Introduction: Data and records are helpful, but ultimately stories are about people and must be told by people. In the case of enterprise stories, people will either tell you stories that you weave into a broader narrative or they put information you already have in the broader context. Extending what we all discussed in multiplatform and other courses, we will talk about identifying the best and best variety of sources to help you tell the story you want to tell.
Learning objectives:
- Identifying people with firsthand knowledge of the subject you’re working on
- Identifying people who can provide community context for the subject you’re working on
- Identifying experts who can provide much broader context for the general issues you’re dealing with
Steps to completion:
Background:
- CNN guide to interviewing: http://www.cnn.com/2010/IREPORT/10/01/interview.tips.irpt/
- CJR art of interviewing: http://www.cjr.org/realtalk/the_art_of_the_interview.php
- Conduct and transcribe at least two interviews for your personal story by Oct. 7.
- Read Gary Smith’s profile of the late Pat Head Summitt and make a list of the people you think he interviewed for this story: http://www.si.com/vault/1998/03/02/239460/eyes-of-the-storm-when-tennessees-whirlwind-of-a-coach-pat-summitt-hits-you-with-her-steely-gaze-you-get-a-dose-of-the-intensity-that-has-carried-the-lady-vols-to-five-ncaa-titles. Bring it to class Oct. 13
Reflective:
- Class discussion October 11: Individual story conferences
- Class discussion October 13: Discuss Smith piece and transcripts
Exploratory
- Review the interviews you’ve done so far for your story. Come up with categories for the folks you’ve interviewed and look for holes. Who else do you need to find? Write up your list of interviews and to-be-interviews in a post in your personal blog category along with your critique by October 12 with the tag “interviews.” NOTE: interview lists must be lists of real people not just examples (e.g. “coach at a local high school”).
- Do the same as a team, comparing notes to come up with a single post by October 14, also tagged interviews.”