Academic Interactions 130A

Fall 2104IECP

Nikki Mattson

Agenda

• Interview Project Details and Preparation

Review: Appropriate Topics (pg. 3)

• -what the student is studying• -why the student is studying a particular field• -what the application requirements were for his/her degree program• - how long he/she thinks he/she will be at PSU in order to graduate• -what the application process was like• -what classes the student is taking• -what the student’s current classes are like• -what the student’s previous classes were like• -what type of assignments are the most common in his/her field• -his/her favorite part of his/her field• -academic challenges that he/she faces/has faced• -advice he/she has for new students• -how he/she thinks PSU compares to other universities• -why he/she chose PSU• -what a typical day is like for him/her

Topics (Individual Work)• A. On one card, write down 1 question that you think would be

really interesting AND appropriate to ask a PSU student. Write “appropriate” on the back of the card. Please also write your name on the card.

• B. On the other card, write down 1 question that you think would be really interesting but NOT appropriate to ask a PSU student. Write “inappropriate” on the back of the card. Please also write your name on the card.

Note: If you are not sure whether your question is

appropriate or not, you can write “unsure.”

Question Types• Initial/Introducing Questions: These questions introduce new topics to discuss.

• Examples:• Can you tell me about...? • I am interested in learning more about ___. Could you tell me a little bit about your

experience with_____?• What are some other initial/introducing questions that you could use for your

interview?

• 1.• 2.• 3.• 4.

What comes next?You can use these to get the interviewee to speak more.

•silence: most people are uncomfortable with silence, so they will try to "fill" it by talking; as the interviewer, you may choose to use silence to encourage the interviewee to say more.

•nudging probes: these "questions" encourage interviewees to keep talking, but don't suggest a particular direction

•Examples: •I see. (rising intonation)•Go on. •Mmm.hmm. (rising intonation)•uh huh.. (rising intonation)•Can you think of any other nudging probes?

•1.•2.•3.

http://www.roguecom.com/interview/module4.html

Clarification QuestionsYou can use these to clarify any initial answers.

•Examples:•What did you mean by ______?•Sorry, I didn’t catch the last part of what you said. Could you repeat it, please?•So you think____. Is that right?(this one also involves summarization too).•I’m not sure I understand what you mean by _____.•What are some other clarification questions that you could use for your interview?

•1.•2.•3.•4.

Clearinghouse QuestionsThese can be used to check whether or not you have elicited all the information an interviewee wants to provide on a topic or in the interview.

•Examples•Is there anything else you would like to add? •Is there anything important about academic life at PSU that we didn’t discuss?

•Can you think of any other clearinghouse probes?•1.•2.•3.

Going Deeper..questions to increase depth of content: These questions encourage interviewees to provide greater information about a particular topic.

Examples•Can you tell me more about____?•Can you think of other examples of types of assignments you have in your classes?

•Can you think of any other questions you could ask to learn more about a particular topic?•1.•2.•3.

Getting Back on Track…

questions to get the interviewee back on track: You can use these when the interviewee veers far away from the topic or doesn't answer the question you asked.

Examples•So how did that affect you? •Let's return to your experience in your chemistry class… •You began by talking about advice you would give to incoming PSU students…

Can you think of any other statements or questions you could use to get the interviewee back on track?•1.•2.•3.

Hypothetical Questionshypothetical questions: You can use these to encourage the interviewee to be reflective.

 

Examples•If you could go back in time to before you enrolled in PSU, would you have changed anything about your preparation for college? •What do you think would happen if you didn’t attend class for a week? What would the consequences be?

 

Can you think of other hypothetical questions that might be interesting to ask during your interview?•1.•2.

Embedded Questions

direct questions embedded questions

Is it necessary to do HW in college? Do you know if it is necessary to do HW in college?

Should I send in my application early? Do you know whether or not I should send in my application early?

GRAMMAR FOCUS

embedded questions: These can be used for many purposes, but often make the questions less direct and more polite.common structure for embedded questions:

common question stems for embedded questions:

Do you know…Can you remember..Could you tell me…Could you explain…

Structure: question stem + wh-word/if/whether or not + subject + verb

•Do you know which book I would buy for that class?•Can you remember where the application form is located?•Could you tell me whether or not you find this class to be helpful?

What are some other embedded questions that you could ask during your interview?1.2.3.

HW

HW: PSU classroom observation comments due by 10/8 at midnight