Operationalizing the interview process. In-class mini-interviews.

1.  ... imagine the entire process and describe steps that lead to the end result: your completed interview from a 30-45 minute recorded interview session. Some such ideas follow:

1. Write up a interview objectives list (what do you want your interview to achieve)
2. Speak to students
3. Explain what I need to do with their help
4. Ask several students from the same cultural background
5. Make an appointment
6. Get a recorder and fresh batteries and a tape
7. Finalize my interview objectives so that I know what I am doing
8. Decide on core questions so that I know what to ask
9. Reserve a meeting room in MC, dorm, Atwood
10. ...

20. Post the interview transcript and country report on my blog.
etc.

2. When considering your questions, please be sure...
• not to lead (manipulating the questions; "And how do you like it here in the great US of A", or "You must certainly think..."
• to allow the interviewee to ask questions of you
• to wind down the conversation slowly (you could ask whether your interviewee would like to add thoughts and ideas that you did not ask for, you could invite them to ask you questions, etc.)
• to thank your interviewee for the time and effort invested on your behalf
...
How many interviews with (international) students do I have to conduct and record?  
Answer: 3
Do I have to transcribe all three?  
Answer: You may deselect the weakest one and only transcribe the two best interviews. For the weak one, create your own narrative about the interview. What did you remember? An example here.
What do I post if I de-selct one interview?  
Answer: You post the country report, the description of the preparation process, your objectives, and the explanation why you chose not to transcribe this interview. Then you post all of that minus the transcript.

3. We will conduct a few sample interviews and report about them on our blogs. This includes dos and donts. Then you can go ahead and interview. The first interview is due on your blogs the Tuesday after break. When posting your interview, be sure not to use your own full name or that of your interviewee. Use first name and first initial of the middle and also the last name only (in my case: RolandHS). We want to avoid that anyone could google these interviews.