Lesson 3: Living Sources

1. Lesson 3: Living Sources Topics Benefit of Living Sources Sources for Finding Experts Types of Interviews Conducting Interviews Conducting Surveys

2. Benefit of Living Sources Living sources can provide advantages over print and media resources by allowing you to: • Tailor specific questions • Bring your topic to life • Discover why your topic matters to people

3. Sources for finding experts Many sources exist for finding experts: • Check your sources • The phone book • Ask your instructor • Ask friends • Faculty Directory • Encyclopedia of Associations • The Internet

4. Types of Interviews Interviews can be conducted via: • Face to face meetings • Telephone • Email • Skype or Instant Messenger

5. Conducting Interviews Guidelines for conducting an interview: • Research first, then arrange the interview. • Prepare questions beforehand. • Develop specific and open-ended questions. • Be prepared to deviate from the question list. • Use a digital recorder, notepad, or both. • End by validating the interview information with the subject

6. Designing Surveys • Thoughtful survey design will help identify patterns within the survey audience. • Define the goals and audience • Get vital information about the subjects • Use multiple choice or open-ended questions, depending on the desired type of information • Avoid loaded or vague questions

7. Conducting Surveys Methods for conducting surveys include: • Over the Telephone • In-Person • Via the Internet

8. Living Sources Summary • Living Sources provide a useful alternative to print and media • Interviews are a good way to gather information from experts • Surveys allow you to gather information from a group of non-experts and identify trends