Climate	Stories	Project	interview	3ps:	

1. Research	your	interviewee	

• You	should	have	at	least	a	rough	understanding	of	the	interviewee’s	background:	

• Where	do	they	live/work?	

• What	kind	of	community	do	they	live	in?	

• What	is	their	work?	

• What	experience	might	they	have	with	climate	change?	

2. Get	permission	to	interview	and	record	

• Make	sure	you	explain	how	the	interviews	will	be	edited	and	shared,	and	have	

interviewee	sign	release	form	as	needed.	

3. Make	list	of	ques>ons

• Brainstorm	ques3ons	first.	

• Tailor	your	ques3ons	to	your	interviewee.	

• Choose	5-7	ques3ons	will	lead	to	interes3ng	and	detailed	answers.	

• Turn	yes/no	ques3ons	into	open-ended	ques3ons.	

• Have	some	“warm	up”	ques3ons	to	make	the	interviewee	comfortable,	such	as	

“tell	me	about	your	favorite	place	in	your	local	environment.”	

• Consider	the	order	of	ques3ons	-	do	the	ques3ons	follow	each	other	logically	

and	naturally?	

4. Prac>ce!

• Interviewing	is	a	skill	that	gets	beSer	with	prac3ce.	Prac3ce	interviewing	with	

friends,	family,	and	classmates	first.	

• Modify	your	list	of	ques3ons	and	interviewing	techniques	as	needed	as	you	

prac3ce.	

5. Test	recording	technology

• Check	charge/baSery	levels	in	your	device.	

• Check	memory	space/memory	cards.	

• Make	sure	you	know	how	to	setup	and	use	your	device	smoothly.	

6. Find	a	good	loca>on	for	the	interview

• A	quiet	room	is	best,	but	some3mes	not	possible	-	you	can	oUen	find	a	rela3vely	

quiet	corner	of	a	less-than-ideal	space.	

• Try	to	an3cipate	and	minimize	poten3al	distrac3ons	-	people	entering	the	room,	

or	incoming	phone	calls,	for	example.	

• Find	a	good	loca3on	for	your	recording	device	-	closer	to	the	speaker	is	generally	

beSer.	You	may	have	to	hand	a	cell	phone	back	and	forth	if	that	is	your	

recording	device.	
• Do	a	test	at	the	beginning	of	interview	to	make	sure	recording	levels	are	set	

properly	and	sound	is	clear.	

7. Get	all	contact	info	and	biographical	info	before	the	interview	

• Keep	all	info	organized	so	you	can	easily	reference	it	later.	

8. Have	a	conversa>on	rather	than	an	“interview”	

• Put	your	interviewee	at	ease	-	aim	for	an	informal	rather	than	a	“professional”	

interview.	

• Consider	your	list	of	ques3ons	as	a	guide	rather	than	a	set	of	rules	to	follow.		

• Listen	to	what	your	interviewee	is	saying	and	expressing,	rather	than	just	

planning	your	next	ques3on	as	they	talk.	

• The	interview	may	go	in	a	direc3on	you	didn’t	an3cipate,	so	be	flexible	enough	to	

let	the	interview	flow	(However,	you	may	need	to	steer	the	interview	back	to	

climate	change	if	it	gets	too	far	off	topic).	

• Ask	follow-up	ques3ons	if	something	the	speaker	said	could	be	developed	more.	

9. Ask	for	specific	anecdotes,	details,	and	sensory	descrip>ons	

• Make	the	interviewees’	experience	central	to	the	interview.	Specific	details	of	the	

interviewees’	experiences,	observa3ons,	and	feelings	about	climate	change	

will	be	more	interes3ng	than	a	general	discussion	of	climate	change	as	a	

scien3fic	or	poli3cal	issue.	

• Don’t	be	afraid	to	have	your	interviewee	repeat	an	answer	in	greater	detail	or	

give	a	specific	example	from	their	own	experience.	

10. Don’t	cut	the	interview	short	

• Ask	your	interviewee	if	they	have	anything	else	to	add	aUer	you’ve	finished	your	

ques3ons.	

• It	may	happen	that	your	interviewee	will	save	their	most	interes3ng	story	un3l	

aUer	the	interview	is	officially	over.	Keep	recording	un3l	you	are	packing	up.	

If	necessary,	check	with	your	interviewee	it’s	OK	to	use	this	“unofficial”	

material.	

11. Thank	your	interviewee	and	let	them	know	how	to	stay	involved	in	the	project	

• Leave	your	contact	info.	

• Keep	interviewees	informed	about	the	progress	of	the	project	and	how	their	

interview	is	being	shared.