Preparing for your interview
Pre-Interview Background
If you’re choosing to interview someone, take a moment to get to know each other and think through the items below before you get started. You’ll need to include this information when you upload your interview.
Interviewer Name
Interviewer Date of Birth
Interviewer Address
Interviewee Name
Interviewee Date of Birth
Interviewee Current Address
Relationship between Interviewer/Interviewee
Suggested Interview Questions
Can you tell me your name and where you grew up?
Is there any important biographical information we should know before the interview?
What do you remember about your life in 2008?
[Potential Follow-Up: Where did you live in 2008?]
What did you think about politics at that time?
How did you first hear about Barack Obama?
What do you remember about the 2008 presidential campaign?
[Potential Follow-Up: How were you involved in politics that year? Were you involved in President Obama’s campaign?]
Why did that stick with you?
[Potential Follow-Up: What in your life prior to that election made you feel that way about politics?]
What did it feel like to take part in that election?
[Potential Follow-Up: Did you ever vote before 2008?]
Can you tell me what you remember about Inauguration Day in January of 2009? Where were you? Who were you with? How did you feel that day?
How did Barack Obama impact your life?
[Potential Follow-Up: Why was that important for you?]
How did Barack Obama’s presidency impact your community?
(Save enough time for) Is there anything we haven’t talked about you would like to talk about?
[Potential Follow-Up: Is there any question you wish I had asked?]