Quiz #5
Coaching Tips on Interviewing
-Write your observations in your notes; include specific details. -Mark or highlight important quotes or facts that you plan to use in the story. -When interviewing athletes or famous people, try to find a question they haven't been asked. -Research the background of your subject in social media and on websites. -Always check the spelling of the source's name and wording of job titles. -Ask follow-up questions: "why" and "how." -Gather details for graphics, maps or other illustrations. -Plan to report with audio and video for Web publication.
Note-Taking Tips
1. Be Prepared: Do not rely solely on electronic equipment for note taking. Bring extra pens and pencils. You may run out of ink, or your pencils may break. If you do an interview in the rain, you'll want to have pencils handy. 2. Concentrate: When you hear a good quote or the start of one, write rapidly and concentrate. Thinking of your next question while you are trying to write down a complete quote will interfere with your concentration. 3. Use Key Words: Jot down key words to remind you of facts and statements from the source. 4. Develop a Shorthand System: Abbreviate as many words as possible. 5. Slow the Pace: When you are taking notes for a quote, slow the pace of the interview by pausing before your next question until you write the quote. If your source is speaking too fast, politely ask him to slow down. 6. Request Repetition: Don't be afraid to ask your source to repeat a quote or fact you missed. Although the quote may not be worded exactly as before, it will be close enough. In fact, the repeated statement may be even better. 7. Make Eye Contact: Look at your source while asking questions and taking notes. 8. Mark Your Margins or Notebook Covers: When you hear something that prompts another question in your mind, jot it in the margin as soon as you think of it. Some reporters use the covers of their notebooks to write questions that come to mind during the interview, so they can find them easily without flipping through notebook pages. 9. Verify Vital Information: Get the exact spelling of your source's name and his title during or at the end of the interview. Don't go by a nameplate on a door or desk. That could be a nickname. Ask the source for the name he prefers to use, and ask for the spelling even if you are sure of it. Even if you are reporting for television, you will need the spelling of the name, which may be superimposed on the screen during a sound bite. 10. Double-Check: If your source says he has three main points or reasons for running for office, make sure that you get all three. Write "3 reasons" in the margin, number them as you hear them and check before you conclude the interview. 11. Be Open-Minded: You may have one idea for the story when you begin taking notes. But don't limit your notes to one concept. Your story angle could change at any time during the interview. 12. Use a Symbol System: To save time writing your story, mark your notes with a star or some symbol next to the information that you think will be important. Develop your own system. 13. Stand and Deliver: Practice taking notes while you are standing. You will not have the luxury of sit-down reporting, especially at the scene of fires, accidents, disasters and most other breaking news stories. 14. Save Your Notes: You should save your notes after the story is published or aired. How long you should save them is debatable. Lawyers disagree whether notes are helpful or harmful in court cases if you are sued for libel or any other reasons. But most editors advise saving the notes at least for a few weeks after the story appears, in case any questions about it arise. For this reason, it is helpful to date your notebooks.
Listening Tips
1. Focus on the 'Hear' and Now: Concentrate on what the source is saying now, not on what you will ask next. 2. Practice Conversational Listening: Base your next question on the last sentence or thought the source expressed, as though you were having a conversation with your friend. 3. Practice Critical Listening: Evaluate what the source is saying as you hear it. Listen on one level for facts, on another for good quotes and on a third level for elaboration and substantiation. Is the source making a point clearly and supporting it? If not, ask the source to repeat, elaborate or define the meaning. 4. Be Quiet: Whose interview is this anyway? Do not try to impress the source with what you know. You can't quote yourself. Let the source explain a point, even if you understand it, so you can get information in the source's words. 5. Be Responsive: Make eye contact frequently, so your source knows you are listening. If you don't understand something, say so. "Why?" "How?" "I don't understand" and "Please explain." 6. Listen for What Isn't Said: Is the source avoiding a topic? Who or what isn't the source talking about — a family member (in a personal profile), a close official, a crucial part of his background? Sometimes, what is omitted from a conversation is more revealing than what is included. 7. Listen With Your Eyes: What kind of body language is the source displaying? Is the source smiling, frowning or exhibiting discomfort when you ask certain questions? Are these telltale signs that the source may be lying or withholding information? Observation can be a good listening tool. 8. Be Polite: If the source starts to ramble or give you irrelevant information, don't interrupt. Wait for the source to pause briefly, and then change the subject. 9. Block Personal Intrusions: You've had a bad day, your car broke down, you failed a test or you have some emotional concerns. Block personal thoughts that will affect your concentration. Your problems will still be there when the interview is over. The source will not. 10. Be Flexible: Don't go to your interview with a rigid agenda of questions. Although you may start with prepared questions, if the interview goes in another direction, follow that course if it is interesting. Listen for what you want to know and what you didn't expect to know.
