Unit 5

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

- conduct a well-structured research interview
- use appropriate language to formulate research interview questions
- provide clear and focused answers to interview questions
- interact effectively in a research interview

5.1 Research Interview - Structure

Why is this part useful?

For the simulation interview assessment (Speaking Coursework I) and webpage

evaluation project (Writing Coursework II and Speaking Coursework II) in this course,
the input from this part will help you prepare and conduct research interviews as a means
to collect data or views, which can also be applied to other areas of your studies at
Lingnan.

It is inevitable that you will need to collect sources for many of your university
assignments. Occasionally, it is necessary to go beyond published sources (e.g., books,
academic journal articles, newspapers) and to gather first-hand data and information, for
example, by conducting interviews.

Pre-unit task (Homework): Your teacher will ask you to complete this task
outside of class before the start of the unit.
Complete Task 2 (Moodle Quiz) below to get a basic understanding of planning a
research interview.

Task 1:
Do you know anything about the following celebrities?
Suppose you had an opportunity to interview one of these celebrities. Who would you like
to interview and why? Suggest 3 questions you would like to ask him/her.

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

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 1. Business leader Ma Yun (top left), one of China's richest men as well as one of
the wealthiest people in the world. He is the co-founder of the Alibaba Group, a
multinational technology conglomerate.

2. Vladimir Putin (top right) is a former Russian intelligence officer. He has served
as president of Russia from 1999 to 2008 and from 2012 to the present.

3. Fang Bing-bing is a Chinese actress, model, television producer, and pop singer.
She was once one of the highest-paid actresses in the world.

4. Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, is a member of the British royal family.

Her husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is expected to become king of
the United Kingdom.

Task 2: Moodle Quiz

Read the text below and fill in the blanks with the words in the table to learn about what
you need to consider before preparing any questions for a research interview.

in-depth information specific questions reason(s)

focus follow-up purpose time

Most interviewers ask questions based on the interviewee's expertise or experience

with the research topic. Before preparing any questions, consider the (1)____________ of
the interview or the (2)_______________ for conducting the interview. For example, if
“Hong Kong International Airport” is your interview topic, the purpose could be “to find
out the views of tourists on the airport for a student publication” or “to collect the views
of local residents on the airport for your final year project” or “to compare Hong Kong
airport with the international airport in Shenzhen for an assignment”.

You should also narrow down the topic to a (3)_____________, which is particularly
important if there is a (4)____________restriction (e.g. a 5-minute interview for Speaking
Coursework (I) in this course). For example, if “Hong Kong International Airport” is
your interview topic, the focus could be the “services, facilities and environment of the
airport” if your interview lasts for half an hour. However, if you are given only 5
minutes to do the interview, you can only focus on one of these three aspects so as to
collect (5) ___________________ from the interviewee(s).

In a structured interview, you prepare a list of (6)______________that will allow you to

gather the information you need and accomplish the purpose of the interview. During
the interview, you may need to ask (7) ________________ questions in order to obtain
further information or obtain clarification.

After you have prepared a list of questions, you should organize them from general to
(8)_______________ in a logical progression. This will ensure that the aspect(s) of the topic
of the interview is(are) well-covered.

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After completing Task 2 (on Moodle) outside of class, you should now have an
understanding of planning a research interview including identifying the purpose and
narrowing the interview topic to a specific focus.

Task 3: Moodle Quiz

The following are some questions for an interview conducted in the Departure Hall of Hong
Kong International Airport which aims to find out the views of tourists on certain services
and facilities of the airport. Arrange them in a logical order (from general to specific) by
putting down a number (1 - 6) in each blank.

( ) What do you think of the airport? What do you like about it? Any dislikes?

( ) Do you think it’s convenient for you to get to the town centre from here by public
transport? Why do you say so?

( ) How many times have you been to Hong Kong?

( ) Do you have any suggestions for improving these services and facilities?

( ) What do you think of the catering services at the airport?

( ) When you arrived, how long did you need to wait for your luggage at the baggage
claim area? Do you think the waiting time is reasonable?

It is important that some structure is developed before the interview. Defining the
purpose and scope of the interview will help you develop this aspect of the process.

