Elder Interview (PART3) ONLY

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Elder Interview: Assessing Perceptions of Aging—Implications for the Human Service Professional Overview: This assignment is designed to enhance your interviewing skill set and to help you understand the perspective of an elder (defined as someone who is 65 or older) on the aging process and how they feel about getting older. The questions should increase your awareness of the aging process as experienced by your respondent and help you learn how to build rapport with an elder, and build the skill set you need if you work with an older population. There are three required parts for this assignment for a total point of 200 points toward your final grade. Carefully follow the instructions and requirements provided below. Part 1: Interviewee Information (10 Points) Instructions: You will submit the information about your interviewee. Submit the following information:

• First name and initial of the last name (e.g., John S.) • Date and time (when the interview will be conducted) • Location (where you will be conducting the interview)

Grading: This is no rubric for this stage. You must provide all the required information, and then you will receive either Pass or Not pass grade. If you get a Pass, you will also get 10 points. Submission: Type your interviewee information through the online assignment submission. Part 2: Interview and Transcription (40 Points) Instruction: You must conduct this interview in person. Please do not interview a close relative. Ask to make an audio recording of the interview (do not show the interviewee’s face). You will have to transcribe the recording. Please see the transcription guide at the end of this document. Before the interview, please have the interviewee sign the consent form, available at the end of this document. Conducting the Interview Remember, review the questions before you start the interview. Start the interview by giving your name, your affiliation, and that you want to learn from the interviewee how she or he feels about their family and the aging process. Tell your respondent that you have a list of questions, but that she or he can expand on a topic. Set a time limit for each question (2-3 minutes?) and stay on schedule.

1. Be sure to write/print out all questions before the interview and review all questions before you begin the interview. Think carefully about each one, and why you are asking that particular question—that way, if a person does not respond as you think they might, you can probe further by asking more questions.

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2. You must be prepared to ask follow-up and probe questions if your respondent gives one word or one sentence responses—these are not informative.

a. Example: Question—Do you consider yourself to be “old?” Answer: “No.” Be prepared to ask some follow-up questions—for example, do you think others see you as “old?” At what age do you think a person becomes old? Or, “Why did you answer that way? or “Can you explain what you mean by that?”

b. In some cases, one-word responses might be acceptable—for example— “How old are you?”

Take this opportunity to learn how to develop rapport with someone who is older. Make sure that your respondent is comfortable. Do not talk about yourself, unless that is needed to facilitate the interview. The Interview Questions Below please find the list of questions. You may ask additional questions if your interviewee says something that interests you or you think is particularly important to include. Be sure to note any additional questions.

Begin the interview by telling the interviewee that you want to get some background information on them. Background information

1. What is your age? Where were you born? 2. What is your educational background? Where did you go to school? What was school

like for you? Please explain. 3. Where did you live when you were growing up? What was your neighborhood like? 4. Tell me about your family. Do you have brothers and sisters? How many? How

would you describe your family when you were growing up? 5. How did your family earn money? How did your family compare to others in the

neighborhood – richer, poorer, the same? How did you feel about that growing up? 6. What was good about your teen years? What did you enjoy doing? 7. What was the worst thing about your teen years?

Questions about Adulthood

8. What’s different about growing up today from when you were growing up? 9. Tell me about two or three meaningful or memorable events from your life—what

about these events makes them memorable to you? Aging Attitudes

10. What does the word “old” mean to you? 11. Do people treat you differently today than they did when you were younger? In what ways? 12. Do you consider yourself to be old? How do you feel about these changes? 13. What is the best thing about being your age? Can you explain your answer for me? 14. What is the worst thing about being your age? Can you explain your answer for me?

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15. What do you believe are the best years of a person’s life? Can you explain your answer for me?

Activities

17. Are you retired or are you still working? (If still working, ask them why). (If retired, ask them about their retirement—what is good about it, and what is bad about it). 18. Was it difficult to adjust to retirement? If so, what made it hard to adjust? If not, what made it easier to adjust? 19. What is a typical day like for you? What do you do to relax? What do you do differently for relaxation than when you were younger? 20. What, if anything, do you miss about working?

