Question: Imagine that you have been granted an interview by a world-renowned, female religious leader. What would you like to know concerning her beliefs, her struggles, and her successes? Two of the suggested readings would be excellent sources for choosing a religious leader for this project. (You will not actually interview this person, so feel free to choose any well-known, female religious leader.)
Compile a list of 10 questions that would tell you more about her religion and why she chose to be a leader in it. Do not ask any "yes/no" questions. Good interview questions take just as much critical thinking to develop as answering the questions does. Your questions should demonstrate that you have some knowledge of her religious tradition. Your questions should dig deeper to get to information that cannot be found in the textbook or on the internet, but use that research to guide "the digging" in the interview.
Below are some possible topics for exploration in your research and in forming your questions. You are not limited to these topics:
- Textual interpretations/misunderstandings
- Cultural expectations of women
- Influence of globalization
- Influence of other religions
- Religious traditions/practices
- Effects on her personal life
- Pressures of being a pioneer
- Support system
As this interview is for an academic setting, you must use APA citations and references to support the research you conducted to create the 10 questions. You do not need a title page, running head or page numbers for this assignment, but be sure to put your name in the top left hand corner along with the date. Your interview title should include the name of the potential interviewee, and your references should be on a separate page.
Journalistic Interviewing Techniques
1. Do your research!
2. Find a good sub ject (person) for the interview (Not everyone has an interesting story.)
3. Keep an open mind - don't assume you know exactly where the interview is going to go or you will be in danger of drawing conclusions that perhaps the interviewee is not making.
4. Ask about the interviewee's actions. How do they reflect her beliefs?
5. Ask open ended questions.
6. Ask questions that make the interviewee give reason and meaning for her beliefs.
7. Understand you should ask for different types of information: facts, opinions, feelings, interpretations, etc.
8. Be careful to not make judgments with your questions.
9. Avoid asking biased questions.
a. Biased: Don't you agree that women should be more prominent in the leadership roles in your faith tradition?
b. Unbiased: Is the prominence of women leaders in your faith tradition a problem?
10. Avoid asking questions that are unrelated to what you want to learn.
Use double spacing and Times New Roman size 12 font.