Approaching the Interview

At the heart of every good news profile, or any story, is the interview. Most young writers feel uncomfortable with this aspect of reporting at first, but it gets easier with time. The best way to calm nerves and feel more confident is to feel prepared.

Jim Stovall, a longtime journalism professor at the University of Tennessee, has prepared an interview check list I think you will find helpful. First, you might want to read his general advice about interviewing.

Here's the check list:

• Prepare. Write out your questions. What information are you going to need to write a good story? Think about what your audience will want to know.

• Stay flexible. The interview may go in a different direction than what you planned. Be ready to respond to that.

• If you have to ask difficult questions, wait until the interview is nearly over.

• Note the surroundings and the characteristics of the interviewee.

• Develop a professional appearance and demeanor. Dress so that you represent yourself and your news organization well. Introduce yourself, shake hands if appropriate, and tell why you are there, even if the interviewee knows the reason.

• Learn how to ask questions – and then stop talking. Try to make your questions as short as possible, and don’t be afraid to wait for an answer.

• Listen, listen, listen. Concentrate on what the interviewee has to say with everything you can muster. Listen for the substance of what he or she is saying, but also remember that you need words and sentences you can put into direct quotations.

• Housekeeping duties. Ask your interview how to spell his or her name (always), and also ask for the person’s exact title. Ask for permission to call back if there is information that you need.

• The key to a good interview is to be interested in what the interviewee has to say. Look them in the eye, nod to confirm that you heard a key point, asked follow-up questions that really do follow on what they've said.