Meaning and the Future

21. Please describe two or three things that give your life meaning. (What is most important to you). 22. What advice would you give me about growing older? Please explain. 24. What concerns if any, do you have about dying? 25. If you could choose to be any age, what would it be? Please explain your answer.

Transcription Procedures You should transcribe an individual interview using the following formatting:

• Times New Roman 12-point face-font • One-inch top, bottom, right, and left margins • All text should begin at the left-hand margin (no indents) • Entire document should be left-justified

Please make sure you download and follow the Qualitative Data Preparation and Transcription Procedure. Grading: See the rubric for grading criteria. Submission: Type your interview note or transcription in a Word document and submit it through the online assignment submission. This assignment requires a file upload submission. After you have reviewed the assignment instructions and rubric, as applicable, complete your submission by selecting the Submit Assignment button next to the assignment title. Rubric:

Levels of Achievement

Components Exemplary Meets Expectations Developing Not Acceptable Transcription formatting Rules

14-15 points 12-13 points 1-11 points 0 points

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Levels of Achievement

Components Exemplary Meets Expectations Developing Not Acceptable Formatting is error- free. Document layout uses the specified font size, type face and margins. All transcripts are labeled correctly. No errors in transcription conventions for pauses, inaudible information, questionable text and names. End of interview clearly denoted.

No more than two errors in either the layout formatting or the transcription conventions for pauses, inaudible information, questionable text and names. End of interview clearly denoted.

Three or four errors in either the layout formatting or the transcription conventions for pauses, inaudible information, questionable text and names.

Multiple errors; no evidence that the assigned transcription rules were followed, or there is no transcript.

Transcription & Interview Content and Accuracy

22-25 points Submission includes a verbatim transcript that always distinguishes between interviewer respondent. The transcript shows that the interviewer presented all questions on the assigned interview in the assigned order and used probes only for open-ended questions. Clear evidence of probes and follow-up questions as needed to clarify meaning for the open-ended questions. No unapproved additions to the questionnaire.

18-21 points Submission includes a verbatim transcript that mostly distinguishes between interviewer and respondent. The transcript shows that the interviewer presented all questions on the assigned interview, with no more than one deviation from the assigned order. Some evidence that probes were used to clarify open-ended question responses. No additions to the questionnaire. No unapproved additions to the questionnaire.

1-17 points Submission includes a verbatim transcript that may not distinguish between the interviewer and the respondent. The transcript shows that one or two questions were not presented to the respondent. Several questions are taken out of order. Little evidence of probes or follow-up questions for the open-ended questions. One or more unapproved questions are added to the questionnaire.

0 points Multiple errors; no evidence that the assigned transcription rules were followed, or there is no transcript.

Part 3: Final Report (150 Points) Instructions: Your final report must meet the following requirements:

1. Be in APA format. This means: a. Double spaced throughout.

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b. Separate title page. Paper titles must be descriptive and help the reader understand the focus of the paper. Create a running header—this will appear on the title page as well. Include your name, affiliation, the title of the class, and the due date.

c. Separate abstract page. The abstract must be 200 words (show the word count for the abstract on the abstract page). It should contain information from the introduction, the main body of the paper, and the conclusion.

d. Headings are used to divide the paper into sections (recall that APA does not use the word “Introduction” for the first part of the paper). The introductory section of your paper should explain

i. The purpose of the paper. ii. Need to understand elders to advocate for them

iii. Benefits to those in Human Services iv. What you will discuss in the remainder of the paper.

e. Methods and procedures section should address the following information: i. Explain the method you used to gather information (interview; open-ended

questions, how many, etc.), and discuss its advantages. ii. Explain how you conducted the interview—face to face, recorded or

transcribed, how much time, etc. f. The results section should present the questions and the respondent’s answers. g. The analysis and interpretation section should:

i. Look for trends or important patterns—are there major changes over the person’s life? How and in what ways have activities changed for the person? Does the person see him/herself more negatively? Does the person see him/herself as “old?”

