HOW TO CONDUCT FACULTY INTERVIEWS Always send a polite email first reaching out to your faculty member. Introduce yourself as a member of the Harvard Science Review and feel free to link him/her to our website, so they get a sense of what our journal provides to the community. Explain what you are writing about and why you want to interview them, being as specific as possible. If he/she doesn’t respond to your email immediately, don’t be discouraged! We all know how busy professors can get, particularly those with higher rank. If, however, they don’t respond to initial emails, try calling them () or go to their office hours (usually listed on their website). More often than not, professors will be very eager to share some time to discuss their research since they love what they do. Set up a time and place for the interview, and let your AE know when it’s happening. Confirm and remind your interviewee the day before the interview with the time an d place. It’s easy to forget when they have such busy schedules! Arrive to the interview at least 5 minutes early. It’s imperative that you be respectful to the faculty member, which also means doing your research beforehand! Know what their research focuses on. Dress in business casual. Bring a tape recorder (or record on your iPhone), but ALWAYS ask before recording. It’s a good idea to take down notes in any case. Use your prepared questions as a guide for the interview, but let the discussion flow naturally. If something interesting and new pops up, feel free to probe more into it. Don’t feel constrained by your prepared questions; you may end up with an even more exciting article than you anticipated! At the end of the interview, ask your faculty member if you can ask additional questions by email, as they may arise when you’re writing your draft. After your interview, send a follow-up thank you email by the end of the day.
HOW TO CONDUCT FACULTY INTERVIEWS Always send a polite email first reaching out to your faculty member. Introduce yourself as a member of the Harvard Science Review and feel free to link him/her to our website, so they get a sense of what our journal provides to the community. Explain what you are writing about and why you want to interview them, being as specific as possible. If he/she doesn’t respond to your email immediately, don’t be discouraged! We all know how busy professors can get, particularly those with higher rank. If, however, they don’t respond to initial emails, try calling them () or go to their office hours (usually listed on their website). More often than not, professors will be very eager to share some time to discuss their research since they love what they do. Set up a time and place for the interview, and let your AE know when it’s happening. Confirm and remind your interviewee the day before the interview with the time an d place. It’s easy to forget when they have such busy schedules! Arrive to the interview at least 5 minutes early. It’s imperative that you be respectful to the faculty member, which also means doing your research beforehand! Know what their research focuses on. Dress in business casual. Bring a tape recorder (or record on your iPhone), but ALWAYS ask before recording. It’s a good idea to take down notes in any case. Use your prepared questions as a guide for the interview, but let the discussion flow naturally. If something interesting and new pops up, feel free to probe more into it. Don’t feel constrained by your prepared questions; you may end up with an even more exciting article than you anticipated! At the end of the interview, ask your faculty member if you can ask additional questions by email, as they may arise when you’re writing your draft. After your interview, send a follow-up thank you email by the end of the day.
Fall2013WritersGuide.docx