Lesson No. 3: Talk Hard
Once you get a good source of information to talk to you, you want to conduct a great interview. Here are some guidelines: Prepare a bunch of open-ended questions in advance. Ask lots of how’s and why’s, which get people to answer in complete sentences, and stay away from those yes-or-no questions. Before you start, establish a warm feeling using the usual how-ya-doin’ pleasantries, and take an opportunity to observe the person in his or her surroundings. Ask short, specific questions and don’t interrupt when the person answers. When all else fails, use silence as your friend. People will want to fill an awkward silence and will eventually say something if you wait them out.
There’s a whole lot more of Mrs. W’s tips where this came from. Go ahead and brush up on Lesson No. 1 and Lesson No. 2.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
i love your show. i on a middle school yearbook staff and i can sometimes relate to the stress even though we only have one finished product a year.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
I am the sports editor for my school newpaper. We are coming down to our last year and my teacher has asked me and the other co-sports editor to be managing editors for next year but at last minute she decided that she wanted to have FOUR managing editors. Personally, i dont think it is going to workout. As you know with being the adviser of your newspaper there is tons of drama and when you put four teenage girls in a room to get 20 or so pages done before deadline it makes them go insane. So I would like to know if you have any ideas for how to settle the drama, have a great issue, and make everyone get along.