Back to front MWF  MW   Interviewing  Take down notes to prepare a 3-5 minute

Your first presentation will be the introduction of your partner and should take five to seven minutes to present. The interview will be done in today’s class and should take about 6-8 minutes each or fifteen minutes in total. You will present your partner in our next class.

KEYWORDS:

Interview: Planned Interaction with another person that is organized around inquiry and response, with one person asking questions while the other person answers them.

Probe: Question that fills out or follows up an answer to a previous question.

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Firstly, decide what you want to disclose about yourself – whether real or imaginary. Write out a short bio of you or who you will be presented as:_____________________________________________________________________

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Secondly you will exchange bio-sheets with a classmate/interview partner. You will need to take the bio-sheet and develop a list of questions (an interview schedule; each interviewing schedule should have the following three major parts: (1) the opening; (2) the body; (3) the closing.) to interview your partner. Your interview schedule will include an opening, a body with at least 10 open questions, and a closing.  You will record the information (field notes) gathered from your interview and develop a speech based on the information you would like to share with our class about your interviewee.  You will then share the information with our class in the form of a brief but memorable presentation next week.  You may include a Visual Aid. This can be a drawing, painting, collage, and/or some form of visual representation of the person you will be introducing to our class.  Have fun with this opportunity.  Your enthusiasm builds our enthusiasm for the person you will be introducing.

 

CONTENT/ORGANIZATION:

 

What is the person's exact name-learn how to pronounce both names and be able to write your partner's name on the board.

 

What is interesting or different about the person? What things did you have in common? What is different from you or your background? Ask probing questions that demand more than a yes or no answer. Look for things that will give us insight into your partner's character.

 

Is there an interesting anecdote you can relay? Does the person have a nickname? How did he/she get it? What goals does the person have? What experiences are unique? What does she/he love or hate. Where would he/she rather be? What did the person do on the holidays?

 

What would be an interesting way to present the information? Can you use any kind of visual to aid the introduction?

 

Avoid presenting the laundry list of facts about the person. Find a way to put your ideas together to make an interesting story with a beginning a middle and an end.

 

***Please make sure that you have checked all your facts and that anything you tell the class has been approved by the other person.

 

The interview should take around 10 minutes for each of you – and you will need to write up your speech, which should take the rest of the class. From what you write up make an outline or using note cards present the other person who will present you following your presentation.

 

Keep in mind that the class will hear 25+ introductory speeches. Simply a list of the other person's activities, the reasons they are at uni, or an overview of their life history may not distinguish them adequately. A theme or a metaphor is a good way to make your speech interesting and to organize it. The goal of this speech is to provide information about another person through an interesting and memorable association.

 

PRESENTING:

 

Next class you and your partner will go up to the front of the class together to introduce each other.

 

First write your partner's name on the board and pronounce it correctly. When presenting your speech smile and keep good eye contact with your entire audience and with your partner. Avoid looking at the instructor too much or your audience will feel excluded. Don't forget you are introducing your partner to the group. Don't read your information; that will make it seem that you don't really know the person.

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION ERRORS TO AVOID:

 

1) Do not over-praise the speaker. Emphasize the speaker’s qualifications and prestige with restraint and in good taste – remember they are sitting or standing next to you.

2) Do not talk about yourself. As the introducer, you are the agent of the main speaker, not the main speaker.

3) Avoid clichés and trite language. Speeches of introduction are often riddled with worn-out phrases such as, “The speaker needs no introduction;” “It gives me a very great pleasure;” “I consider it a most unique privilege.” Use fresh and original expressions in your introduction.