Interviewing

A practical guide for citizen journalists

Why interview?

Chapters

Developed by Angie Chuang and Lynne Perri, American University School of Communication

Types of Interviews: 9 - In-depth

When you are doing a more involved story, you want to invest the time for a formal sit-down interview.

Remember, journalists don’t have an inalienable right to an interview, so you may need to “sell” your subject on the merits of the idea. Be sure to address the advantages of letting the person tell his or her side of a story, or setting a record straight, or serving as a role model with valuable advice for others.

Come well-prepared. Know the titles, spellings of names and career highlights ahead of time. Use your interview time most productively: to zero in on what will be the primary focus of the article.

Do research so that you know what questions to ask, and so that you can engage in a conversation with your interviewee; show that you took the time to understand the pertinent issues.

Christine Lewis conducted an in-depth interview with an Indian immigrant worker who had labored in slave-like working conditions in the Gulf Coast, an interview that resulted in this People’s Production House audio piece. You could say this is a hybrid of a Q&A and a feature, but the interview is carefully edited to tell a story— and Lewis clearly did her homework.

Sample script:

“Ms. Jackson, you are an inspiration to many environmental advocates. Will you allow me to come talk with you about your new idea to stem global warming?”