Journalism Basics: Interviewing for Accurate, Useful Quotes and Details

Interviewing as a Process: Five Phases

Strong interviews don’t happen by luck. They are built in phases, each with a different goal: (1) preparation to reduce surprises, (2) opening to set trust and logistics, (3) core questioning to capture the main facts and meaning, (4) follow-ups to test accuracy and fill gaps, and (5) closing to verify details and keep the door open for later checks.

Phase 1: Preparation (Build a Question Plan That Produces Accurate Quotes)

1) Define what you must learn

Before writing questions, write your “must-get” list in plain language. This keeps the interview from drifting into interesting but unusable territory.

• Core facts to confirm: who did what, when, where, how, and with what result.
• Decision points: moments where someone chose option A over option B.
• Evidence trail: documents, emails, meeting notes, data, photos, logs, policies.
• Impact: who is affected, how many, how often, how much.
• Scene details (relevant only): what a reader needs to understand the setting or stakes.

2) Draft questions in “blocks”

Organize questions by topic rather than by a strict script. Blocks help you adapt while still covering essentials.

• Block A: role and responsibilities (establish authority and limits)
• Block B: timeline (what happened in order)
• Block C: decisions and rationale (why choices were made)
• Block D: numbers and scope (how much, how many, how often)
• Block E: accountability and safeguards (who approved, what checks existed)
• Block F: lived experience / sensory details (only if it serves understanding)

3) Prepare “specifics prompts”

Many sources speak in generalities. Prepare prompts that pull them toward verifiable detail.

• “What date was that meeting?”
• “How many people were in the room?”
• “What was the exact budget figure?”
• “Which policy section are you referring to?”
• “Who else can confirm that?”

4) Plan your recording and note-taking method

Decide in advance how you’ll capture quotes accurately. If you record, still take notes for timestamps and key follow-ups. If you don’t record, slow the pace and confirm wording.

Continue in our app.

• Listen to the audio with the screen off.
• Earn a certificate upon completion.
• Over 5000 courses for you to explore!

Or continue reading below...

Download the app

• Notes technique: write short phrases + mark potential quotes with a star.
• Quote accuracy habit: when a sentence sounds quote-worthy, ask: “Can you say that again?” or “I want to make sure I got that right—did you say…?”
• Verification habit: separate what the source knows from what they believe or heard.

Phase 2: Opening (Set Conditions for Useful Answers)

1) Start with logistics and comfort

The opening is where you reduce nervousness (yours and theirs) and prevent misunderstandings later.

• Confirm name pronunciation, title, and role: “Could you spell your last name and confirm your job title?”
• Set time expectations: “I have about 25 minutes—does that still work?”
• Ask about recording (if applicable): “Do you mind if I record so I can quote you accurately?”

2) Give a simple roadmap

A brief roadmap helps sources answer more directly because they understand what you’re trying to learn.

“I’d like to understand what happened, the timeline, and how decisions were made. Then I’ll ask a few detail questions to make sure I’m accurate.”

3) Warm-up questions that still matter

Use easy questions that establish expertise and boundaries.

• “What does your role involve day to day?”
• “How long have you been involved with this project?”
• “What parts were you directly responsible for, and what parts were handled by others?”

Phase 3: Core Questioning (Get the Main Narrative and the Best Quotes)

Question types that reliably produce usable material

Different question types produce different kinds of information. Mix them intentionally.

How to ask for quotes that are both accurate and useful

Quotes work when they do at least one of these jobs: explain a complex point simply, show a decision-maker’s reasoning, reveal stakes, or capture emotion tied to verifiable events. To get that, you often need to ask twice—first for the story, then for the meaning.

• First pass (facts): “What happened at the meeting?”
• Second pass (meaning): “What was your main concern in that moment?”
• Third pass (tighten): “If you had to summarize the issue in one sentence, what would you say?”

Listening for gaps, contradictions, and “soft spots”

Interviewing is not only asking; it’s diagnosing. As the source talks, listen for:

• Gaps: missing steps in a timeline, unnamed people (“they”), unexplained causes (“because of issues”).
• Contradictions: a date that doesn’t match earlier statements, a claim that conflicts with their role, a shift from certainty to vagueness.
• Overconfidence: absolute statements (“never,” “always”) that may be testable.
• Hedging: “I think,” “maybe,” “as far as I know” (flag for verification).

Use neutral follow-ups that keep the tone professional: “Help me reconcile something…” or “Earlier you mentioned X; now I’m hearing Y—what explains the difference?”

Phase 4: Follow-Ups (Where Accuracy Is Won)

Follow-up techniques that get specifics without turning adversarial

Follow-ups are not “gotcha” questions. They are precision tools. The key is to stay curious, not accusatory, while still insisting on clarity.

• The “pin it down” follow-up: “When you say ‘several,’ is that closer to 3, 30, or 300?”
• The “name the actor” follow-up: “Who specifically made that call?”
• The “decision point” follow-up: “What options were on the table, and why was this one chosen?”
• The “evidence” follow-up: “What document or record would show that?”
• The “counterfactual” follow-up: “If that step hadn’t happened, what would have changed?”

Drills: Getting numbers, dates, and decision points

Practice these drills until they become automatic. Use them whenever you hear general language.

Drill 1: The Specificity Ladder

Move down the ladder until the answer becomes measurable or checkable.

1. General: “It took a while.”
2. Comparative: “Longer than expected—how much longer?”
3. Bounded: “Are we talking days, weeks, or months?”
4. Exact: “What start date and end date are you using?”
5. Documented: “Is there a record that shows those dates?”

Drill 2: The Timeline Lock

After a narrative answer, restate the sequence and ask for confirmation.

“Let me make sure I have this right: On March 3 you received the complaint, on March 6 you met with the team, and on March 10 the policy changed. Is that accurate? What am I missing?”

Drill 3: The Decision-Chain Trace

For any major action, trace who proposed it, who reviewed it, who approved it, and who implemented it.

• “Who first raised the idea?”
• “Who reviewed it?”
• “Who had final sign-off?”
• “Who carried it out day to day?”
• “What criteria were used to judge success?”

Handling silence (and using it)

Silence often means the source is thinking, editing themselves, or deciding what to reveal. Don’t rush to fill it.

• Count to five after they stop speaking. Many people continue with more detail.
• Use a gentle prompt: “Take your time—what happened next?”
• Repeat the last few words as a question: “ ‘Not comfortable’?” (invites elaboration without pressure)

Handling nervousness (yours and theirs)

Nervousness can make you talk too much, accept vague answers, or skip follow-ups. Use structure to stay steady.

• For you: keep a short “anchor list” at the top of your notes: timeline, numbers, decision-makers, impact, evidence.
• For them: normalize pauses: “It’s okay if you need a moment to think.”
• Slow the pace: ask one question at a time; avoid stacking multiple questions.

Handling emotional moments with care and clarity

Emotion can contain important truth, but it can also blur specifics. Your job is to be humane and accurate.

• Pause and acknowledge: “I can see this is difficult.”
• Offer control: “Would you like to take a moment, or continue?”
• Return to specifics gently: “When you say it ‘felt unsafe,’ what exactly was happening in the room?”
• Separate feeling from fact: “What did you observe directly?” and “What were you told?”

Handling evasive answers without escalating

Evasion often shows up as talking around the question, repeating prepared statements, or shifting blame. Keep your tone neutral and your questions narrow.

• Use the “answer the question” reset: “I want to make sure I’m clear—my question is: who approved it?”
• Offer options: “Was it approved by you, your supervisor, or a committee?”
• Ask for the limit: “What part can you answer, and what part can’t you?”
• Ask for process if not substance: “If you can’t discuss the details, can you explain the standard procedure?”
• Document the non-answer: note exactly what was asked and what was said; then try a narrower question.