Task 4:
Listen to an interview with a lecturer at Lingnan on ‘Interesting Places in Hong Kong’
and answer the following questions.

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 1. Name one of her favorite places to visit and the reasons.

2. Name the place that she dislikes and the reasons.

Now, listen to the interview again and learn about its structure by answering the following
questions.

3. What is the purpose of the interview?

4. How does the interviewer start the interview?

5. How does the interviewer end the interview?

6. How many main parts are there in the interview?

Structure an interview

1. Introduce yourself and explain your project

As you begin the interview,
a. introduce yourself to the interviewee
b. explain your qualifications as an interviewer (if necessary)
c. introduce the topic and purpose of the research interview
d. explain why you consider the interviewee a valuable source of information for the
research interview (if necessary)
e. obtain permission from the interviewee for recording the research interview

Task 5:
Go to ChatGPT on Lingnan Portal at https://chatgpt.ln.edu.hk/ .
Write a prompt to find 2 – 3 expressions for one of the above 5 functions. For example, “I
am an undergraduate student conducting a research interview and I need 2-3 expressions
to introduce myself in a research interview.” Put down all the expressions that can be used
to introduce a research interview in the box below.
Examples of expressions for introducing a research interview:
a. introduce yourself to the interviewee

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 b. explain your qualifications as an interviewer

c. introduce the topic and purpose of the research interview

d. explain why you consider the interviewee a valuable source of information for the
research interview

e. obtain permission from the interviewee for recording the research interview

Task 6: Moodle Quiz

Listen to an excerpt from a 30-minute interview of a mother in the slums of Kampala,
Uganda. Identify what information the interviewer has included when introducing the
interview.
The interviewer has:
thanked for participation, listed topics that she wants to ask about, and
why she wants to ask about it, asked/warned about the time frame,
mentioned that the interview is confidential and obtained informed
consent, she was also asked if the interviewee has any questions

The interviewer has NOT:

she did not explain her qualifications and didn't introduce herself

** Please note that this introduction is taken from an interview which lasts for 30 minutes.
For Speaking Coursework I – Simulation Interview, you are only required to conduct a 4 to
5-minute interview. Therefore, you need to consider how long your introduction should be.

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2. Interact with the interviewee during the interview

Respond to the interviewee's answers using active listening. To ensure accuracy and
establish rapport, use appropriate expressions, and pay attention to your body language
and eye contact.

Task 7:
The following are some ways you can interact with the interviewee during an interview.
Match them with the phrases in the boxes below.

Showing understanding / Asking for clarification Asking for more details

listening
Paraphrasing / Summarizing Interrupting to get back Showing miscomprehension
on track

1. paraphrasing/ summarizing 4. asking for clarification

In other words, … Are you saying that...?

So, to put it another way … Are you suggesting that…?
Let me see if I understood you. You feel that… Do you mean that... ?
So, if I could just clarify what you’re saying, you What do you mean?
mean that... Would you mind explaining that a little more,
So, if I understand correctly, what you’re please?
saying is …
So, what you’re saying is that...
2. showing understanding / listening 5. asking for more details
I see … Could you be more specific?
Right … Could you elaborate/expand on that...?
Uhuh … Where exactly is it?
That’s interesting. Could you give me an example?
Sounds quite fun.
OK, it’s really a…
I see how difficult it could be.

3. interrupting to get back on track 6. showing miscomprehension

Excuse me, … I’m afraid I don’t quite follow.

If I may just repeat my question, … I’m not sure I understand, …
If I may just interrupt for a second, … Sorry but I don’t quite get this.
Thank you. Can I just move back to…
Yes, I hear what you’re saying, but what I’m
actually interested in is…

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3. Close the interview
Thank your interviewee for talking with you and providing you with valuable
information

Task 8:
Go to ChatGPT on Lingnan Portal at https://chatgpt.ln.edu.hk/

Write a prompt to find 2 – 3 expressions that can be used to close a research interview.
Put down the expressions in the space below.

"Thank you so much for your time and valuable insights today. Your contributions are greatly
appreciated and will play an important role in my research. If you have any further thoughts or
questions, please feel free to reach out."

