Interview Essay - As Easy As it Could Be

how to write an interview essay

There is no limitation regarding the subjects where an interview essay can be met. It is a research paper where an author implements people instead of print or text sources. The key is to find out certain information from first-person sources. A reason why such papers become necessary is the presence of an expert opinion. Like when talking to an engineer in Data Science who has a vast background or a nurse that works in ER department. Some college professors ask for this type of work because they want students to come up with good questions and analyze the subject in advance therefore sometimes you want to get something done quickly and academic essay writing services are here for your convenience! 

What is an Interview Essay?

Interview essay can be defined as a reflection paper that aims to relay the information that is collected via an interview, samples of a conversation with a person or a group of people. In most cases, it deals with an expert who may have a significant contribution to the paper. The paper itself is not a colloquial conversation but a set of questions that help the readers to become more knowledgeable concerning the matters discussed. Depending on given tasks, there may be a paragraph that shows the author's impression, yet some essays require only an interview with no personal opinion. The information obtained is used as a source or an argument for the thesis statement. 

Interview Essay VS Research Paper Differences

Even though an interview may be required for a research paper, these are two completely different papers. Here is why:

  • Interview has a purpose of gathering information, while research paper has to provide certain analysis level.
  • Talk deals with particular experts, while an essay works with thesis statements synthesized from several sources.
  • It is possible to write research papers with the help of books.
  • Interview has only one source - the subject that you talk to.
  • Conversation paper consists of questions, while research papers have a strict structure, depending on an essay type.

Here is how to write an interview paper with a template structure:

  1. Think about the topic. It will set the scene and help you find right people based on a career field or any other subject.
  2. Analyze your conversation purpose. If you aim to interview a single person, think about your audience. It will help make your questions simpler or more technical.
  3. Come up with a list of questions. Read them aloud, so they do not repeat each other. As an interviewer, you must keep within the same topic.
  4. Prepare an audio recorder so that you can use quotes in a reflection essay.
  5. Keep your essay focused. If you have to write an unbiased essay, use more quotes. If more analysis is required, follow the "statement-content-analysis" pattern.

How to Write an Interview Essay with no Effort

Everything starts with a correct structure, which means that you have to follow a pattern that will guide you through those parts you may already have in mind. Regardless of what interview essay format you may follow, there still are obligatory points:

  • Introduction

Lots of student wonder how to start an interview essay or whether they should go straight to the questions. The introduction usually explains the main points asked. The introduction must have a short background of both you and the interviewee. If you write about leadership in a company, it is a good idea to tell a little bit about statistics, a success story, or provide information about the CEO.

  • Body

This part should contain a reflection without a final outline. Use information from your talk and make short notes for your readers, which explains what an interviewee has told you, what has been valid, and what answers have been the most important. 

  • Conclusion

It is a good place to reflect on what the interview has given you and whether it has met your expectations. It has to be your response to what happened. In most cases, it should be a paragraph, which talks about your feelings.

3 Types of Interview Essays

  • Narrative

The narrative essay can be easily identified by an interesting hook. It is most likely used for a personal interview essay. In simple terms, you have to turn your interview transcript into an interesting story. You have to put all pieces together and engage your readers. Good tips include using a hook to get to your audience with an interesting quote or statistics. Introduce your character and a brief environment where the conversation took place. Speak about the importance of the process. Provide evidence and facts in the following paragraphs. Start with accessible data by ending up with the most powerful arguments. The concluding paragraph should restate your thesis and the most critical thought.

  • Conversational

This type of essay turns your work into a conversation just like in books. You don’t have to stick to your question list. Try to turn it into a friendly talk on required topic. Connect the replies with the questions to make it readable. This way, it will fit some crucial details that you can add to explain certain facts to the target audience. Unlike the question-answer format, it has to become an essay. The formatting can be classic “Introduction - Body - Conclusion” pattern, but it may differ depending on your task. Alternatively, try out an online essay maker for your writing needs if you are stuck with a template or do not know where and how to begin.

  • Q&A Essay

This is a list of interview essay questions in a classic format where you write them down after a brief introduction and follow up with the answers. There is still a conclusion paragraph with a brief analysis where you talk about your impression and mention what has been missed if there has.

Interview Tips & Ideas

Knowing how to write about an interview is much easier if you conduct a good one. These simple tips and tricks will help you to get ready and assist while you are talking to a person that you plan to meet:

  • Begin with good starter questions that will set the topic.
  • Respect your interviewee and ask him/her to tell about one's career background.
  • Use an audio recorder to have the exact words.
  • Use a brief introduction of your topic to help the interviewee see what’s on your mind.
  • Give the person enough time to answer, do not rush.
  • Ask simple follow-up questions to receive more information if something is insufficient.
  • If certain terms are unclear, ask again.
  • Thank your interviewee after all the questions have been asked.

What to Note During The Interview & How to Analyze Info

First of all, bring an audio recorder instead of writing because you may not understand what an interviewee says or may miswrite statistics or a technical term. If your paper is about nursing challenges, note the keywords, environment, or the most important factors that have led a healthcare professional to certain conclusions. Make a list of what has impressed you. It can come along with an audio recording. The same goes for a business entrepreneur who may tell you a story about her success as a response.

Speaking of analysis, it is a bit like rewriting an interview. You have to engage your brain and resynthesize available information to explain it to an audience. See what seems to be unclear, seek for the strong points and the weak parts. If something meets your opinion - write it down. Likewise, if something goes against your vision, mention it as well. You have to use interview quotes as you write your interview paper, yet you must analyze information during the process as well. It is fine to ask different questions that have not been originally on your list. It will make the final result flexible and vivid.

If You Need More Assistance

Writing an interview essay is not easy because you will have to keep up with a structure or come up with a list of questions that is good enough for a particular topic. If you find it difficult and the interview is coming up, visit EduBirdie to receive professional and affordable assistance. Get help with the questions, formatting, templates, plagiarism check, detailed proofreading, or an essay thesis statement. Regardless of what your task may be, it is much safer to have someone look through your paper to spot the mistakes and make it perfect!

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