Planning the Interview
1. Identify Your Focus: What is the purpose of your interview? The focus may change after you do the interview, but you need to start with a specific reason for your story so you know what kind of information you need to get and what sources you need. 2. Research the Background: Check news clippings, TV footage, social media sites and written and online sources. Check with secondary sources — friends and opponents — before or after you interview the subject of a story. 3. Identify Your Goals: What kind of information are you hoping to get from this source? Is the source going to be the central focus of the story, as in a profile, or just one of several people cited in the story? Get a general idea of why you need this source, so you can explain briefly when you call for an interview. 4. Plan Your Questions: Prepare your list of questions in two ways: Write all the questions you want to ask, preferably in an abbreviated form. Then mark the questions you must ask to get the most crucial information for your story. If your source refuses to grant you the time you need, you can switch to the crucial list during your interview. 5. Request the Interview: The most important point is to plan ahead. Officials and many other sources may not be able to see you on brief notice. When you make the call, state your name and purpose. Or try the sponsorship technique: "I'm working on a story about date rape on campus, and Officer John Brown suggested that I call you." -You can also try contacting a source by email to set up an appointment. State your name, affiliation and purpose. Save your questions until you find out whether you can get a telephone or face-to-face interview. 6. Dress Appropriately: If you are interviewing a source on a farm, don't wear a business suit. However, if you are interviewing corporate officials or people in more formal business settings, you should dress as though you worked there. 7. Arrive on Time: You could arrive 10 to 15 minutes early, but don't arrive too early because you could inconvenience people who are busy. And never come late.
Ways to conduct the interview
1. Start Out by Using Icebreakers 2. Plan Your First Question 3. Plan Your First Question 4. Ask the Basic Questions 5. Ask Follow-Up Questions 6. Keep Quiet 7. Be Nonjudgmental 8. Control the Interview 9. Repeat Questions 10. Ask Background Questions 11. Construct a Chronology 12. Ask About Developments 13. Role-Play 14. Ask About Pros and Cons 15. Ask for Definitions 16. Verify 17. Use the 'Blame Others' Technique 18. Handle Emotional Questions With Tact 19. Ask Summary Questions 20. Use the 'Matchmaker' Technique 21. Ask Free-Choice Questions: "Anything you would like to add?" 22. End on a Positive Note
Email Interviews
Advantages: Email gives the source some time to think about responses to your questions. It also saves you from taking notes, and you can get accurate quotes when the source responds in writing. Disadvantages: Email interviews prohibit spontaneity and good follow-up questions. You also can't observe the source's reactions and body language, nor can you gather descriptive detail.
Observation for Breaking News
Although descriptive detail is more common in feature stories, you need the same observation techniques to gather information for hard-news stories. At a protest, use observation to report what signs the protesters carried and what they were chanting. At a trial, use observation to help the reader see how the defendant and other people in the courtroom reacted. If you are reporting a news event for television, don't depend on video to record the observations. In any disaster, fire, or similar breaking news event, the reporter needs to describe the scene and answer questions the anchor might ask. In addition reporters may be expected to post blogs to describe breaking news events.
What do you do if the source terminates the interview abruptly before you have the information you need?
Ask if you may contact the source again for further questions.
What do you do if the source says something is "off the record" during an interview?
Ask the source why the information should be off the record (meaning you can't use it), and try to convince the source that the information is not harmful. Ask the question another way during the course of the interview to see whether you can get the information on the record.
