Conversation

I have no experience with research interviews. In fact, I was unfamiliar with the term. After a little bit of research I realized that I knew exactly what a research interview was. I learned about them in my journalism class at Los Angeles City College. From what I gathered it's all about preparation, professionalism, and knowledge. Because I don't really have any experience I'm not going to try to give advice, but I will recount the information that I have been given based around those three concepts.

Preparation - This is key. An interview (particularly a research interview) is rarely spur-of-the-moment. The only instance I can imagine where an impromptu interview would be excusable would be in the case of eye-witness interviews, which are used in very specific situations. Outside of those situations, however, most interviews should be conducted in a structured, planned manner. Have questions already written. Know something about the person you're interviewing before the interview begins. Design questions that are open-ended, not "yes" or "no." Don't ask questions that have already been asked (this is where research is particularly essential). With these methods you gain credibility as an interviewer and limit the potential for awkwardness during the interview interaction. Keep a tape recorder going and always have a note pad to write down key quotes. You don't have to remember everything as long as you're remember what you need for the interview.

Professionalism - While levels will certainly vary based upon who you're interviewing and the seriousness of the questions you've raised, a level of professionalism should always be expected from the interviewer. This includes things that might seem arbitrary - you're clothes for instance. Yeah, the interview might just be recorded on a tape recorder or written down in some magazine, but that doesn't mean you get to show up to an interview wearing sweats. Also, bear the interviewee's feelings in mind - some of the subject matter may seem standard to you, but interviews often delve into seriously emotional content and you should be formal, but sympathetic. You don't want to come across as overly stoic. It's about balance - you want to come across as professional, but human.

Knowledge - Knowledge about your subject. Knowledge about your interviewee. Knowledge about the context of the interview. Etc, etc. Be knowledgable - that way you can adapt to any variations before, during, or after the interview.

Always follow up and be gracious to the interviewee.

With all of that said, I'm also going to remind you all that I've never conducted one of these interviews myself. That was based off a mixture of what I learned in my journalism class and what I've learned in this class. I think it's pretty standard stuff though, so hopefully it's useful!

-Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov