Free ebookInterviewing for Journalists: Asking Better Questions

Course Description

Interviewing for Journalists: Asking Better Questions is a practical journalism course in ebook format designed to help you conduct stronger reporting interviews and produce clearer, more accurate stories. Whether you are new to professional courses in journalism or looking to refine your technique, this course focuses on the real decisions journalists make before, during, and after an interview.

You will learn how to define the purpose and angle of an interview, prepare with targeted research, and map sources so you know what you need and who can credibly provide it. The course guides you through planning a journalist’s interview with a question ladder that moves from context to specifics, helping you stay organized while staying responsive to what the source reveals.

As you progress, you will improve how you build rapport while keeping professional boundaries, and how you ask better questions that produce usable material. You will practice choosing open versus closed questions, staying neutral instead of leading, and using follow ups that probe for detail, evidence, and chronology. You will also learn how to handle evasive answers, spin, and hostility without losing control of the conversation or compromising fairness.

Accuracy and verification are central to effective journalistic interviewing. This course shows how to test claims in the moment and after the interview, capture quotes ethically through notes or recording, and handle attribution responsibly. You will also gain confidence working across interview formats including in person, phone, video, and email, with guidance on adapting your approach while maintaining editorial standards.

Finally, you will learn how to manage sensitive interviews involving trauma, minors, or vulnerable sources with care, and how to wrap up by confirming key facts, clarifying timelines, and shaping the material into a compelling story. Start this free course today and build interviewing skills you can use on every assignment.