ii. Apply an appropriate theory to help you interpret the answers—for example, role theory or Erickson’s Psychodynamic theory, disengagement theory or activity theory. Explain why this theory is the best for your interview.

h. The discussion section should: i. Review the major findings from the preceding section.

ii. Discuss the importance of these findings for Human Services professionals—how does understanding the elder help you become a more effective advocate?

iii. Discuss your personal reaction to what you learned from the interview at the end of your report (what did you learn in general about interviewing an older person? what did you learn about aging? did the interviewee conform to stereotypes about aging?

iv. Discuss what you learned from the process as an interviewer? What would you do differently next time?

i. The conclusion should review the purpose of the paper, briefly discuss the interview, your major findings/analysis/interpretation etc.

2. This project should be a minimum of 1,800 words. Please show the word count for the entire paper at the end of the document.

3. Use only scholarly sources. This means you may not use any tertiary source—this includes, but is not limited to Study.com, About.com, CliffNotes.com, Wikipedia. You may not use Psychology Today, or any publication that is like Psychology Today. Do

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not use Chron.com. Do not use any blogs (the word “blog” will appear in the URL). You may use any government website.

a. If you are unsure about a source, consult with your instructor. 4. Use neutral, objective language. 5. Check for grammar and spelling errors, organization, flow, and development of ideas. 6. Cite a minimum of three sources other than your textbook.

Grading: See the rubric for grading criteria. Submission: To make sure that your work is original and meets the assignment requirements, be sure to follow the steps below:

1. Submit the paper through the online assignment submission. 2. Review the similarity report. If your similarity score is more than 20%, you must revise

your paper and resubmit it until the score is below 20%. 3. Review the ETS (grammar and spelling) report and make the necessary correction

before the final submission. 4. Submit your final report through the online assignment submission.

Submit your final report in a Word document through the online assignment submission. Rubric:

Level of Achievement

Components Exemplary Meets Expectations Developing Not Acceptable Title and title page format 5 points

5 points Professional, not clichéd. Clearly indicates the problem and focus of study. All required elements of the title appear on a separate title page in proper APA format.

4 points Gives a general description of question and work performed. Professional, not clichéd. One element of APA style title page is missing or title page merges with remainder of the document.

1-3 points Title not clearly descriptive of the problem. Maybe clichéd or uses hyperbole. More than one element of APA style title page missing.

0-points Not present or title page not in APA format.

Abstract 10 points

9-10 points Provides clear statement of focus for the study and the way data/information was gathered. States major findings and conclusions. Is 175-200 words.

7-8 points Is missing one component of good abstract. Abstract is not well organized or concise. Too long or too short.

1-6 points Is missing two components of a good abstract. Does not give an overview that leads directly to the reader being able to state the major findings of the study. Too long or too short.

0 points Is missing three or more components of a good abstract. Is not written in a scientific style. Includes references in abstract. No abstract provided.

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Level of Achievement

Components Exemplary Meets Expectations Developing Not Acceptable Introduction 10 points

9-10 points Presents an interesting thesis statement. Data used to support thesis import. Study description and purpose clear and easy to follow.

8 points Presents an interesting thesis, but thesis needs more data or information to support it. Study description and purpose is relatively clear but reads more like a summary.

1-7 points Is missing one or two components of a good introduction. Contains irrelevant information. Importance of study unclear.

0- points No introduction.

Method and Procedures 15 points

14-15 points Provides an objective, complete and accurate description of the methods and procedures in the study. The survey and interview methodology are overviewed. Presents information on subject recruitment and selection.

12-13 points Provides an objective, accurate, but somewhat incomplete description of the survey and interview methodology and procedures used for the study. Presents information on subject recruitment, inclusion criteria.

1-11 points Methodology description is incomplete. Procedures are incomplete. No discussion of survey or interview; subject selection needs more explanation.

0 points No methods section.

Results of Interview &Analysis 50 points

45-50 points Interview results are presented in a rich, well-developed thematic format. Several respondent quotes used to illustrate the themes.

