As part of researching issues in your professional context, you will conduct a 45-minute to 1-hour interview with an established member of your field.

potential participants

Your chosen interviewee should have:

a knowledge of the field.

a willingness to participate in the research.

an active involvement in both local and larger aspects of your professional context.

possible topics for conversation

Your goals for this interview are twofold:

1. to gain useful and relevant data about your professional context.

2. to begin to assess which site you want to observe.

Your interview provides you with an excellent opportunity to learn about how relationships function within your professional context. As an established member of your profession, your interviewee has experience with the criteria, standards, priorities, and procedures related to different relationships within your context. The goal of the interview process should be for you to gain insight into these experiences.

Please consult the Example Interview Transcript node for more information.

considerations for effective interview questions

The following are points to consider as you draft your interview questions.

As you plan your interview, think about not only the individual questions but also the shape of the interview as a whole.

Avoid asking questions for which you already have adequate answers.

Have at least six well-developed questions, but don't let these questions stifle the natural flow of the conversation.

Listen carefully to the responses and ask follow-up questions based upon the interviewee's interests and concerns.

Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.

Avoid asking questions that are too broad.

Avoid starting the interview with questions that are too narrow.

Avoid asking leading questions that assume a particular answer and discourage the interviewee from voicing alternative interests/concerns.

Remember to use the downloadable Word form to complete your interview transcript.

deadlines

Consult the calendar for interview scheduling and deadlines.