Use the 'Matchmaker' Technique
Ask whether anyone else is involved in the issue or if there are other people the source would suggest you contact. Remember that you will want more than one source for your story so that you can strive for fairness and balance.
free-choice questions
Asking the source if there are any questions or additional information the source would like to add.
Handle Emotional Questions With Tact
Avoid insensitive questions. There's a saying in journalism that there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers. That's not exactly true. "How do you feel about the death of your three children?" is not only a stupid question; it's insensitive as well. Instead of asking such an emotionally loaded question, ask the person to recall specific memories about his children, or ask how the person is coping with the tragedy.
Before you begin recording your interview
Before you begin recording your interview, follow some etiquette. Start your interview with basic introductions — who you are and why you are there — and some opening conversation. To put the source at ease, you might even ask a few questions before you ask the source whether he would object to the recorder. If you want to record a telephone interview, be aware of the laws in your state. Twelve states prohibit recorded conversations without the consent of the person being taped: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington. Other states mandate that only one person must be aware of the taping, either the reporter or the person being interviewed. You can't secretly record any conversation between two other people when you are not a part of the discourse. For example, if you are on an extension phone and neither party knows you are recording the conversation, you are violating a federal law against wiretapping. The Federal Wiretap Statute provides for penalties of up to $250,000 in fines and up to five years in prison.
The Dumb Factor
Beginning reporters often worry that they will appear dumb to sources. Don't worry about what you don't know. You are there to listen and learn, not to be the expert. The whole point is to get information from the source. In fact, acting dumb can give you an advantage. Even if you know the answer to a question, you should ask it anyway so that you can get the information in the source's words. If the source gives you technical or confusing information, you might ask, "Could you explain that so I can write it clearly?" Most sources enjoy taking the teaching role or showing off what they know.
What do you do if the source gives you information that is inaccurate or false?
Check your facts, and if you discover inaccuracies or falsehoods, contact the source again and confront him with the problems. Ask for an explanation.
Interviewing Tips
First, consider your mission. You are a reporter, not a stenographer who just receives information and transcribes it. A reporter evaluates information for its accuracy, fairness, newsworthiness and potential to make a readable story. During the reporting process, look for facts, good quotes, substantiation and answers to the five W's — who, what, when, where, why — and also "how" and "so what." One question should lead to another until you have the information you need. An interview with one source is just the beginning of reporting for most stories. For credibility and fairness, you need other sources — human and written — for differing points of view and accuracy checks.
Highlights
Gather information for a facts box, such as important dates or highlights of someone's career. Suppose you are doing a profile. Instead of listing key dates and incidents in your story, could you place them more effectively in a box?
Locations
Get the names of streets and major intersections nearest to the site of the incident. Even if you plan to use Google maps, ask details about specific measurements: yards, feet, number of city blocks or whatever else would help pinpoint locations. How many feet or yards away from the landfill is the nearest house?
How to conduct a telephone interview
Identification: Immediately state your name and affiliation and the purpose for the call. Icebreakers: These may not be necessary. Get to the point quickly. Length of Questions: Keep questions very short. Limit the number of questions as well. Plan two lists: (1) all the questions you want to ask and (2) crucial questions. If you have time for only a few questions, switch to the crucial list. Don't wait too long to ask the crucial ones. You never can tell when the source will be interrupted and will terminate the interview. Clarification: It may be harder to understand information over the telephone, so clarify anything that is confusing. Repeat any confusing terms or information in your own words, and ask your source to verify your interpretation. Specifics: Ask for details and examples. If you want to describe the scene, ask your source to give you the descriptive details. Chronology: A chronology is especially important in police and fire stories you receive by telephone. After a source tells you the high points of what happened, you could ask him to explain the order in which events unfolded. Control: You need to control the interview by switching the subject so you get answers to the questions you need. Verification: Double-check the spelling of the name, title and other basic information. If you haven't heard it clearly, spell it back to the source, especially when dealing with police officers. They usually do not identify themselves by their full names when they answer the phone on duty, so make sure that you get first and last names and the proper rank, such as lieutenant, sergeant or captain.
