortable. • Often, they may feel more comfortable at their own place of work or homes. • Explain the purpose of the interview. • Indicate how long the interview usually takes.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW • Tell them how to get in touch with you later if they want to. • Ask them if they have any questions before you both get started with the interview. • Don’t count on your memory to recall their answers. • Ask for permission to record the interview or bring along someone to take notes.
DURING THE INTERVIEW • Occasionally verify if the tape recorder is working. • Ask one question at a time. • Attempt to remain as neutral as possible. • Don’t show strong emotional reactions to their responses. • Act as if you’ve “heard it all before.” • Encourage responses. • Occasionally nod your head or say “Uh huh” and the like.
DURING THE INTERVIEW • Be careful about your appearance when note taking. • If you jerk to take a note, it may appear as if you’re surprised or very pleased about an answer, which may influence answers to future questions. • Provide transition between major topics. • “We’ve been talking about (some topic) and now I’d like to move on to (another topic).”
DURING THE INTERVIEW • Don’t lose control of the interview. • This can occur when respondents: (a) stray to another topic, (b) take so long to answer a question that time begins to run out, or (c) begin to ask questions to the interviewer.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW • Verify if the tape recorder worked throughout the interview. • Go through your written notes. • Clarify any erasures. • Ensure pages are numbered. • Correct notes that don’t make sense.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW • Write down any observations made during the interview. • Where and when did the interview occur? • Was the respondent particularly nervous at any time? • Were there any interruptions during the interview? • Did you run out of recording time?
SOURCES McNamara, Carter. “General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews.” 1999. Authenticity Consulting, LLC. 5 Sept. 2006 <http://www.managementhelp.org/evaluatn/intrview.htm> “The Art of Conducting an Interview.” 5 Sept. 2006 <www.knowitall.org/bellsouthdigitalstoryteller/training/pdf/interview.pdf>