Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc.

(DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Name: _____________________________________Act. No.: ________ Remarks

Please check the box for the type of the activity:
Concept Notes Illustrations/Examples Exercises Questions/Problems Formal Theme Worksheet

Topic: CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW

CONCEPT NOTES

Using Primary and Secondary Sources?

In locating information about your topic, you will come across different kinds of materials. These source
materials can be either primary or secondary sources.

Primary sources are those that provide the first-hand information about a topic. These are original documents
written by people who actually witnessed or participated in the events. Some examples of primary sources are:

 Historical documents
 Diaries
 Autobiographies
 Statistics
 Photographs
 Original work of art
 Works of literature
 Interviews

Secondary sources, on the other hand, are second-hand sources that provide discussion about a primary source.
Secondary sources also provide interpretation about primary sources. Some examples of secondary sources are:

 Biographies
 Newspaper articles
 Journal articles
 Movie reviews
 Critiques of work of art or literature

The table below gives examples that illustrate the distinction between primary and secondary sources in certain
areas of discipline.

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REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications
 Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc. (DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

SUBJECT AREA PRIMARY SOURCE SECONDARY SOURCE

Political Science Presidential State of the Nation Editorial of the SONA

Address

Art Original painting Art critic’s review of the painting

published in a magazine

Music Musical score of a movie Biography of the composer

History Audio-taped recording of a speech Doctoral dissertation

community’s oral histories

Whether you use primary or secondary sources, always evaluate the information you find in them.

For primary sources, you can ask:

1. What was the situation or context that brought about the creation of this document?
2. What was the creator’s motivation or personal bias?
3. Are there any other primary sources that can validate, negate or clarify the information?

For secondary sources, some questions you can ask in evaluating the information are:

1.Is the writer an authority in the field?

2. What is the writer’s motivation in writing about the topic?
3. What do other experts in the field say about the topic?

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Aside from the sources of information from your library that are available, there are other sources of
information that you can consider that may be equally valuable for your research.

1. Interviews provide helpful insights from people who specialize in a particular field. The information these
experts can provide in an interview may not be available from library sources. They can provide a different
perspective about your research topic that otherwise may not be available from printed sources.
2. Surveys and questionnaires provide data and information from many people about nearly any topic. The
information that surveys provide can range from plain factual data to personal attitudes and opinion about
issues.
3. Experiments allow people to test hypothesis from which certain conclusions are drawn. A hypothesis is a
statement that is assumed to be true. Thee experiment is conducted to gather data that will provide the validity
of the hypothesis. Based on the outcome of experiment, recommendations about what decisions to make and
what actions to take are proposed.
4. Field research allows for observation and recording of data outside of a laboratory setting. The field can be any
place where the data are collected, whether in the classroom, the information/courtesy desk of a department
store, the tributary that serves as an outlet for a factory’s industrial wastes or an island where migratory birds
stop over.

These are just few examples of primary research methods that you may conduct in the course of your academic
study. Before you set out to do any study that will involve other participants --- whether animal or human --- check to
see what guidelines or rules of conduct your school requires.

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REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications
 Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc. (DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Even as you try to improve your store of knowledge through gathering information and collecting data from
published materials, you can also find out more about your topic by talking to other people. One effective way of
gathering information is through an interview.

CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW

The interview is a common primary source. Interviews are an alternative source of information that can be
useful for your research. Interviews are an alternative source of information that can be useful for your research. An
interview is a purposive face-to-face encounter usually between two people in order to exchange information. By talking
to people who may have the information you need, you can enrich your knowledge about the topic you are working on.

The two people involved in an interview situation are the interviewer, who asks the questions, and the
interviewee, who provides the information asked for.

An interview generally has three stages: the pre-interview stage, the interview proper, and the post-interview
stage.

The pre-interview stage

1. Determine the purpose of your interview. What is your specific objective in conducting an interview? Why do you
want to conduct an interview rather than gather information elsewhere? What will you use the interview for?
How will you use the information?
2. Research the topic. Do you have enough background information about the topic? What additional information
do you need to know? Do you know enough to be able to ask the right questions?
3. Choose your interviewee. Who is the best person to interview? Is the person available? Does the person have
the information you need? Can the person freely share the information you need?
4. Prepare for the interview. What arrangements do you need to make to get the interview? Do you need to write a
letter of request? Can you call the person’s office to make an appointment? What recording equipment will the
interviewer allow you to use?
5. Prepare an interview guide. What questions do you ask? How can you phrase the questions in order to draw out
the information you need?

