Culture Interview

Interviewing Tips

• Contact the person you wish to interview, telling him or her about the interview. You may decide to give the person a copy of the questions prior to the interview.

• Please note that the person you are interviewing has the choice about participating in this interview so do not assume you can complete this assignment in one day.

•Make sure to ask follow-up questions about the attributes that are interesting and you need to know more about to have a firm understanding of the interviewee’s culture.

• Find a quiet place to conduct the interview, remember to tell the students their responses are confidential, and will not be shared with anyone. It is critical that you do this prior to asking questions.

• Take notes during the interview. If you choose to use a voice recorder, ask the interviewee first. Do not be surprised or upset if they say no or decide not to participate in the interview.

• For some interviewees this is the first time they are thinking about these types of questions, so be patient, give them time and consider following up on their responses.

Use the following disclaimer with your interviewee:

• Explain this interview is for class and that their participation will help you complete your assignment.

• State to interviewee, ”At any time, you can stop the interview and never return to it. You do not have to do it if you feel uncomfortable. You can refuse to answer any question at any time. For example, if I have three questions, you can choose to answer only two.

• Also inform the interviewee you will only use their initials. Explain what confidentiality is and affirm the only other person who will read the answers is your professor.