Having guest lecturers is great. It keeps both the voice out the front of the room and the way the information is presented fresh.

Today we learned all about the art of the interview. I found the different forms of questions most interesting.

It’s something you’d never think about if it weren’t presented to you: the different types of questions and the effect they can have on your interview and interviewee. The difference between open ended and closed ended questions can make or break the quality of your piece. It’s essentially the difference about who is in control during the interview. Is it you steering by getting exact answers, or do you let your interviewee drive for a bit and see where it takes you? All part of the fun.

‘Leading questions’ are also thought-provoking. The way in which you ask a questions can get the interviewee to trust you or not. And what can you really get out of an interview with someone that doesn’t trust you enough to tell you anything interesting?

During this part of the lecture, I not only learned the importance of way you frame a question, but also the importance of having a variety of material to draw upon and questions to ask. I hadn’t thought about coming across and interviewee who won’t talk well or communicate well (one of those things that seem obvious once you know about them). This thought will definitely mean I make sure I do my research and really prepare.