162 8.2 GatherinG and UsinG sUpportinG Material
- Get set... Arrive for the interview a few minutes ahead of schedule. Be pre-
pared, however, to wait patiently, if necessary.
Once you are settled with the person you will interview, remind him or
her of your purpose. If you are familiar with and admire the work the inter-
viewee has done or published, don’t hesitate to say so. Sincere flattery can
help to set a positive tone for the exchange. If you have decided to record the
interview and the person has agreed, set up your device. You may keep it out
of sight once the interviewee has seen it, but never try to hide a recorder at
the outset—such a ploy is unethical. If you are going to take written notes,
get out your paper and pen. Now you are ready to begin asking your pre-
pared questions. - Go! As you conduct the interview, use the questions that you have prepared
as a guide but not as a rigid schedule. If the person you are interviewing
mentions an interesting angle that you had not thought of, don’t be afraid to
pursue the point. Listen carefully to the person’s answers, and ask for clari-
fication of any ideas you don’t understand. Television journalist Charles
Osgood advises interviewers,
Don’t just listen for the words and their cognitive, literal meanings, but
listen for the connotations. You will learn something if you do that and
the next question will come to you growing out of what you just learned.^3
Do not prolong the interview beyond the time limits of your appoint-
ment. The person you are interviewing is probably very busy and has been
courteous enough to fit you into a tight schedule. Ending the interview on
time is simply returning the courtesy. Thank your interviewee for his or her
contribution and leave.
FOLLOWING UP THE INTERVIEW As soon as possible after the interview,
read through your notes carefully, and revise any portions that may be illegible
or unclear. If you recorded the interview, label the recording with the date and
the interviewee’s name.
Research Strategies
8.2 Explain five strategies for a methodical research process.
You have Internet access. You know the kinds of materials and services your
library offers and how to use them. In short, you’re ready to begin researching
your speech. But unless you approach this next phase of speech preparation sys-
tematically, you may find yourself wasting a good deal of time and energy re-
tracing steps to find bits of information that you remember seeing but forgot to
bookmark, print out, or write down the first time.
Methodical research strategies can make your efforts easier and more efficient.
You need to develop a preliminary bibliography, locate potential resources, evaluate
their usefulness of resources, take notes, and identify possible presentation aids.8.2