This document provides tips for conducting interviews for news stories. It recommends determining the angle and purpose of the story before interviewing. The main points are to interview the primary subject of the news, an expert, and a secondary source. Questions should be prepared in advance and be open-ended. The interviewer should listen for storytelling quotes and opinions from sources. Avoid impersonal methods like emailing questions. Follow up with sources after to verify quotes and leave the door open for future questions. Thank sources for their time and properly file notes.

1. Interviewing 101
Jim Streisel
Carmel (IN) High School
www.hilite.org/streisel

3. Know your angle
before you interview
l What do you want readers to think about?
l Why are you telling readers this story?
l What research should you conduct before
you interview?
l Who should you talk to to get information?

4. WHO should you interview?

5. WHO should you interview?
l Main “face” – the person who the news
affects. Generally introduced in the lead and
generally a student.

6. WHO should you interview?
l Main “face” – the person who the news
affects. Generally introduced in the lead and
generally a student.
Expert – provides credibility to the story.
Often an adult.

7. WHO should you interview?
l Main “face” – the person who the news
affects. Generally introduced in the lead and
generally a student.
l Expert – provides credibility to the story. Often
an adult.
l Secondary source – verifies/lends credibility to
the information presented by the face or expert
OR contradicts those sources to present an
alternate view.

8. HOW should you prepare?

9. HOW should you prepare?
l Set up an appointment – face-to-face on the
source’s turf.

10. HOW should you prepare?
l Set up an appointment – face-to-face on the
source’s turf.
l Write questions – 15 to 20 of ’em. Plenty of
open-ended (how & why) questions.

11. Write questions (con’t)
1. How do you spell your name and what is
your title as it pertains to this story?
(Accuracy leads to credibility.)
2. Do you think people of all ages can enjoy
Santa’s Secret Shop and Gifts Unlimited?
(Filter question. Usually answered yes or
no.)

12. Write questions (con’t)
7. How are the programs funded from year to
year?
8. How do the underclass marketing students
assist the seniors in running the shops?
9. Why is the increase for profit on
merchandise 35 percent?
How and why questions result in better quotes.

13. Write questions (con’t)
12. What other differences are there between
the shops and how are those differences
significant? (Avoid two-part questions.)
13. Describe for me the typical experience that
a young shopper will have in the stores. (A
question that’s not really a question – may
result in good storytelling quote.)

14. Write questions (con’t)
15. Is there anything that I haven’t asked that
you think readers should know? (Remind
the source of your audience.)
16. How may I get in touch with you if I have
additional questions? (Leave the door open
for follow-up.)

15. HOW should you prepare?
l Set up an appointment – face-to-face on the
source’s turf.
l Write questions – 15 to 20 of ’em. Plenty of
open-ended (how & why) questions.
l Bring materials – list of questions, something
to write on, something to write with, tape
recorder (optional).

16. WHAT should you listen for?

17. WHAT should you listen for?
l Storytelling quotes – quotes that only the
source could tell in his or her own words.

18. WHAT should you listen for?
l Storytelling quotes – quotes that only the
source could tell in his or her own words.
“You know, I made a promise when my son
was born. I said if anything ever happened to
him, they wouldn’t find me in some nightclub
or some drug house. If the police had to
come, I’d be right here at home.”

19. WHAT should you listen for?
l Storytelling quotes – quotes that only the
source could tell in his or her own words.
“The ferrets must have a mouth full o’ teeth.
No filing of the teeth; no clipping. No dope for
you or the ferrets. You must be sober, and the
ferrets must be hungry – though any ferret’ll
eat yer eyes out even if he isn’t hungry.”

20. WHAT should you listen for?
l Opinions – You must remain objective, but
your sources can say what they want.

21. WHAT should you listen for?
l Opinions – You must remain objective, but
your sources can say what they want.
“I think this is the worst team we’ve had in
my 27 years of coaching.”

22. WHAT should you listen for?
l Opinions – You must remain objective, but your
sources can say what they want.
“The dress code we’ve got this year is the
stupidest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. I
mean, c’mon, students and teachers are never
going to agree about what is and is not
acceptable. And in this case, the students always
lose. It’s not fair.”

23. WHAT should you avoid?

24. WHAT should you avoid?
l List of questions in a staff member’s mailbox
– leaves no room for follow-up. Impersonal.

25. WHAT should you avoid?
l List of questions in a staff member’s mailbox
– leaves no room for follow-up. Impersonal.
l E-mailing questions – See above. If you do
this, make sure attribution says “via e-mail.”

26. WHAT should you avoid?
l List of questions in a staff member’s mailbox –
leaves no room for follow-up. Impersonal.
l E-mailing questions – See above. If you do this,
make sure attribution says “via e-mail.”
l Writing lists of questions with space in between for
responses – What about follow-up? What if you run
out of room? What if the interview follow a different
“script” than your list?

27. WHAT should you avoid?
l List of questions in a staff member’s mailbox – leaves no
room for follow-up. Impersonal.
l E-mailing questions – See above. If you do this, make sure
attribution says “via e-mail.”
l Writing lists of questions with space in between for responses
– What about follow-up? What if you run out of room? What if
the interview follow a different “script” than your list?
l Coach quotes – “We’re just looking for ways to win each
week.” Duh. Ask better questions to get better answers.

28. WHAT should you avoid?

29. HOW should you follow up?

30. HOW should you follow up?
l Immediately following the interview
l Verify quotes
l Leave the door open for follow-up questions
l Thank the source for his or her time

31. HOW should you follow up?
l Once you’ve left
l Go over your notes
l Write a thank-you card
l Write a draft of your story and compile follow-up
questions
l File your notes/tapes/research somewhere safe

32. Contact me
Jim Streisel
www.hilite.org/streisel
jstreise@ccs.k12.in.us