Intreview skills

1. Interview skills
Preparation, interviews, questions,
notetaking and difficult sources

2. Preparing for the interview
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Research the “morgue”
Search the net
Search online archives
Use public records
Know your deadline

3. Setting up an interview
• If possible, make appointments via telephone, email or write letters. Sometimes, in-person
meeting is necessary.
• Identify as a reporter writing for Comms 211.
• Establish a meeting place
• Give general parameters of the interview
• Dress appropriately

4. Funnel vs. Inverted Funnel
• Funnel – most important questions asked at
end of interview
• Inverted funnel – most important questions
asked first

5. Asking questions
• Open-ended questions vs. close-ended
questions.
• Open ended effective: “What do you make
of ______?”
• Close ended questions - gets directly to
issues?
• Have a list of questions.

6. Handling difficult and
uncommunicative sources
• Get in the door with a letter, flowers
• Help them understand they are needed for story
and accuracy.
• Do something to disarm them
• Convince them that you are a genuine person
• Establish rapport
• Really listen – be sympathetic. Don’t act like a
prosecuting attorney.
• Use breaks to your advantage
• Don’t end the interview.
• Learn to restate questions

7. Taking notes - recording
• Practice taking notes without looking at
notepad – keep eye contact
• Take shorthand – leave out vowels, use
symbols -- @ w/
• Take notes on computer
• Ask for explanations, restatements
• Make sure tape recorder is working. Watch
for it to stop.

8. Making observations
• Observe little things.
• Make notes about surroundings

9. Other things you can do
• Relax
• Review notes following the interview.
• Turn off the tape recorder, close notebook
and wait for response

10. Other things you can do
• Relax
• Review notes following the interview.
• Turn off the tape recorder, close notebook
and wait for response