Try out these 22 go-to questions in your next interview
Behind every great quote is a journalist who knew to ask the right question at the right time. However, developing a good line of questioning takes time and practice to nail down — or perhaps a little bit of advice.
The Solutions Journalism Network (SJN) has recommended 22 conversation techniques and go-to questions distilled from two dozen journalists to try out in your next interview.
Using a technique called ‘looping’, journalist Amanda Ripley recommends using questions such as ‘how do you feel, telling this story?’ or ‘what’s the question nobody is asking?’ to get more depth to your interviewees quotes.
“First, they correct you if you got something wrong, which happens more often than most journalists think,” writes SJN.
“Secondly — when you do this — people feel heard. And then this magical thing happens with humans: when they feel heard, they will open up to you more. They will even hear information that conflicts with their deeply held beliefs.”
Can solutions journalism boost newsrooms’ cashflow? Find out more at Newsrewired on 6 March at Reuters, London.
If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).
Sign up to receive job alerts of your choice by email, or manage your subscription
Featured recruiter: click to view its vacancies
Newsquest Media Group seeks a reporter in Hertfordshire with NCTJ or equivalent qualifications to cover breaking news, trending stories and report on patch
Subscribe to our newsletter for latest news, tips, jobs and more
End that deadline stress today and find help in our freelance directory
Cargo Force stuns the world: free 10kg shipping to India in celebration of ICC Trophy victory – offer ongoing until Sunday, 16 March!
Our 35th Newsrewired conference will be held 13 May 2025, News UK, London.
Reporters who have worked under Putin, Erdogan and the Taliban share what they have learned about how autocrats consolidate power and how communities can fight back against the erosion of democratic freedom
Leaders from The Times, Sky News and Reuters reveal why chasing fewer but more engaged readers - and embracing AI as a creative tool rather than a threat - is proving more profitable than old-school mass reach strategies
A TikTok master with 100m views, a paywall pioneer with 3,000 subscribers, and a community visionary backed by local businesses share their strategies for making independent journalism pay beyond ads
Slovakia's Dennik N broke three years of subscriber stagnation with an innovative anniversary campaign, while The New Statesman transformed podcasts from a side project into a powerful growth engine – both offering valuable lessons for media companies hitting plateaus