40-44 points Interview results are moderately detailed. Some evidence of themes, commonalities and differences in the interview data. One or two quotes from respondent to highlight themes.

1-39 points The interview is lacking in detail. Results indicate that answers are mostly yes and no or not elaborated. Little evidence of thematic presentation.

0 points No results section.

Discussion/Limit ations & Conclusions 15 points

14-15 points Thesis restated. Clear overview of what was done in the paper. Clear evidence of the significance of the interview. Limitations of the methodology are clearly noted. Clear connection to the Human Services.

12-13 points Thesis restated. Clear overview of what was done in the paper. Clear evidence of the significance of the interview. Limitations of the interview are clearly noted. Connects somewhat to the Human Services.

1-11 points Thesis is not restated. Overviews what was done but does not relate to the Human Services. No mention of limitations. Significance of interview is not clear.

0 points Conclusions are stated without sufficient reference to the results that support it. Lacking several of the characteristics of a good discussion.

Citations & References 20 points

19-20 points All quoted and paraphrased information correctly cited. All cited sources present. All references are formatted correctly. All are scholarly.

17-18 points Most quoted and paraphrased information correctly cited. All cited sources present and in required format. No false references. References

1-16 points Most cited sources present, generally in required format. References relevant and appropriate. One or two non-scholarly sources. Some

0 points No or few sources are properly credited either in in- text citations or references. Many non-scholarly sources

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Level of Achievement

Components Exemplary Meets Expectations Developing Not Acceptable relevant and appropriate. All are scholarly.

evidence of false references.

Grammar and mechanics 15 points

14-15 points Paragraphs are well organized. Logical organization of paragraphs (especially introduction, results and conclusions). No grammatical errors, typos or misspellings. Appropriate word selection. Correct use of scientific terms.

13-14 points Most paragraphs are well organized. Logical organization of paragraphs (especially introduction, results and conclusions). Two or three grammatical errors, typos, and misspellings may be present. Some word usage errors (effect vs. affect). Some misuse of scientific terms.

1-12 points Several problems evident with organization and flow. More than three grammatical or spelling errors. Several instances of word usage errors.

0 points Paper lacks well organized paragraphs. Sections do not contain information presented in a logical order. Many grammatical errors. Many word usage errors (e.g., effect vs. affect). Many misuses of scientific terms.

Formatting 10 points

9-10 points All components in the appropriate format; size 12 font. One-inch margins on all four sides of the page; all text double-spaced. No instances of extra spacing. All required sections of the paper in correct order, including the appendix. All headings are used per APA.

7-8 points Most components of the required format are followed. One instance of extra spacing. All required sections of the paper in correct order, including the appendix. One heading is not APA style.

1-6 points Multiple departures from APA formatting. Spacing may be off in multiple places or the appendix is missing. Multiple heading errors.

0 points No evidence of required format. Text is single- spaced or is triple spaced in many places.

Sources: The interview questions were adapted from SV Bosak, the Legacy Project online at http://www.legacyproject.org/guides/lifeintquestions.pdf; MacNeil, R. (2008) “Aging Matters” syllabi and Great Questions from Story Corps online at https://storycorps.org/great- questions/#grandparents

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Consent Form for Interviews Purpose of the research: To understand the experience of aging What you will do in this research: If you agree, you will be asked to participate in one interview. You will be asked several questions about your perceptions of the aging process. You also will be asked some demographic background questions. With your permission, I will audio record the interview so I don't have to make so many notes. You will not be asked to state your name on the recording. Time required: The interview will take approximately [ ] hours. Risks: No risks are anticipated. Benefits: This is a chance for you to tell your story about your experiences concerning aging. Confidentiality: Your responses to interview questions will be kept confidential. At no time will your actual identity be revealed. The recording will be destroyed when my final paper has been graded. Participation and withdrawal: Your participation in this study is completely voluntary, and you may refuse to participate or withdraw from the study without penalty Agreement: The nature and purpose of this research have been explained and I agree to participate in this study. I understand that I am free to withdraw at any time without incurring any penalty. Signature: _____________________________________ Date: __________________

Name (print): ________________________________________________