Interviewing and Listening

After reading I realized that there is a lot more that goes into an interview than simply asking questions. While interviewing it is best to keep an open mind, and to expect the unexpected. It is important to gather background information so that the interviewer can relate to the topic. Also, more questions can be build if there is more knowledge to base the questions off of. I learned that it is important to ask both open and closed questions. Open questions being that there is not a set answer. An open ended question can lead to questions that may have never been asked because they have no set structure to stick to. Then there is closed questions which are basically yes or no answers.

I always thought that the questions being asked in an interview was the most important. While the questions being asked are important, what the informant has to say is the most important. Follow the lead of the informant because that is when some of the most detailed and informative information can be revealed . While in an interview it is important to acknowledge the informant and let them know that you are interested in what they have to say. If they do not think you are interested they will not give you the information you are looking for. So, keep your eyes from wandering and do not look at your watch or a clock.

Lastly, after reading Jennette Edwards work I got a really good feel for how interviews should be fit into an essay. Everything flowed very nicely. She did not put anything into question and answer form, which helped make the essay flow. After doing these readings I am confident I will be able to construct great questions for my interview. Also, I think that I will be able to "press the right buttons" on the person I am interviewing to get as much information as possible out of them.

This is a great website I came across that has some great tips for interviewing.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/559/04/