The interview proper

The interview proper has three basic parts: opening, body and closing

1. Opening
This is where the tone of the interview is set. You should aim for a positive atmosphere right from the beginning.
This will pave the way for a smooth flow of communication. It would be sensible to do the following:
 Establish rapport. By doing so, you create goodwill between you and your interviewee. Take great care
in creating a good first impression.
 Set the foundation for the interview: 1) Introduce yourself. 2) State your purpose. 30 Describe what you
will cover during the interview, including the topic and the time limit.

2. Body
This is the main part of the interview where you ask the questions. The questions you prepared prior to
conducting the interview should serve only as your guide and not as a list that must be strictly followed in the
sequence they were arranged. Follow the direction the interview takes in choosing what questions to ask. If the
interviewee provides information that you feel is important to your topic, follow the lead.
Questions are the heart of the interview. Asking the right types of questions can make for a more effective
interview. Questions are of several types, as discussed in the next topic.
RESEARCH SHS-SAS-T Page 1

REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications
 Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc. (DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

3. Closing
This is the part of the interview proper that usually gets neglected. The closing is an important stage because
this is where you make sure you leave the interviewee with a positive feeling about the constructive outcome of
the interview.
 Signal the conclusion. “And for my final question…”
 Provide a summary statement. Consolidate your interview. Review the points discussed. Go over your
notes to make sure they are accurate.
 Show appreciation and courtesy to your interviewee for sharing the time and resource.

The post-interview stage

1. Arrange a follow-up session, if needed. It would be a good idea to make your interviewee aware that they made
a valuable contribution to your research. You want to maintain goodwill you established during the interview.
Doing so would make it easier for you to get in touch with your interviewee again in case you need to verify or
clarify some information pertinent to your research.
2. Prepare the interview report. Sort through the information you gathered during the interview. Identify the
information you can use for your project. Recall your purpose in conducting the interview. You have a duty as a
researcher to present the information in a manner that considers the different perspectives of a topic.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS

1. Open-ended
These are broad questions usually about one topic. Some examples are:
 “How did you get started in this business?”
 “How would you describe your dream job?”
 “Can you describe the process you went through in completing this project?”

2. Close-ended
These questions call for restricted responses. Some examples are:
 “How many languages do you speak?”
 ‘Do you come from a big family?”
 “Some sectors of society claim that we need to amend the constitution. Do you agree or disagree?”

3. Primary
These are questions that introduce new topics or other aspects within the same topic. Some examples are:
 “What makes digital photography fascinating for you?”
 “How did you make the shift from traditional, film-based photography to digital photography?”
 ‘Can one have a lucrative career in photography in our country?”

4. Secondary
These serve to help the interviewee elaborate on responses that did not provide clear or complete information.
They can also provide a clearer direction in the interview. Some examples are:
 “I’m not sure I understand what you mean by ‘esoteric’.”
 “Can you give me an example of that?”
 “Did you say ‘poorer’ or ‘purer’?”

5. Neutral

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REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications
 Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc. (DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

These questions that ask for simple clear-cut answers. They are the type that an interviewer should ask. Some
examples are:
 “What is it like to be the first woman president of this company in a field dominated by men?”
 “How does your background as development worker influence your decision-making?”
 “How would you assess the recent developments in the field?”

6. Leading
These questions are the types that direct the interviewee to an expected response. You generally would not ask
this type of question. Some examples are:
 “Aren’t you a big fan of a drama series?”
 “Those noontime variety shows are inane, aren’t they?”
 “Wouldn’t you choose buy our local mangoes even if they’re more expensive rather than the cheap
mandarin orange imports?”

7. Loaded
These questions imply some negative aspect regarding the interviewee thus, are highly inappropriate. These
questions should be avoided. Some examples are:
 “How can you stand being around a bunch of idiots?”
 “There were allegations of sexual impropriety that involved you and a coworker in your previous job.
What can you say about that?”
 “Whatever happened to the corruption charges filed against you?”

Here are some useful interview pointers

 Contact the person you wish to interview ahead of time.

 If you plan to record the interview, get permission to do so before you do the interview.
 Check to see that your recording equipment works perfectly.
 Take notes during the interview. Do not rely solely on the recording.
 Listen attentively. Show the interviewee that you are interested in what they are saying. Do not bury your face in
your notebook.
 Ask only one question at a time.
 Tactfully redirect the interviewee if they stray from the topic.
 Send a thank-you note or email to your interviewee. Although not obligatory, the interviewee will appreciate the
gesture.

Writing an Interview Report

When you have successfully completed your interview, what do you do with the information you have?

