Asking the Right Questions
Module 1, Activity 2.2 - Interviewing
Teacher Page
(student page for this lesson)

Introduction:

One of the most important parts of being a reporter is researching the story you want to tell. Some of the most valuable resources are often people, so it is imperative that students learn to conduct an interview. In this lesson students will have the opportunity to determine the characteristics of a bad interview and those of a successful interview. As well, the students will work in partners to conduct their own interviews.

Resources:

- a list of "bad interview questions" and a list of "good" interview questions (.doc) or (.rtf) and a student prepared to answer them
- student checklist for interviews (two copies for each student) (.doc) or (.rtf)
- an interview transcript sample
- internet access
- video clip Re: asking the difficult questions

Activities:

Task One - Bad Interview
Students need to consider the characteristics of a strong interviewer. To begin with you can easily show them what a bad interview might look like.

In order to prepare, talk to one student in your class ahead of time. Ask her if she would be willing to be your interviewee. Have her choose a story, perhaps her favorite childhood memory or something else she would feel comfortable discussing in front of the class. Let her know that you want her to give only the answers to the questions you specifically ask, even if they are simply yes or no answers.

When the students come to class the next day, tell them that you will be interviewing one of them and that the rest are responsible for taking notes on the topic she is discussing and completing an interview checklist evaluating the interview itself. Let them know that you are interviewing your subject about her favorite childhood memory and that they need to attain as many details from your interview as possible.

Conduct the interview and have the students fill in the handout - for sample "bad" interview questions, view the questions handout.

Task Two - Model a Good Interview
For the second time, interview the same student about the same event.

Ask open-ended questions, make eye contact, listen attentively and take notes. Model the behavior of a good interviewer. Have the class take notes on the interview this time as well, along with filling in a new handout.

For sample "good" interview questions view the questions handout. For other tips on conducting an effective interview, you may also want to look at information on the Art of Interviewing.

Task Three - Discuss
Discuss the bad interview first - What things made it a bad interview? Why was it difficult to write an effective paragraph using your notes?
Discuss the second interview - Why were you able to learn more this time? What made it a good interview?

In partners, have the students make a list of characteristics of a strong interviewer. From the mock interviews, the students will likely include characteristics such as:
1.Ask open-ended questions that allow the interviewee to expand and elaborate.
2. Listen attentively to the interviewee
3. Take notes while you are interviewing
4. Make eye contact and use body language that proves that you are interested in the subject.

Be sure to discuss the importance of being flexible in your interview and the importance of follow-up questions.

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Task Four - Read a Researched Interview
Because the interview that you performed did not require research, it is important for the students to look at and discuss an interview that did.

Find an interview transcript such as the interview between Prime Minister Paul Martin and Peter Mansbridge. To view this interview students will need to go to the Mansbridge - One on One website. Once there, they can scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Program Archive Index.

Have students look at the interview with their partners and evaluate it looking for all the characteristics that make it a good interview.

After, discuss the questions that Mansbridge asks that are based in research and the significance of being prepared for an interview. Add your findings to the original characteristics of good and bad interviews that students discussed.

Task Five - Watch the video
Have the students watch the video of a journalist discussing how to ask a difficult question.

Task Six - Conduct an Interview
With their partners, the students will conduct an interview. Each partner must decide what he/she would like to be interviewed about. The students may use the topic used by you or they may choose to be interviewed about a club, extra-curricular, or other school appropriate topic.

Once each partner knows the topic for the person he/she will be interviewing, he/she must devise a list of 5-10 questions. After the students have written down the questions, they will each take 5-10 minutes to conduct their interviews.

At the end, the students will hand-in their questions and the notes they took during the interview.

Assessment and Evaluation:

Tasks One through Five allow the students to determine the characteristics of strong interviewers and therefore require no formal evaluation. Instead the teacher will assess the understanding of the students through questioning and discussion.

Task Six is the students first chance to conduct an interview. Grading would be inappropriate at this time. However, the teacher may take time to look at the questions asked by the students and make anecdotal comments on the types of questions and the information they were able to glean from those questions. Alternatively, the teacher could make these comments through circulating or through asking students to demonstrate key elements for the class and then discussing those elements