This document discusses effective interview techniques for obtaining information. It identifies several skills effective interviewers employ, such as preparing well by defining the purpose, setting appropriate expectations with the interviewee, choosing relevant topics to cover, structuring questions clearly, and probing for clarification when needed. Interviewers should also be aware of potential sources of error or bias and how to mitigate them, such as through question wording or sequencing. With practice, interviewers can improve their skills at conducting interviews that obtain full and accurate information from respondents.

1. Questioning and
the information-
getting interview
Naila Khalida Fitriani 4520210097
Interpersonal Skills-B

2. Information getting
The effective interviewer is someone who is able to structure and manage the
encounter in such way that information irrelevant to the purpose of the interaction.
The aim of this chapter is to identify and discuss many of the skills that can help us
conduct an effective information-getting interview
The information-getting interview is not restricted to objective fact finding. Nadler
(1997) argues that the interview is an effective instrument for obtaining several
information. These include : (1) descriptive accounts; (2) diagnostic evaluations; (3)
effective reactions

3. Error and bias in interviews
The extent to which the interview can be effective instrument In helping us to achieve such
purpose will be determined, at least in part, by the accuracy of the information we acquire.
Khan and Cannell (1957) review some the early evidence which points to the prevalence of
error and bias in the interview. They found :
• Persistent and important differences between interview data and data obtained form other
sources.
• Differences between two sets of interview data when respondents were reinterviewed
• Differences between the results obtained when two intervieweres interviewed the same
individuals

4. Background characteristics
Psychological factors
such as the age, sex, race or status of both interviewe
and respondent may influence the quality of information
exchanged in the interview
Such as motives, attitudes, beliefs, and emotinality can
also be important sources of error and bias.
Error and bias can arise for many reasons;

5. Interviewer behaviour
The effective interviewer has been described as somebody who
is able to behave in ways that will eliminate or reduce as much as
possible those forces which cause relevant information to be
distorted or withheld during the interview. These behaviours will
be discussed under eight headings;

6. Definition of purpose and preparation
If the purpose of a selection interview is defined as getting as much relevant information from
candidates, this definition would alert interviewers to what they need to do in terms of preparation.
This may involve ensuring that they have :
• An appropriate and sufficiently detailed job specification
• Given some thought to the kind of information they will require about each candidate in order to
be able to assess wheter they will be capable of performing the job to the required specification
• Considered how they may go about obtaining the necessary information.
Interviewers need to be clear about purpose and clear about how they need to behave In order to
achive their purpose

7. Cognitive scene setting
When we are seeking information from others, we need to communicate our purpose
and establish terms of reference for the interview. Inducing an approriate cognitive set
involves preparing others for the main business or purpose of the interview. We can
achieve this by providing briefing documents or prior instructions.
The environmental setting in which the interview takes place will also help to key
respondents into a particular frame of reference. Our opening behaviour is important,
not only terms iof inducing an approriate cognitive set, but also in terms of establishing
rapport. Rapport can be establised in a number ways. We may stand up to greet
interviewees, shake tehir hand, use their name and offer welcoming remarks in a tone
of voice that puts them at ease. Rapport and motivation can be closely linked. What
happen in the early stage of the interview can have important implications for the
interviewee’s motivation, which in turn will influence the quantity and quality of
informatin that will be available to us.

8. Many selection interviewers still use Rodger’s (1952) seven-point plan to reduce the likelihood
that they may overlook important information and to ensure that similar kinds of information
are collected about all candidates.
Roger argues that four points need to be considered when deciding what categories of
information to include in an interview plan.
• They should be relevant to the purpose of the interview;
• They should be independent; they should be separable from one another sufficiently to
enable the interviewer to avoid making overlapping assessments that could be wasteful.
• They should be assessable in the circumstances in which the assessment is to be made.
• They should be few enough to keep the risk of hasty and superficial judgements to a
minimum but numerous enough to cover the ground adequately.
Content and coverage

9. Roger’s seven-point plan;
Physical
characteristics
Such as state of health, vision,
hearing, speech, apperance, and
bearing
General ability
Words, numbers, relationship
Attainments, training,
and experience
Such as sports, music, etc
interests
The context of a person’s life
insofar as it affects their ability to
perform the job
Special aptitudes
Disposition/personality
circumtances
Type of interests; Intellectual,
practical, artistic
Such as sociability and leadership
Such as scientific, mechanical,
social skills, etc

10. Organisation of topics
Respondent may easily misundertand complex or subtle questions if they have not been
given cues that will key them into an approriate fram of reference. Topics may be ordered in
such a way that the repondent is encouraged to think about range of issues before
answering a question on a more complex topic.
Organisation of topics in an interview schedule can provide respondents with a frame of
reference that will help them better understand a difficult or complex question, it can also
lead them to answer in a partciluar way.
Considerations may also influence the organisation of topics. It may be that some questions
which are seen to be very ersonal or threatening are best asked in the middle or towards the
end of an interview when maximum rapport and motivation have been established.