Task 9:
You are a Student Reporter from the University Student Newspaper. Interview a Lingnan
student on one of the following topics:
I. Environmental Protection
II. Generative AI in university education

a. Decide the purpose and focus of your interview (i.e. certain aspect(s) of the topic)
b. Prepare 5 questions (from general to specific)

Purpose of interview: __________________________________________________________________

to gain insight on how environmental protection can be increased

how can Lingnan help to protect the environment

Focus: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Q1 Do you participate in protecting the environment?

Q2 What activities do you do to participate in protecting the environment?

Q3 How do you think Lingnan can encourage students to protect the environment?

Q4 Would you participate in these events and activities? and why?

Q5 Lastly, can you share one of your daily habits that help you to protect the environment?

Task 10:
Work in pairs. Take turns to interview each other using the questions above. Remember to
apply the points on conducting an interview listed above. Jot down notes on the information
obtained and be prepared to share the information with the class.

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5.2 Research Interview - Asking and Answering

In the preceding section, you learned about the structure of a research interview. In this
section, you will learn how to formulate questions as well as how to give effective
responses.

Interview questions typically fall into two categories: closed questions, which require a
yes or no response, and open-ended questions, which allow the interviewee to elaborate
on the question. The interviewer may also be asked follow-up questions regarding the
answers provided.

Closed Questions
Closed questions are appropriate for gathering demographic and factual information.
Examples:
- Do you have any experience with webpage design?
- When did you move here from Hong Kong?

All of these questions result in factual responses, and once an answer is provided, the
question is closed. Interviewers should not repeatedly ask closed questions. In most cases,
these questions are used to ease the interviewer into the interview process, establish
rapport, or conclude the interview.

Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions should make up the bulk of an interview. These questions usually
help collect fuller responses, and they cannot be answered with yes/no or a simple
response. They may also focus on hypothetical or action-oriented questions.
Examples:
- What do you think about the outlook of the property market?
- How would the trade war between America and China affect the economy of Hong
Kong?

Providing a clear context

It is sometimes necessary to add detail and context (see the underlined below) to your
questions to enable the interviewee to understand your question more clearly.

Examples:
- Here are two webpages from the Department of Marketing of X University and Y
University. Which one do you like better?
- Research has shown that one’s diet has a significant impact on one’s emotional
health. Students who have the habit of eating breakfast are usually more attentive
in class. What do you think?

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 Task 11:
Refer the 5 questions you prepared for Task 9. Re-write some of them so that there are:
a. one closed question
b. four open questions including at least two that provide relevant context

Put down the revised questions in the box below.

Purpose of interview: __________________________________________________________________

Focus: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Q.1 Do you participate in protecting the environment?

What else do you think you can do to protect the environment?

Q.2
What is stopping you from do this?

Q.3 In your opinion what is the major reason for endangering the environment?

What negative changes have you noticed in the environment, over the past 5 years?

Q.4 What is the most recent environmental event you've been?

Q.5 Daria Dasha

Invite a partner to identify any grammatical mistakes

Follow-up Questions
Following up on what the interviewees tell you is an imperative part of the interview
process. The question you asked opens the door to an issue, and you can ask follow-up
questions to gain a fuller picture of the interviewee's response.

Task 12:
The following are some follow-up questions that can be used during a research interview.
Match them with the functions in the boxes below.

getting more details about the answer clarifying the interviewee’s answer
given
finding out the feelings, thoughts, and checking if the interviewee’s response
rationale of the interviewee based on would be different in different
the answer given circumstances

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 1. getting more details about the 3. checking if the interviewee’s response
answer given would be different in different circumstance
- Tell me more about that. - What might make you respond [or do
- Can you give me an example? this] differently?
- Can you tell me more about that? - Have you always felt this way?
- How has your approach changed over
time?
2. clarifying the interviewee’s answer 4. finding out the feelings, thoughts, and rationale
of the interviewee based on the answer given
- When you say, [term or phrase], - Why was that important to you?
what are you actually doing? - Why does that stand out in your
- It sounds like you are saying, “. . . .”. memory?
Is that a fair summary? - How did you feel about that?
- When you referred to…, what did
you mean?