Phase 5: Closing (Verification and Future Access)

Accuracy checks you should always do

Before ending, run a quick verification checklist. This prevents avoidable errors and reduces the need for frantic follow-up later.

• Spellings: names, organizations, locations.
• Titles and roles: “Is that your current title?”
• Numbers: “Just to confirm, the total was 47, not 74?”
• Dates: “That was Tuesday the 14th?”
• Key quote confirmation (when needed): “I wrote down: ‘We didn’t have the staffing to respond.’ Is that accurate?”

Give them a final opening (often yields the best detail)

End with an invitation that encourages additions without letting the interview sprawl.

• “What’s the most important thing I didn’t ask?”
• “Is there a detail people often misunderstand about this?”
• “Who else should I speak with to understand this fully?”

Set expectations for follow-up

Make it normal that you may need to confirm details later.

“If I need to double-check a date or a figure, can I reach you by email today or tomorrow?”

Question-Planning Worksheet (Copy/Paste)

Use this worksheet to plan interviews that produce accurate quotes and verifiable details.

INTERVIEW TARGET: ___________________________   DATE/TIME: ____________   LOCATION: ____________

A) Purpose and must-get list

1) What I must learn (3–6 bullets):

- _____________________________________________

- _____________________________________________

- _____________________________________________

2) What I already know (so I don’t waste time):

- _____________________________________________

3) What I suspect is unclear or disputed:

- _____________________________________________

B) Timeline grid

Key event: ____________________   Date/time: __________   Who was present: ____________________

What happened (observable actions): _________________________________________________

What changed after: ________________________________________________________________

Next event: ___________________   Date/time: __________   Link/cause: ________________________

C) Question blocks

BLOCK 1 (Role/authority):

- What is your role in __________________________?

- What were you responsible for vs. others?

BLOCK 2 (Narrative):

- Walk me through what happened from the start.

BLOCK 3 (Decisions):

- What options were considered?

- Who decided, and based on what information?

BLOCK 4 (Numbers/scope):

- How many/How much/How often?

- What is the exact figure and source of that figure?

BLOCK 5 (Accountability/checks):

- What safeguards existed? What failed or worked?

BLOCK 6 (Scene details, if relevant):

- What did you see/hear when you arrived?

- What detail best captures the stakes?

D) Specifics prompts (write 8–12)

1) “What date was that?”

2) “Who exactly is ‘they’?”

3) “What does that term mean in your process?”

4) “What document would show that?”

5) “Can you quantify ‘a lot’?”

6) _____________________________________________

7) _____________________________________________

8) _____________________________________________

E) Closing checklist

- Spellings confirmed?  YES / NO

- Titles/roles confirmed? YES / NO

- Numbers/dates confirmed? YES / NO

- Best quote(s) verified in notes? YES / NO

- Follow-up contact method: ______________________

Scene-Detail Collection: Vivid but Relevant

Scene details should serve understanding: they can show scale, conditions, constraints, or emotion tied to events. Avoid collecting “color” that distracts from the point.

What to capture (when it matters)

• Spatial facts: where people were positioned, what the setting enables or prevents (e.g., a crowded waiting room, a locked door, a broken sign).
• Time markers: clocks, schedules, duration, repeated patterns.
• Objects that matter: forms, equipment, notices, barriers, tools—anything that affects outcomes.
• Sound and movement: alarms, announcements, interruptions, pacing—only if it clarifies stakes.

Questions for relevant sensory detail

• “What did the room look like when you walked in?”
• “What was the first thing you noticed?”
• “What changed in the environment as the situation unfolded?”
• “What detail would help someone understand why this was difficult?”

Mini-Practice: Turn Vague Answers into Reportable Detail

Use these quick prompts to practice follow-ups. Write your next question for each vague answer.