11. Formulation of questions
The way in which we formulate questions can have an enormous impact on the quantity and
quality of information the respondent will disclose. Three aspects of question formulation are;
● choice of words, if we use a vocabulary that is unfamiliar to the respondents, they may
not understand the question we are asking.
● leading questions, is where the expected or preferred answer is implied in the question
There are a number of different types of leading question; conversational leads (the
questions that anticipate the answer the respondent would give anyway), simple lead
(that clearly signal the answer the interviewer expects), and complex lead (exert much
more pressure on the respondent to reply in a particular way)
● open versus closed questions. The degree of freedom given to a respondent to answer a
question can have an important influence on the nature of the information available to
the interviewer

12. Hargie et al. (1994) warn against the dangers of inconsistent or erratic sequences
of questions, and they point to the research evidence which suggests that a
consistent sequence (funnel, inverted funnel, tunnel, etc.) facilitates participation
and understanding. However, erratic sequences may be useful in some
circumstances. Erratic sequences characterise many of those fact-finding
interviews that can be included under the broad heading of cross examination,
where the objective is to obtain information the respondent would prefer not to
reveal. Not knowing what kind of question to expect next may confuse the
respondent.
Kestler (1982) suggests that erratic sequences can be effective in the courtroom
because the quick change of focus can catch the witness off-balance with
thoughts out of context.
Sequence of questions

13. Probing and seeking clarification
Turney et al. (1976) identify 7 of these mire directive probes;
• Clarification probes, which can be used to elicit a clear, more concisely
worded response: “what exactly do you mean?”
• Justification probes, which seek reasons for what the respondent has
said: “why did you say that?”
• Relevance probes, which require the respondent to explain the
relationship between ideas, people, events, etc: “how does that relate
to what you said earlier?”
• Exemplification probes, which seek concrete or specific instances of
what has been said: “does an example spring to mind?”

14. • Extension probes, which encourage the respondent to elaborate on the
initial response: “what happened next?”
• Accuracy probes, which invite the respondent to reconsider an earlier
response and emphasise the importance of accuracy: “are you sure it
happened before 6 o’clock?”
• Consensus probes, which enable the interviewer, in a group interview
situation, to assess the extent to which a view is shared: “do you all
agree with that?”

15. Closure
When we are satisfied that the main purpose of the interview has been fulfilled, we
need to check this out and ensure that we have understood fully what the
respondent has said. We also need to signal to respondents our view that the
interview discussed.ew is drawing to a close so that they can manage their own exit
from the interaction. One of the most useful closure behaviours is the summary. It
helps us to check that we have remembered and recorded the main points
Other kinds of closure markers may be used to reward the respondent for
participating in the interview: ‘That’s been very useful and has helped me see
things from your perspective’, or ‘Thanks for your time’.

16. An important element in all the exercises presented so far in this chapter is the
notion of a standard of good practice againts which you can compare your normal
way of behaving. In a cross-examination, for example, erratic interviewing
sequences may be more effective than more consistent sequences such as the
tunnel. In a screening interview, on the other hand, tunnel sequences which
comprise a series of closed questions may be much more effective than a mixture
of open and closed questions presented within a funnel or inverted funnel
sequences
Improving your overall
interviewing style

17. Summary
This chapter has presented the intervie as a social encounter, and has argued that the nature of this
encounter will influence both the way in which the interviewer and respondent interpret the behavior of
the other and the quantity and quality of the information they will exchange
The effective interviewer has been described as a person whos behaves in ways that eliminate or
reduce distorted or withheld. Critical interviewer behaviours have been discussed under eight
headings :
● definition of purpose and preparation
● cognitive scene setting
● content and coverage
● organization of topics
● formuation of questions
● sequence of questions
● probing and seeking clarification
● closure
The final section of the chapter discussed ways in which interviewers can begin to modify their
behavior to improve their effectiveness

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Source : Hayes,John Interpersonal Skills at home