A. For this activity you are responsible for interviewing an older relative, one who is at least 65 years of age - the older the better. If you no longer have an older relative, interview an older person who is not related to you - a church member, a neighbor, a friend's relative or etc. In fact, many nursing homes have elderly residents who never have visitors and would welcome the chance to spend an hour or two talking with a younger person. You may conduct the interview over the telephone if absolutely necessary but I strongly prefer a face-to-face interview. Record the responses on paper or by taping the interview. (If you want to tape it, make sure you ask permission first.)
B. I strongly encourage you to look at Purdue's CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW. This isn't simply a conversation and there are right and wrong ways to go about this kind of research.
C. Before you begin the interview, politely thank the person for taking the time to talk with you. Tell the person that you are completing a class assignment and will use the answers given but will not use any names. Don't push for information about which there's any reluctance or any loss of memory. Ask the following questions.
o Personal Information: age, education level, anything else you think might be important (no names)
o What would you say is the one most important thing you learned from your family while growing up at home?
o What was elementary school like for you?
o Which of your friends had the most influence on you while growing up and why?
o When you were young, what was your family’s most important source of news and information?
o How have you and your life changed since you were a child?
o How have society and the world changed since you were a child?
D. Think about the ideas your subject expressed during the interview. Look for patterns - similarities and differences in experiences, in attitudes, in views of life, society and change between you and your subject.
While the information you learned and your analysis of it are important, I am also interested in your reactions. What things surprised, upset, angered (and any other reaction you might have had) you the most?
E. In your analysis, cover your subject's ideas, any patterns you noticed, and your reactions. Be thorough and specific. Do not give me a transcript of your interview. You may use quotes from time to time as examples of various points but I want your analysis to also address your ideas and reactions, not simply report what was said in the interview.
F. By the deadline shown in the Course Schedule on the main page of the syllabus:
Send your analysis containing the three items requested in the body of a new email to dramyglenn@earthlink.net.
Put only your name and Activity #3 at the beginning of your email.
Be careful to use the correct subject line.
Late analyses will lose one point per day late, including weekends and holidays.
READ THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS FROM THE MARGIN NOTES.
