Peer Interview Project
Period : ______
______is interviewing ______
Good interview questions can NOT be answered in one word. They encourage the interviewee to explain, support, or reminisce about the topic addressed in the question.
Example of a poor question: What is your name?
Example of an improved interview technique using a “set” of (at least three) questions:
“Please spell out your full name for me. Thanks, now, what can you tell me about it?”…. Pause and let him/her think….. If the person doesn’t seem to have an answer, prompt them with some follow-up questions such as: “What do you like or not like about it? Why did your parents choose that name for you? Were you named after someone in your family? Do you have a nickname?” etc.
You need to record all of the important or interesting parts of their responses, but don’t write down every word they say. A good technique is to read back your notes after asking each set of questions and see if you need to change or add something. This will ensure an accurate interview.
PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW (Complete Part A, B and C)
Due Date: ______
PART A - BACKGROUND: You need to find at least THREE areas of interest relating to his or her background. Write 3-4 sets of questions for 3-4 of the topics listed below (that’s a min. of nine questions)
· his or her name
· place of birth and circumstances of birth
· family information
· cultural background (ethnicity and traditions/customs observed by the family)
· religious background
· places lived
· schools attended
· another topic that could relate to a person’s background ______
PART B - ACCOMPLISHMENTS/INTERESTS: This is where you look for 3-4 ways to showcase the positive aspects of your interviewee. You want to find out about interests, accomplishments (no matter how minor or unusual) and anything else that could be considered to be positive. Ask the 3-4 sets of questions about his or her involvement in 3-4 of the activities listed below: (that’s a min. of nine questions)
o Sports (teams or independent activities)
o academics/learning (this doesn’t have to be strictly school related)
o school groups such as clubs/elective classes
o outside groups such as churches/Scouts/service organizations
o hobbies
o activities during the summer or any other time
o his or her fashion sense and styling tips
o musical awareness and preferences
o his or her values or moral code
o any other positive traits, interests or accomplishments ______
PART C - ANECDOTE:
This is a brief story where something happened to your interviewee or he or she was involved in something interesting. It can illustrate an important trait or just be humorous, unusual or heartwarming. Hopefully, you found an anecdote from the insightful questions you already asked for Part A and B so make sure you look for any responses that could be expanded into an anecdote.
You can’t count on that happening, however, so you need to include some questions from the list below or, better yet, make up 1-2 original questions that could lead into a great anecdote from the interviewee.
Remember: You can only earn the Advanced grade for Interview Preparation by writing 1-2 original questions and not just reading off the ones listed below.
o Have you had an unusual or endearing pet/toy you can tell me about?
o Describe a scary or challenging experience you vividly remember.
o Can you recount a story your parents love to tell about you when you were little?
o Describe something that you were involved in that was funny, embarrassing or just strange.
An anecdote includes brief answers to the basic questions involved in every story: When did it happen? Where did it take place? Who was involved? Why is important to you? and will require careful revision to convey the essentials of what happened while illustrating a central point. Dig deep on this one!!!!!!
CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW
Due Date: ______
Once you have your sets of questions prepared for Part A and Part B (and hopefully have written 1-2 original anecdote questions), you are ready to conduct the interview. Carefully review the Scoring Guide before the interview so you will see how easy it is to earn an Advanced grade. Be prepared with plenty of paper, a good writing utensil and ready to write as fast as you can. Accurate listening and recording of information requires intense concentration.
During the interview, you should naturally think of some questions. Please don’t hesitate to ask these impromptu or follow up questions and write down two of them for your grade. Good reporters know the rewards of asking follow up questions. They quite often elicit the most interesting answers. Just keep in mind, that your questions must be respectful and the interviewee might decline to answer some of them for personal reasons. That is his or her right.
WRITING UP THE INTERVIEW
PARTS OF THIS WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE CLASS
Due Date: ______
If you prepared well and conducted a thorough interview, you will have plenty of material for your write-up. The problem will be choosing what to leave out and how to organize it well. Follow the A, B and C format of your notes when you write your 3-5 paragraph interview. You will begin with the person’s background, move into his or her accomplishments/positive traits and finish with the anecdote.