Pros and Cons of Digital Recorders/Videotape
In our multimedia world, electronic equipment is invaluable. When you conduct an interview, it helps to capture images with your cell phone or record audio and video that you can use on the Web or on TV. But electronic devices are not substitutes for good notes. Machines can fail you when you need them most. They can inhibit a source. They can also prevent you from taking good notes if you rely on them too much. If you want to get the exact wording of quotes, or if you are interviewing a source about a controversial subject, a recorder is beneficial and even crucial in investigative reporting. But you shouldn't play back the entire recording and transcribe it before you write your story. That is too time-consuming. Scan the recording for the quotes you need.
Observation
Observation is a crucial reporting skill. These days it is even more essential to videotape interviews so you can produce audio and video that will enhance your stories for the Web and mobile media.
icebreakers
Questions at the start of an interview to put the source at ease.
follow-up questions
Questions in an interview that follow after a source's response; how and why are good follow-up questions.
The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics says journalists "should refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity."
Telephone Interviewing
The telephone is no longer just a tool for verbal conversations. Smartphones can be used in interviewing to capture audio, video and photos. If you can arrange it, you can conduct a video interview with your source on Skype, a free Internet-connected call.
Sensitivity
The way you deal with sources can differ, depending on whether they are public or private individuals. Because public officials are accustomed to dealing with the media, you have a right to expect them to talk to you. Private individuals do not have to deal with the media, and you need to use more sensitivity when interviewing them. All sources, public and private, want to be portrayed well in the media. Many sources, especially public officials, will manipulate reporters by revealing only information that furthers their cause. As a result, reporters need to be aware of the source's bias and ask probing questions that go beyond what the source wants to reveal. It is also crucial to check the information and seek alternative points of view.
Statistics
Think of charts for print, broadcast or public relations materials. If your city council has raised taxes, what have taxes been during the past five years? How much has tuition increased during the past several years? Statistics like these can be boring to read. But they are easy to understand in chart form that can be posted in print or on the Web.
What do you do if the source tells you not to use his name after the interview?
Try to prevent this by making sure you identify yourself and your purpose clearly at the start of the interview. If you suspect that this might happen, set ground rules at the beginning of the interview by explaining that you cannot use anonymous sources. Try to convince the source to be identified. If the source still refuses, ask if you can identify the source by a vague title or position such as "a source in the administration."
Social Media
Twitter has become a useful interviewing tool for some reporters. It doesn't substitute for an in-depth interview, but a Twitter interview can serve several purposes. It can help you focus your questions and get essential information, especially for breaking news on radio, television or the Web. Some employers are even using "Twitterviews" for job interviews because they distill information so clearly.
Gathering Details
What a reporter needs is detail, detail, detail. Questions unimportant to police add the color and detail that make a story human. What movie did they see? What color was their car? What did they have in their pockets? What were they doing the precise moment the bomb exploded or the tornado touched down?
"Blame others" technique
When you have to ask tough questions, blame someone else: "Your opponent says you cheated on your income taxes. How would you respond to that?"
Reporting for Visuals
Whenever you go on an assignment — especially a breaking news story involving an accident, a disaster such as a flood or explosion, or a crime — gather information for a graphic or map to pinpoint the location of the crime or disaster scene. Take photos with your cell phone or camera. With an application like Foursquare or GPS function, you can also use your cell phone to gather details about your location.
Closed-ended questions
are designed to elicit brief, specific answers that are factual. They are good for getting basic information, such as name and title; yes or no answers; and answers to some basic questions about who, where, when, such as: How long have you worked here? How many people were at the rally? When did the accident occur?
Open-ended questions
are designed to elicit quotes, elaboration or longer responses. Avoid being judgmental in the way you frame your initial questions and follow-up questions. The more neutral you are, the more responsive your source is likely to be.
The questions that will elicit the most quotes and anecdotes
start with what, why and how: -What (What happened? What is your reaction? What do you mean by that? Can you elaborate?) -Why (Why did you do that? Why do you believe...?) -How (How did something happen? How did you accomplish that?) -Give me an example (a follow-up question to explain how the source felt, thought, acted in a specific situation)