Clemente News Scouts

How to Conduct an Interview

Sometimes, in order to obtain and relay information, it is necessary to interview a person or group of persons knowledgeable about the topic. Conducting an interview can be simplified by determining ahead of time what specific (and relevant) information will be needed to write the article.

For most interviews, it is necessary to determine WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW. For example, it is important to know WHO is being interviewed and WHAT s/he is being interviewed about. In some cases it is helpful to tell more about the person's ability to relate to the topic, thus explaining WHY s/he was interviewed.

Having answered the 5W's and the HOW of the interview, specific questions may be asked – either to learn more about the topic or to determine more about the interviewee's ideas and opinions. In either case, questions should be geared toward what is important to the people who will read the results of the interview – the audience.

One example of an interview conducted with specific questions is for a regular newspaper column. For instance, Al Día runs a feature called "Latinos Making a Difference." For this section, the interviewer asks specific questions about the Latino's function and participation in the community to determine whether or not s/he is "making a difference."

Asking questions and getting responsible, intelligent, and complete answers are important throughout the interview. Nonsense cannot be translated into sense when the article is written. It is also essential to record the "right" information; too much or too little will either steer the reporter in an obscure direction or leave him/her stranded with no direction at all! Record only what is necessary for audience to know about the topic.

Once the interview has been conducted, and facts have been separated from opinions, ideas and information gained from the experience must be relayed to the audience. There are several ways to present the information, but here are two common ways most useful for a small newsletter.

One way is to print the interview as it was conducted, indicating when the reporter spoke and when the interviewee responded. This is useful when the intention is for readers to recognize the knowledge and ideas of a noteworthy individual. It is the most direct way to give credit to the interviewee as well.

Another method is to compose an article based on the interview, but in the words of the reporter who conducted it. It is still necessary to acknowledge any and all persons who contributed to the information, but credit can be indicated in a "by-line," footnote, or direct quotation.

Whichever method is used to present the information, the person who shared in the interview must be given credit without misquotation or misinformation.

By Thurman A. Martin, III

NOTE: A positive way to encourage the interviewee is to suggest that the reporter, or a photographer working with the reporter, take a photograph of the person kind enough to take time to share the information used in the article. This is another way of acknowledging role of the person in the interview and to promote his/her noteworthiness. A common way to express thanks to contributors is to send them "premier" copies, compliments of the newsletter editors/reporters.