Speech

Chapter 6: Interviewing

Overview

Before giving a speech, it is often necessary to interview others to gather information. When conducting an interview, it is important to keep the audience you will be sharing the information with in mind and ask the questions that your audience would want answered. To obtain the kind of information that will interest people, you must be curious and brave enough to ask questions that may seem foolish.

Good preparation for an interview is essential. Choose the person you wish to interview carefully, keeping in mind the type of information you need to gather. Before the interview, you should do as much background research on the person as possible. Once you have found the best candidate and have completed your research, choose a location where interruptions will be kept to a minimum. It is essential to dress appropriately and arrive on time. Begin with questions that put the other person at ease and help to build rapport. Use eye contact and keep questions brief and to the point. Build questions based on who, what, when, where, why, and how. Open-ended questions usually lead to the most interesting exchanges.