Double Takes Back
Memories
Boy who's going to take an example interview with his grandmother  
Do you want to know more about what life was like in the past? Try talking to older people about their childhood memories. If you write down these memories, you can help to keep them alive for other people to enjoy. For a successful interview, you will need to plan, read about the topic, and make a list of good questions to ask.

 
 
 
  Boy planning interview: Q-Why am I doing this interview? A-we're doing a class assignment on what life was like in the past; Q-What is the topic? A-To find out how food was preserved when my grandma was young.; What information do I want to find out? A-I want to find out what methods were used to preserve food and how they are different from the ways we preserve food today.   Planning an interview
   

When you are going to interview someone, it's important to plan carefully. Ask yourself:
Why am I doing this Interview?
What is the topic?
What information do I want to find out?
Once you have decided these things, it's much easier to write your questions.
 
  Book: The History of Refrigerators   Background reading
   
Start by reading about the topic of your interview. This will give you good ideas about the best questions to ask. It can be very difficult to think of questions on a topic that you know little or nothing about. Old newspapers or magazines, the library, and the Internet are good places to look.
   

The best questions
   


You will need to write and ask your questions in the right way to get good answers. The best questions are open-ended questions, such as:
Boy interviewing Grandmother: Q-How did people keep their milk cold when you were young? A-We used an icebox which was in the basement. Q-Did you have a refrigerator when you were young? A-No. "How did people keep their milk cold when you were young?"
"Answer..."
This open-ended question will give you a long answer. Open-ended questions encourage people to talk.
 
"Did you have a refrigerator when you were young?"
"Answer..."
This is a closed question. You can only answer "yes" or "no" to this kind of question. This isn't a very useful reply.

When you have chosen your open-ended questions, write a list of them to take to the interview. You don't have to stick to this list all the time. Always ask follow-up questions. Good follow-up questions often include the words how, what, when, where, or why, for example, "What is an icebox?"

Try not to interrupt the person while they are talking. Give them plenty of time to think about their answers. Smiling and nodding are good ways to show that you are listening.
           
  Equipment for an interview: Tape recorder and note pad

Recording information
   


How will you record the answers to your questions? If you're going to use a video or tape recorder, practice using the equipment before the interview. You will need to choose a place to do the interview. It must be somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed. It's also important that the person you are interviewing is relaxed and comfortable during the interview. Providing a glass of water is a good idea.

If you have planned your interview well, you will enjoy it more and so will the other person. It will also mean that you will get better information. Happy interviewing!

 
           
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