Task 3: Interview and reflection

Identify three staff or research students from your own university who are willing for you to interview them about their research. Write down how you feel about asking people for an interview and about their responses. Arrange a time and place for each interview, convenient for the person you are interviewing and where you will not be disturbed. Aim to spend up to 30 minutes on each interview.

At the start of the interview explain why you are undertaking the interview and that the interview is confidential. Explain that you will take occasional notes to remind you of what the interviewee said.

Ask the interviewee to tell you about:

• how they came to do research

• their research in the past

• their research now

• their research plans for the future

• why they do research

Ensure you only ask open questions – where the interviewee can decide how to answer the question (e.g. what motivates you to continue with research?). Avoid closed questions – where there is limited choice of how the interviewee can respond (e.g. do you like research?).

Throughout the interview listen carefully to what the interviewee says. Avoid talking yourself except to ask a question or encourage the interviewee to say more about a topic. Make notes to remind you of topics covered or information such as dates that might be important, but these notes should just be a few words.

After each interview write down:

a. what was striking in the interview - what was new to you or surprised you

b. how you felt during the interview

c. how you think the interviewee felt during the interview d. what went well and what did not go well

Finally, write a summary (up to 500 words) about the three interviews. Do not mention in the summary anything that might identify the people you interviewed. In your summary ensure you include something about each of a-d above. Upload your summary by February 17, 2019.

(To submit your assignments, click on the add files button at the bottom of this page and attach the files)

 You will have an opportunity to share your experience during JAS 1