¶ … interview questions, and interview protocol for the mini-Project. Justify the questions and their order, and explain what you hope to gain from this technique.
Mini-Project: Developing interview questions and a protocol
What characteristics are considered admirable in historical figures by college-age students?
What person do you most admire?
What historical figure (living or dead) do you most admire and why?
If given the opportunity, would you like to meet this person?
What would you ask this person?
Is there anything troubling you find about their legacy?
What characteristics of theirs would you like to emulate?
What characteristics would you prefer not to emulate?
Is there anything you find disappointing about this person's legacy? If you could change anything about his/her life, what would it be?
Did this person overcome significant adversities in life?
How is this person similar to you?
How is this person dissimilar to you?
How should his/her legacy be judged?
Is he or she a product of his or her time?
What can people learn today from this person?
Research protocol
This research study will attempt to briefly survey what types of historical figures people of college age find admirable. The interviews will take place in a neutral setting (such as the conference room of the library) and will be audio-taped via a recorder. The questions are open-ended when they ask what types of characteristics the individual finds admirable in historical figures. The focus is upon specific accomplishments and personality traits vs. general impressions. The study will also seek to determine if different standards are applied to people who lived in different times and under different circumstances than the interviewee.
The questions grow more specific over the course of the interview, once it has been established who the interview subject admires and why. The questions are designed to provoke thought and greater internal probing regarding the topic of the interview. As well as asking what the respondent finds admirable about the subject, there are also questions about how this person may have been a product of his or her time and made some questionable choices. No historical person's legacy is unblemished and by comparing the good and the bad, further clarification of what makes a historical figure admirable may be achieved.
As part of the research protocol, the subject will not be asked any personal questions -- however; he or she will be allowed to volunteer any personal anecdotes or feelings if desired. Some deviation from the script will be allowed, although all of the major points in the interview questions should be touched upon in some fashion (name of the individual, why admirable, why not admirable, historical context).
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