Purposes of Interviews

Task 1 requires you to demonstrate an understanding of interview techniques, different journalistic contexts, and the different purposes of interviews. In this session, we'll have a think about how the purpose of an interview can affect the questions that you ask.

Purposes of Interviews:

• Research

• Enhancement of Audience Understanding

• Informational (presenting information about a particular topic)

• Emotional (allowing the audience an insight into a situation)

• Interpretive (expressing an opinion, justification, accountability)

You will fill in the first box, establishing what the subject of the interview will be, then you will pass the paper to the person on your right, who will fill in the first question, making sure that it is appropriate to the context that has been established. Then, the papers will be passed again, until all of the boxes have been filled in.

I'll then read out the different interviews, and we shall discuss how successful each one is at fulfilling its purpose.

Finally, you'll quickly write up a brief definition and example of each of the five purposes.