Solid questions are essential to conducting a good interview, and good interviews are essential to writing good articles. We want our yearbook to be not only interesting to look at, but also interesting to read. Writing the copy, captions, or survey questions for your yearbook starts with writing interview questions. A yearbook staffer uses theses question to gather facts and to obtain quotations to use when writing copy. In most cases, the better the questions are, the more likely the interviewer is to get meaningful quotations for the story.

Step 1: Brainstorm a list of 10-15 questions. Think about what you want to know about these people, what you think others will want to know, and what you think they will be comfortable telling you. Ask as many OPEN ENDED questions as you can. The more open ended questions you ask, the more details and material you will have to work with when you write your article.The more specific your questions are, the better. And never ask questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Make your interviewee talk.

Practice your questions. Become very familiar with your questions before you go into the interview.

Step 2: Contact the Person You Wish to Interview. Ask when a good time would be to do the interview. Be polite. Say "please" and "thank you." Try to set up the interview in person. If this isn't possible, then set up a phone interview or email interview. 

Step 3: Come Prepared and Be on Time! Arrive at your interview with plenty of time to spare. If you’ve never been to the place where your interview is taking place, go early and scout it out. There is nothing more unprofessional than a reporter who is late.

You can also use the time you are waiting to make notes about the surroundings. You won’t remember details later, so write them down.

You will want to bring:

• A pencil and notebook for notes

• A list of good questions

• A recording device (always ask permission before recording an interview)

Step 4: Conduct Your Interview in an Organized, Timely Manner

During the interview:

• Be courteous to your subject.

• Always take time to ask for an explanation about things you don't understand.

• Don’t be afraid of uncomfortable silences and pauses.

• Let the interview take its natural course.

• Look the person in the eye when asking questions.

• Always listen carefully to the answers. Each answer could lead to more questions or include an answer to a question you haven’t asked yet. Don't ask a question that has already been answered. Your subject will know you weren't listening and be insulted.

• Don't read through your questions one right after another like you can't wait to be finished. Conduct your interview like a conversation. One question should lead naturally into another. If you are LISTENING to the answers this will come naturally.

• As always, dig for details. Don't let your interviewee off with cheap, generic answers.