What is an Interview Article?

S2-SA3-0215

Grade Level:

Class 5

NLP, Law, History, Social Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Communication

Definition

What is it?

An interview article is a written piece based on a conversation (an interview) with one or more people. Its main purpose is to share their thoughts, experiences, and opinions with readers, usually focusing on a specific topic or event.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine your school newspaper wants to tell everyone about the new cricket coach. A student reporter talks to the coach, asking about his favorite team, his plans for the school team, and his advice for young players. The written story that comes out of this conversation, sharing the coach's words, is an interview article.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's say you need to write an interview article about your local chaiwala for a community magazine.

1. **Choose your subject:** Decide to interview the chaiwala (tea seller) who has been serving chai in your locality for 20 years.
---2. **Prepare questions:** Think of what you want to know. Examples: "How long have you been making chai here?" "What's your secret ingredient?" "What's the most interesting thing you've seen here?" "What do you enjoy most about your work?"
---3. **Conduct the interview:** Politely ask your questions and carefully listen to the answers. Write down key points or record if allowed.
---4. **Organize the information:** Group similar answers together. Decide which quotes are most important and interesting.
---5. **Write an introduction:** Start with who the person is and why they are important (e.g., "Meet Ramesh Bhai, the friendly chaiwala...").
---6. **Write the body:** Use the questions and answers to tell his story. You can quote him directly (e.g., "Ramesh Bhai says, 'My secret is love for my customers.'") or summarize his points.
---7. **Write a conclusion:** End with a summary or a thoughtful final quote from him.
---8. **Review and edit:** Check for clear language, correct spellings, and ensure the article flows well and answers your main goal.

**Answer:** You now have an engaging article sharing the chaiwala's journey and wisdom, based on your interview with him.

Why It Matters

Interview articles are crucial for sharing diverse perspectives and real-life stories. They are used in journalism to report news, in social sciences to understand communities, and in literature to create character profiles. Journalists, content writers, and researchers often use this skill to inform and connect with people.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Just listing questions and answers like a script. | CORRECTION: Weave the interview responses into a flowing story, adding context and descriptions to make it engaging for the reader.

MISTAKE: Forgetting to ask follow-up questions when something interesting comes up. | CORRECTION: Be an active listener! If the person says something surprising, ask "Can you tell me more about that?" or "Why do you feel that way?"

MISTAKE: Not checking facts or quotes with the interviewee after writing. | CORRECTION: Always send a draft (or key quotes) to the person you interviewed to ensure accuracy and that they are happy with how they are represented.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: What is the main difference between an interview article and a simple news report? | ANSWER: An interview article focuses on sharing the thoughts, words, and experiences of a person (or people) through a conversation, while a simple news report primarily focuses on presenting facts about an event or situation.

QUESTION: You are interviewing your principal about the new school library. Give two good open-ended questions you could ask. | ANSWER: 1. "What inspired the school to build such a modern library?" 2. "How do you think this new library will impact the reading habits of students?"

QUESTION: Why is it important to introduce the person you are interviewing at the beginning of your article? | ANSWER: Introducing the person helps the reader understand who they are, why their opinion matters, and gives context to their answers. It makes the article more relatable and trustworthy.

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of these is NOT a typical characteristic of an interview article?

It shares a person's direct quotes.

It is based on a conversation.

It always presents only the interviewer's opinions.

It aims to inform readers about someone's views or experiences.

The Correct Answer Is:

An interview article focuses on the interviewee's opinions and experiences, not primarily the interviewer's. Options A, B, and D are all key characteristics.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

You see interview articles everywhere! In newspapers like 'The Hindu' or 'Times of India', you'll find interviews with politicians, Bollywood stars, or scientists. Even on YouTube channels, when someone talks to a famous chef about their recipes or a cricketer about their training, the written summary of that conversation could become an interview article.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

INTERVIEWEE: The person being interviewed | INTERVIEWER: The person asking the questions | QUOTE: The exact words spoken by someone | CONTEXT: The background information that helps understand something | PERSPECTIVE: A particular way of viewing things

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Next, you can learn about 'Writing a News Report'. Understanding news reports will help you see how different types of articles use information, and how to present facts versus personal stories effectively.