An interview involves a face-to-face exchange of information between two people to gain a unique perspective not available from other sources. The stages of an interview are pre-interview preparation, the interview proper, and post-interview follow up. Effective interviews use open-ended questions and avoid leading or loaded questions. Interviewers should contact and prepare for the interviewee, take notes, listen attentively, and send a thank you note afterwards. An interview report should provide context, discuss key points, use quotations, and summarize the central messages from the interview.