Carefully review the scoring guide before you begin writing. Notice that your write-up should have coherence. That means that each paragraph should flow into the next so it doesn’t sound choppy. Think of transitional words and phrases that will lead into the next section (background to accomplishments/positive traits to the anecdote). Spend extra time on the anecdote. Ask yourself: “What is the main point of this anecdote? What character trait of my partner am I presenting through this story? Or am I just presenting something that is funny or heartwarming?” Make sure you’ve provided all the necessary information (Who? What? Where? Why?) and that the story creatively presents the point you want to get across.
Since you will be presenting parts of the write-up to the class, typing it in a 12 to 16 point sans serif font would be best. Make sure it is easy for you to read. Good luck!
Scoring Guide – KEEP this paper to turn in with your all your papers
Preparation forInterview / Advanced Interview / Adequate Interview /
Below Adequate Interview
You have written four sets of questions relating to Part A (background) of the interviewee and labeled it.Min: 12 correct questions / You have written three sets of questions relating to Part A (background) of the interviewee and labeled it.
Min: 9 correct questions / You have written questions relating to Part A (background) but have not created sets. Yes/No (one word answer) questions will not count. Section not labeled/unorganized
You have written four sets of questions relating to Part B of the interviewee
(Accomplishments/Positive Traits) and labeled it.
Min: 12 correct questions / You have written three sets of questions relating to Part B of the interviewee
(Accomplishments/Positive Traits)
and labeled it.
Min: 12 correct questions / You have written questions relating to Part B
(Accomplishments/Positive Traits) but have not created sets. Yes/No (one word answer) questions don’t count.
Part C: Interviewer has added 1-2 original anecdote questions to those listed in the handout. / Part C: Interviewer only uses the anecdote questions provided. / Part C: Interviewer only uses only ONE of the anecdote questions provided.
Questions are insightful and encourage thoughtful responses. / Questions are somewhat insightful and encourage fairly thoughtful responses. / Few of the questions are adequate in encouraging thoughtful responses.
Conducting the Interview / You add two or more additional impromptu/follow up questions during the interview. Write each one in your notes or question section and label IMPROMPTU/FOLLOW UP / You add one additional impromptu question during the interview (You must write it down!) Write each one in your notes or question section and label IMPROMPTU/FOLLOW UP / You don’t add any additional impromptu questions during the interview.
Responses demonstrate careful active listening, important parts of the responses are recorded accurately and the notes are well organized by Part A, B and C / Responses are recorded accurately and demonstrate mostly careful listening. The notes are mostly organized by Part A, B and C / Most responses are recorded accurately but may be lacking essential details; demonstrates irregular listening and notes are unorganized.
For Part C, you have written notes about two anecdotes with detailed information (answering all the W questions) on one of them. / For Part C, you have written notes about two anecdotes with somewhat detailed information / For Part C, you have written notes about only one anecdote and it is missing important information
Final draft of interview
to prepare
for the presentation of your partner / Creatively rewrite 3-4 of the most interesting parts of the responses for Part A into a “Background Paragraph(s)” / Rewrite 2-3 interesting parts of the responses for Part A into a “Background Paragraph.” / Rewrite 1-2 interesting parts of the responses for Part A into a “Background” Paragraph but it is too brief.
Creatively rewrite 3-4 of the most interesting parts of the responses for Part B into an “Accomplishments/Positive Traits Paragraph(s)” / Rewrite 2-3 interesting parts of the responses for Part B into an “Accomplishments/ Positive Traits Paragraph.” / Rewrite 1-2 interesting parts of the responses for Part B into an “Accomplishments/ Positive Traits Paragraph” but it is too brief.
Rewrite and organize the best of the anecdotes so it is told like a story and it illustrates a central point. / The best of the anecdotes is rewritten and organized so it is easy to understand. / The anecdote is rewritten and somewhat organized but is too brief or missing essential information.
All parts of the interview (A-C) are arranged into a coherent presentation of your partner with natural transitions. / All parts of the interview (A-C) are included with an attempt to create a coherent presentation with some transitions. / All parts of the interview (A-C) are included but there is little evidence of coherence or transitions.
Final draft is typed or written legibly in ink and conventions are almost all correct. / Final draft is typed or written legibly and errors in conventions do not interfere with understanding. / Interview appears to be a rough draft – reading is difficult due to messiness or convention errors.
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