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I was asked recently to speak with a college class of science communicators about tips for interviewing people. My background includes jobs in news, as a journalism professor and in strategic communications for a foundation.
Here are some helpful resources for writers looking for interview tips and profile examples:
The Scientist magazine, profiles
The New York Times Profiles in Science page
Examples of interesting profiles:
The remarkable brain of a carpet cleaner who speaks 24 languages
(From the Indiana University student newspaper)
A Thousand Wishes Each dancer at Nightmoves has a different wish: money, confidence, family
https://www.idsnews.com/article/2022/12/bloomington-nightmoves-thousand-wishes-dancer
Longreads has terrific examples of profile writing in the year-by-year “best-of” lists:
Good interview Tips
Accuracy, honesty…
Most importantly, in anything you write, be truthful and honest. The Society of Professional Journalists, also known as SPJ, has a code of ethics online. I urge you to give it a look.
Some of the key points:
Seek Truth and Report It
Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible.
Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify
Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge the reliability and motivations of sources.
Provide access to source material when it is relevant and appropriate.
Label advocacy and commentary.
Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information. Clearly label illustrations and re-enactments.
Always cite sources, never plagiarize.
Consider these helpful reminders from CubReporters.org:
1. What's the goal?
Before you interview or write the story, think about your goal -- the type of story you want to write, the space you'll have to tell it in, where it'll be published, and who'll be reading it.
Decide what your angle is: What is interesting or unusual about this person?
All of these things will affect the direction you take with your story (as well as how freely your subject talks with you)
Get background information via reliable sources, including LinkedIn and their organization's web page. Fact-check these details with the person before including them in your article so you don't include outdated material.
When possible or appropriate, talk to people who know them well, including friends and coworkers. Always be careful with correct spelling and titles.
2. Setting up the interview
Assemble Tools: notepad, tape/digital recorder, camera, pens.
Test your recorder.
Meet them at place they are comfortable but not too distracted, and a time when they aren’t too busy.
Prepare questions to ask in advance. Group questions into categories.
3. At the interview
Make the person comfortable. Begin with small talk, develop a rapport. Start with the easy questions and let a natural conversation develop. Ask if you can use a tape recorder to assure accuracy. It's best to use open-ended questions and look for opportunities to let the person tell stories about their experiences.
Good reporting skills equal good observation and listening skills. If you don’t understand something, ask the person to explain. Underline or circle all names, ideas, etc you’re unsure of so you can double check them.
A good reporter also spends a lot of time looking at the subject as well as the subject’s surroundings. It is a good idea to interview a person in their office, classroom or home if possible because a reporter will always learn more about person by watching them in their environment.
Take notes even if you’re recording. Batteries die, files get erased, things happen. Your notes will provide a backup and save you time.
Tip: Note the time when you begin recording. When the person says something especially memorable, note that time, which will help you locate that moment in the recording.
Also, remember that mobile phone apps such as Voice Memos will actually produce a pretty accurate transcript from the recording, which is a big help when writing.
How to Write a Profile
A profile story is a portrait of a person in words. Like the best painted portraits, the best profiles capture the character, spirit and style of their subjects. They delve beneath the surface to look at what motivates people, what excites them, what makes them interesting. Good profiles get into the heart of the person and find out what makes them tick.
Like all other stories, profiles must have an angle, a primary theme. That theme should be introduced in the lead, it should be explored and often it will be returned to at the end of the story. Something of a person’s character, spirit and style will then be revealed through that theme.
Whatever the theme, it takes a thorough understanding of a person’s life to create a revealing sketch of that life. Reporters should spend time with their subjects while they’re doing whatever makes them newsworthy. For example, if you’re writing about a ballerina, try to observe her performing on stage or at least practicing in her dance studio.
Finally, good profiles strike the appropriate tone. Think about your profile - is it someone who is involved in a serious issue, like eating disorders? You probably want to be more serious in your tone. Is it someone playful - a comic book artist, perhaps? You can be more playful. But remember - your personal opinion is not appropriate. You are there to merely paint a picture of this person - to let the facts speak for themselves.
(Republished from January 2025)
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