Asking the Right Questions

The BHS reporters have their first assigned story: a feature story.

Note to a non-class reader of this blog: Have a suggestion for a feature? Please hit the comment button so that we might discuss your recommendation or stop by room 16.

I decided to start with this type of story for two reasons:

1. Increases comfort levels in this class to be able to talk with someone you know. Just a good place to start the journalistic learning process.
2. Having a database of features makes good filler also! Sorry...just a touch of realilty there for those of us who understand the dreaded "d" word...yes, that's it...DEADLINE! (That will definitely be another blog topic later on!)

Now to the interviews...please remember these tips:

1. Ask open-ended questions. "Yes" or "no" answers do not make for a very long story!
2. Should you ask a "yes" or "no" question, tag on a "Why? or "Why not?"
3. Compose six-to-eight questions. Do not ask so many questions that the interviewee has to spend a grand amount of time on this but enough, of course, that you have adequate information for your story to have some depth.
4. Leave ample space for answering these questions. (Due to time-constraints, many of our "interviews" are conducted by leaving questions in teachers' mailboxes or by asking the student to return the interviews within a day or two).
5. Note to teachers: Please return interviews as quickly as possible...remember these reporters' grades depend on the information they receive!
6. Complete the list of questions by giving the interviewee a chance to add any other comments or thoughts.

Again...thanks for your energy and your sincere dedication that I can already see shining brightly within this class! You are all definite keepers!