Task 13:
Work in pairs. Take turn to use the questions for Task 11 to conduct an interview. Ask
at least two follow-up questions.

Giving effective answers

During the simulation interview assessment, you must act both as the interviewer as well
as the interviewee. This section will provide you with some insights into how you can
formulate clear and focused answers, which will also prove to be useful during interviews
such as those you attend at university and beyond.

Effective answers should be:

• relevant to the question
• well-developed (e.g., by giving examples, reasons)
• concrete and clear (e.g., by using factual information)
• coherent (e.g., by using connectives, logical arrangement of details)

Task 14:
Look at the following 4 answers to the question “What do you think are the important
qualities of a good website?”. Which answer do you think is the most effective and why?
Share your views with a classmate.

Question: What do you think are the important qualities of a good website?

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 Answer 1
I like the website I came across the other day. I remember when I was in secondary
five, I had to design a webpage for my IT course. I spent the whole week trying to
choose the images for the page. Any my teacher liked them very much.
Answer 2
A good website should be user-friendly and easy to navigate, with a clear and visually
pleasing design. It should also have high-quality, relevant content that is regularly
updated. Additionally, a good website should be optimized for search engines, that
means the website is more likely to appear on the first page of search results for
relevant queries.

Answer 3
A good website is like a researcher in the field of psychology who is studying the
effects of social media on mental health may read academic journal articles on this
topic to better understand the current state of research, to learn about different
methodologies that have been used, to support their own research with credible
sources, and to contribute to ongoing discussions and debates in the field.

Answer 4
The important qualities of a good website include usability, accessibility, mobile-
friendliness and visual appeal.

In addition to answering the interviewer’s questions with effective answers, it is

important that the interviewee listen carefully to the interviewer and interact with
him/her appropriately.

Task 15:Moodle Quiz

The following are some ways you can interact with the interviewer during an interview.
Match them with the phrases in the boxes below.

Showing understanding / listening Asking for clarification Showing miscomprehension

1. 2. 3.
In other words, … I’m afraid I don’t quite follow. Right …
So, to put it another way … I’m not sure I understand, … Uhuh …
Let me see if I understood you. Sorry but I don’t quite get That’s an interesting
You are asking if… this. question.
So, if I could just clarify what
you’re asking, you mean that...
So, if I understand correctly,
what you’re asking is …

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Task 16: Speaking Practice on Padlet/OneDrive (Homework – It will contribute to
your Attendance & Participation mark.)

Refer to the five questions you have put down for Task 11 on either of the following topics:
I. Environmental Protection
II. Generative AI in university education

Step 1: Invite a classmate to do an interview practice with you. Take turns to conduct a 4-
5 minute interview with a classmate.

Step 2: Make an audio recording of your interviews

Step 3: Upload the recording to Padlet/OneDrive and put down comments on your
partner’s performance by the due dates given by your teacher.

As the interviewer,
• listen carefully to the answers given.
• give brief responses to show comprehension
• ask follow-up questions to obtain further details or to clarify, when appropriate
• jot down notes on answers given by your partner

As an interviewee:
• listen to the questions carefully
• give relevant, detailed, concrete answers
• organise your answers logically and use connectives to link details
• interact with the interviewer appropriately

Purpose of interview: _____________________________

Interview Focus: _____________________________________

You can write your questions here:

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Additional Self-study Materials

Finding the Right Word to Use when Speaking 1

https://elss.ln.edu.hk/icosa/sites/default/files/exercise/cate/speaking/Finding%20th
e%20Right%20Word%20to%20Use%20when%20Speaking%201/index.htm

Finding the Right Word to Use when Speaking 2

https://elss.ln.edu.hk/icosa/sites/default/files/exercise/cate/speaking/Finding%20th
e%20Right%20Word%20to%20Use%20when%20Speaking%202/index.htm

Student Interviews (Listening)

https://elss.ln.edu.hk/icosa/sites/default/files/exercise/cate/listening/Student%20Int
erviews/Student%20Interviews/index.htm

All websites were last accessed on 31 May 2024.

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