In this assignment, you will interview a person who currently has a job in your anticipated field, and you will write a report based on the information you have obtained. The goal of this assignment is to acquaint you with a particular career path and also with the writing that this career involves.
You will complete this assignment in groups of three or four students who are anticipating a related career path. Each member of a group must hold up his or her end of the work-load. You will conduct the interview as a group and then write individual responses to the interview.
Background Research
Go to the library and find out as much as you can about the needs of the job, the educational requirements, the possibilities for advancement and any current political concerns related to the job.
Arranging the Interview
Contact a professional in your field. Arrange a time and place for conducting the interview. Be sure to communicate the following information:
Writing Interview Questions
Review and revise your interview questions. Consider the wording, order, and completeness of your questions. Will they elicit the information you want? Are they open-ended questions rather than yes/no questions? I recommend that you begin with open-ended questions and then focus as the interview progresses. It is good to have a clear idea of questions to ask as you go into the interview, but it is not absolutely necessary to stick to the script once you are in the room conducting the interview. Furthermore, you should divide the questions up between the members of the group so that everyone has a chance to ask a question. Be sure to bring a consent form with you to the interview.
Taking Notes on the Interview
The members of the group should meet immediately after the interview and compile their notes. Everyone should agree on what the interviewee said. Type up these notes and make copies, so everyone has a common set of notes to work from.
Writing the Paper
The group will then collaborate in writing a report on the interview. This report will include an analysis of the interview itself, an assessment of the function of writing in the interviewee's job, an analysis of a writing sample from that job (if available), and an overall assessment of the demands of the job. The report will include an addendum explaining your group's procedures and the different tasks performed by individuals within the group.