You need to sort through the information you have gathered in order to decide what to include or exclude in
your report. It would be helpful at this point, to recall your objectives in conducting the interview. Remember too, that
the interview is about highlighting the information provided by the interviewee. How you present the information is
important because it will influence how the readers will perceive the interviewee and the information they provide. You
as the interviewer/writer have the ethical obligation to present the information objectively and to treat the interviewee

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REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications
 Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc. (DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

fairly. Keep in mind that the information the interviewee has provided should not be taken out of context or be
selectively presented in order to support one’s personal bias.

After considering all these, the next step for you to take is to write an interview report. How will you best
highlight the information you gathered from the interview? What are your teacher’s requirements regarding the
interview report? Are you expected to give an oral presentation in class? Are you expected to write an essay profiling
the interviewee? Are you supposed to just focus on the information you gathered and synthesize in into your research
paper?

Whatever format the final interview report may take, the following are important points to consider:

1. Who is the intended audience?

2. What are the teacher’s requirements for the subject?
3. How can I best convey the information?

You can organize your interview report in the same way you conducted the interview: have an opening, a body,
and a closing.

The opening should capture the interest of your intended audience. How can you introduce your
topic/interviewee in a way that will grab the attention of your audience? What is the central theme of the interview?

 Begin with a brief background about the interview situation (when? where? why?) and the interviewee (who?).
 The body of the interview report should focus on the main discussion of the heart of the interview. Analyze and
assess and interpret the interview results, using the central theme as a guide in organizing the supporting ideas.
If the interviewee said something particularly striking, use the quotation, taking care that it is accurate.
 Outline the main points discussed during the interview.
 Paraphrase important ideas.
 Provide flavor by using direct quotations.
 Ensure that the flow of ideas runs smoothly by incorporating transitions.
 The closing should reinforce the highlights of the interview.
 Summarize key points.
 Reiterate the central message.
 If available, close with an appropriate quote from the interviewee.

GETTING INFORMATION FROM SPEECHES

Speeches are another valuable source of information. They may be considered a primary source especially if the
speaker is an important authority. Unless the speaker has a prepared manuscript, or the speech is recorded, most of the
time, speeches are non-print sources of information.

If you are in the audience to listen to a speech or a lecture, taking notes while listening would help you focus on
what the speaker is saying. The notes will help you remember and retain the information for later use.

Since speeches and lectures are spoken sources of information, unlike printed materials, you cannot go back to
the previous page to review or recheck the information. How then do you keep pace with the speaker/lecturer while
they deliver the information? Admittedly, this is not an easy thing to do. One thing to remember is that you cannot write
RESEARCH SHS-SAS-T Page 1

REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications
 Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc. (DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

everything the speaker says word for word. You can only try to keep pace by devising your own personal note-taking
symbols.

Instead of writing down entire words and complete sentences, use abbreviations and phrases.

Including incl
Exclude excl
Approximately aprox
Government gov’t
Administration admi
And others/And so on etc.
Example ex
Department dept
Pages pp

Instead of writing down phrases, use symbols.

And/Also &/+
Increase/Go up ↑
Decrease/Go down ↓
In relation to/In connection to ↔
Incorrect x
Not equal ≠
More or less ±
Less than <
Greater than >

You can devise your own set of abbreviations and symbols that will best suit your purposes. The items listed
above are some useful shortcuts you can adopt.

Aside from short phrases, abbreviations and symbols, in note taking, focus on content words. These are usually
nouns, sometimes verbs, which signal essential information.

Ignore other words that on their own do not have meaning. Examples of these are prepositions like on, at, and
from and determiners like a, an, and the.

Be on the lookout for signal words like transitional devices that point to the direction the speech or lecture
takes. Transitional devices such as additionally, also, and at the same time signal supplementary information. Signal
words like on the contrary, on the other hand, and however point to opposing ideas.

When you know that you will attend a speech presentation or a lecture class, try to find out what you can about
it beforehand. Take note of the subject matter of the lecturer or the title of the speech. If you know this prior to the
presentation, you can prepare yourself to take in the information by asking yourself questions that relate to the topic.
For example:

 What do you know about the subject matter?

 What further information do you want to know about it?
 How can you use the information you will get from the speech?

These are just couple of questions you may ask yourself as you prepare to receive information about the speech.
When you actively engage in this questioning process, you activate your background knowledge about the topic. This is

RESEARCH SHS-SAS-T Page 1

REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications
 Diocese of Imus Catholic Education System, Inc. (DICES)
Saint Augustine School
Daang Amaya 3. Tanza, Cavite, Philippines 4108
Tel. No. (046) – 436-6532

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

important in helping you make better sense of the material. By being aware of the relevance of the information, you can
be more receptive about what you can learn from the speech.

RESEARCH SHS-SAS-T Page 1

REFERENCE: Miranda-Plata, S. et al. (2006). Research Process and Product Workbook. Trailblazer Publications