Tips for Interviews

1. Have a prepared list of questions for which you need answers.
   
2. Introduce yourself and the project you on which you are working.
   
3.  Ask follow-up questions. Ask for explanations for any questions you do not understand.
   
4. Maintain eye contact.
   
5. Be relaxed.
   
6. Practice your questions on a friend so you will know them well.
   
7. Don’t ask yes or no questions--unless you plan a follow-up question based on their response. Ask questions that begin with "How," Tell me about," "Why," or "Describe."
   
8. If videotaping the interview, use a hand-held microphone on the interviewee and ask them to answer in complete sentences. (You may want to edit it at a later time.)       

Some Tips on Videotaping Your Interview

1. Don’t cut off anyone in the shot.
   

2. Use a tripod. A shaky shot is distracting.
   
3. Make sure you shot doesn’t have a lot of unnecessary head room.
   
4. Start shooting ten seconds before the interviewee starts speaking, and wait 5-10 seconds after they’ve finished to cut.

Adapted from material received at a SchoolNet program held at Lee Eaton Elementary School in Nordonia Hills.