INTERVIEWING SUGGESTIONS
by
Susanne
George-Bloomfield
SETTING UP THE INTERVIEW
A.. Be sure to call
or write the person you want to interview to ask permission and to see whether
he or she is willing to take part in your project. Explain the purpose of the
interview and what you plan to do with the information gathered. The best
interviews occur when people have a little time to prepare and think.
B. Before you begin the interview, ask the
person to sign a simple form granting you permission to use the information
that you glean from the interview. If you ever decide to publish what you have
written, you will legally need this before anything
can be printed. It would also be a good time to receive written permission to
use letters, photographs, and any other personal materials that you may use in
your narrative.
C. Decide whether you will allow the person to
edit what you write. Many editors believe that the writer should have total
control, but, depending on the situation, the interviewee is often more open
and confidential when he or she knows that you will not write something that
would cause conflict or embarassment.
Usually, you can write the questionable material in such a manner that
the interviewee will be comfortable with the way you present it.
RECORDING THE INTERVIEW
A.. Decide whether you want to use a
tape or video recorder or just take notes.
B. A tape recorder guarantees accuracy,
allows you to observe details (like gestures, facial expressions, appearance,
and surroundings), and concentrate on listening attentively during the
interview.
C. If you use a tape recorder, test it in
advance, bring twice as many blank tapes as you think you will need, have the
tapes numbered and lettered beforehand, and introduce each new tape with the
date, your name, and the name of the interviewee. If the recorder is battery
operated, put in new batteries and have extras, just in case.
D. Always bring a notepad and two pens. Even
when using a tape recorder, you should keep track of what general subjects are
discussed on each side of each tape for easier retrieval of material.
E. Find a quiet, secluded place for the
interview if possible. Avoid locations with interfering background noises. Try to interview the subject alone to avoid
interruptions and self-consciousness. Place the recorder as inconspicuously as
possible--far enough away so that it does not constantly remind the interviewee
of its presence but close enough so you will know when the tape has ended and
can quickly change tapes.
F. Most people, after the initial, typical
nervousness and self-consciousness, will forget the tape recorder and relax. So
will you! If they don't, turn it off and take notes. As soon as possible after
the interview, rewrite your notes, adding information from the interview that
you were not able to take down but can still remember. Don't wait to do it
later!
CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW
A.. Before the
interview, prepare a brief list of questions to ask to help you remember the
key points you want to cover. Don't ask questions that can be answered with a
simple "yes" or "no." Open-ended questions encourage
storytelling. Use the stories you are
being told to generate new questions.
B. Think of the
interview as a conversation to achieve more imtimacy.
Often different emotions will surface; be understanding and respect their
feelings.
C.
Ease into the interview with some simple background questions to put the
person at ease: birthplace and date, important dates, children's names, places
that they have lived. Then, perhaps, unless you have a specific time or event
in mind that you want to discuss, ask the person what is most important in his
or her life and start there.
D.
Don't try to cover too long of a time period in that person's life. The
interview will be too general, and you will never hear the details or
captivating stories behind the basic facts and dates. If you intend to cover a
person's entire life, plan on conducting several interviews.
E. Move from "when" questions to
"what" questions to "why" questions.
F. Use silences constructively, to give you time
to take a few notes and for the person to think ands reflect. If you don't jump
in, they will likely go on to tell you more details. Rescue the interviewee
with another question, however, if the silence becomes awkward.
G. Don't interrupt. Listen attentively and don't
let your mind wander.
H. Provide feedback. Be genuinely
interested--smile, laugh, nod, or show empathy depending on the subject. Eye
contact is important.
I. Use photographs, scrapbooks, yearbooks, maps,
diaries, letters, memorabilia, family heirlooms, etc. as memory enhancers.
Collect as many as possible, being aware that what you have borrowed is
irreplaceable. Have them copied as quickly as possible and return the originals
to the interviewee. If they are given to you to keep, don't argue but accept
and treasure them.
J.
Be flexible. Your list of questions is only a starting point. Don't
worry if you only ask a few of the questions you brought to the interview.
K. When the interview is finished, ask your
interviewee if there is anything else that he or she would like to add.
L. Bring a camera. Take photographs person you
are interviewing (one of you together, if possible), the surroundings, and even
of other pictures and documents.
M.
You will probably need to talk to the person again to fill in gaps or
add details, so discuss how the person would like to conduct further
questions--by phone, e-mail, letter, or in person.
N. Thank them
profusely-- a hug is always nice!
Works Consulted
Atkinson, Robert. The Gift of Stories: Practical
and Spiritual Applications of Autobiography, Life Stories, and Personal
Mythmaking.
Gerard, Philip. Creative Nonfiction: Researching
and Crafting Stories of Real Life.
Polking, Kirk. Writing Family Histories
and Memoirs.
Spence, Linda. Legacy: A Step-by-Step Guide to
Writing Personal History.
Zimmerman, William. How To
Tape Instant oral Biographies.