Interviewing sources for a school story
A good interview starts before you say hello, with background reading and a short list of questions you actually need answered. After that come the ground rules, a recording made with permission and fair treatment of every source.
Do the reading first
An interview is not the place to learn basic facts you could have looked up. Before you contact anyone, read what your publication has already written on the topic, skim the latest board minutes or school announcements, and check any public documents that touch the subject. A little reading turns "So what is this new policy?" into "The policy takes effect next semester. What problem were you trying to solve?" The second question gets a far better answer.
Write your questions down and group them by topic so the conversation has a shape. Start with something easy, such as the person's role or how they got involved. That gives them a moment to settle in. Put the harder questions about money, decisions or disagreements in the middle, once there is some trust. Save a reflective question for the end, like "What do people misunderstand about this?"
Treat the list as a map, not a script. The best follow-up questions usually come from something the source said that you did not expect. If an answer conflicts with a document you read, stop and ask about it right then, while the context is fresh.
Open and closed questions
Closed questions get short answers: a yes, a no, a date, a name. They are useful when you need to confirm a fact. When did the project start? Who approved the change? How many students signed the petition?
Open questions invite people to explain. They usually begin with how, why or "tell me about." Instead of asking whether the new bell schedule causes problems, ask how it changed a typical afternoon. Open questions produce the quotes that make a story readable, because people describe what happened in their own words.
A good rhythm is to open a topic broadly, then tighten. Let the source describe their view, then use closed questions to pin down the names, dates and numbers they mentioned. You end up with both a lively quote and the facts to support it.
Recording with permission
Phones make recording easy, and that is exactly why the ethics matter. Always tell the source you would like to record and ask whether that is all right before you press the button. Recording rules are set by state law, and in some states every person in a conversation must agree. Your adviser can tell you how it works where you live, but asking first is the right practice everywhere.
Once recording, say your name and the topic, then ask the source to say and spell their name. That one step prevents the most common error in student papers, a misspelled name, and it documents that they agreed to be recorded.
Keep taking notes anyway. Batteries die and files get lost. Jot down key phrases, the time on the recorder when something important is said, and details the audio cannot capture, like where you are and what the person is doing. Those notes also make it much quicker to find the right quote when you are writing on deadline.
On the record, off the record and on background
Unless you both agree otherwise, everything a source tells a reporter is on the record. That means you can publish it and attribute it by name and title. Make sure student sources, especially, understand this before you begin.
Off the record generally means the information cannot be published or connected to the source. Reporters sometimes accept it as a lead that points them toward documents or other people willing to speak openly. The terms must be set before the source speaks. If someone says something and then asks to make it off the record, you are not usually bound by that, though it is worth talking to your editor about how to handle it fairly.
On background usually means you can use the information but not the person's name, describing them instead in a way you both agree on, such as "a district employee." Definitions vary between newsrooms, so spell out what you mean each time. Use this sparingly. Readers trust named sources more, and student publications should not grant anonymity without the editor and adviser agreeing first.
Check what you hear
People misremember. A source can mix up a date, round a figure the wrong way or repeat something they heard secondhand as if it were fact. Even an official's word is a starting point, not proof. Compare what you were told with budgets, handbooks, minutes and other records before you print it.
When a source accuses someone else of wrongdoing, the person or office being criticized gets a fair chance to respond. Contact them, explain the specific claim and give them reasonable time to answer. If they decline, say so in the story.
Keep facts and opinions separate. A student who says the hallways feel unsafe between classes is giving a perspective, and that can be a strong quote. A record showing how many students use a building compared with what it was designed for is a fact. Use quotes for experience and voice, and use documents to establish what is true.
Administrators and classmates
Principals, superintendents and board members speak for public institutions, and many are used to reporters. Ask for the interview well ahead of time and tell them the general topic so they can gather information, without sending your exact questions. Be on time, stay polite and keep your tone neutral. If you get a prepared statement, thank them and then ask your specific questions. Officials who make decisions affecting students have a responsibility to explain them.
Interviewing other students calls for a different kind of care. A classmate may not realize their name will appear online and stay searchable for years. Explain where the story will run and who will see it. On sensitive subjects such as mental health, family situations or academic pressure, be gentle, let them skip questions and never push someone into saying more than they want to. A fair interview leaves the source feeling respected, even when the story is a hard one.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to record an interview for a student news story?
Recording rules come from state law, and they are not the same everywhere. Some states require every person in the conversation to agree. The habit that keeps you safe and honest is to ask permission before you start and to capture that permission on the recording itself. If you are unsure about your state, ask your adviser.
What does off the record mean for student reporters?
In most newsrooms it means you may not publish the information or tie it to the source. Because people use the phrase loosely, ask the source what they mean and agree on terms before they speak. A source usually cannot take back a statement after saying it on the record, though you can still choose to be considerate.
How do you handle a source who refuses to answer a question?
Stay calm and try once more in plainer words, perhaps focusing on the policy rather than the person. If they still decline and the question matters to readers, you can note in the story that they declined to answer. Do not argue or pressure them.
Should you show your full story to a source before publication?
Most newsrooms do not share full drafts with sources, because it hands them control over editorial decisions. You can read back a quote or check a technical detail to make sure it is accurate. Follow your publication's own policy and talk to your adviser if a source insists.