Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Chapter 6: Interviewing
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following is an open-ended question?
A. In what year were you born?
B. Why did you say that Jack is a crook?
C. Who is the best baseball player you ever saw?
D. How long did it take you to finish the assignment?
2. Which of the following is often a benefit of asking an open-ended question?
A. It leads to good quotes.
B. It pinpoints time and place.
C. It soothes a hostile source.
D. It provides brief responses.
3. Juan wants to get a good quote from the quarterback of a football team. To accomplish this, which of
the following should be the follow-up question after asking, “Have you ever thrown five interceptions in
one game before?”
A. “Did you know the play clock almost ran out before your last interception?”
B. “Who was the intended receiver for your last interception?”
C. “What caused you to throw the last interception?”
D. “Did you audible on your last interception?”
4. Which of the following question pairs uses a close-ended question followed by an open-ended
question?
A. “How much money did the company lose?” and “How did the loss happen?“
B. “What time did the tornado hit?” and “How many people were killed?”
C. “Why did you yell at the umpire?” and “Have you ever been thrown out of a game before?”
D. “Have you been arrested before?” and “Where did this happen?”
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
5. An interviewer wants a famous author to expand on her reasons for writing her latest novel.
Considering this, which of the following questions should the interviewer ask?
A. “How long did it take you to write the work?”
B. “What author influenced you the most?”
C. “Why did you set the novel entirely in the protagonist‘s house?”
D. “Was the key used as a symbol in Chapter 4?”
6. Which of the following accurately shows the difference between a breaking news story and a news
conference?
A. A breaking news story requires extensive research; a news conference deals with private citizens.
B. A breaking news story requires several sessions; a news conference is guided by the person being
interviewed.
C. A breaking news story requires extensive research; a news conference involves several sessions.
D. A breaking news story requires a focus on the 5W’s and 1H; a news conference is guided by the
person being interviewed.
7. Jacques plans to interview a person being accused of corruption in an accounting firm. Which of the
following types of interviews should he expect it to be?
A. news conference
B. breaking news
C. hostile
D. person-on-the-street
8. You want to do a news story about a recent earthquake and include the reaction of victims. Which of
the following two types of news interviews should you prepare for?
A. breaking news; news conference
B. breaking news; person-on-the-street
C. news conference; profile
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
D. profile; person-on-the-street
9. Which of the following stories would most likely involve both news conferences and hostile interviews?
A. a report on local traffic accident
B. an exploration of a UFO siting
C. an investigation into a corrupt politician
D. an article on a famous movie star
10. Francesca wants to see how a rising politician officially handles a controversial issue and also wants
to do an exclusive on this person. To accomplish this, she should follow up _____.
A. a news conference given by the politician with person-on-the-street responses about the politician
B. a breaking news story about the politician with a news conference given by the politician
C. a news conference given by the politician with a profile about the politician
D. a profile about the politician with person–on-the-street responses about the politician
11. You are a reporter who wants to contrast a celebrity’s private life with his public image. To accomplish
this, which of the following combinations would you most likely use?
A. a profile and person–on-the-street interviews
B. a breaking news and a hostile interview
C. a news conference and a profile
D. a news conference and person-on-the street interviews
12. Which of the following story pairs would most likely require breaking news interviews followed by
hostile interviews?
A. devastation caused by a recent hurricane and the insufficient official response to the disaster
B. a drug scandal concerning a baseball player and a piece about how his fans continue to support him
C. an investigation of a murder trial that happened ten years ago and an in-depth study of the person
convicted
D. coverage of a marathon for charity and an interview of the winner
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
13. Which of the following accurately describes the similarity between a breaking news story and a
person–on-the-street interview?
A. Both deal with many unplanned responses from the sources.
B. Both have many limitations on the questions that can be asked.
C. Both require extensive research before the interviews.
D. Both involve “pseudo-events” that need to be verified.
14. Which of the following examples shows the best preparation for an interview?
A. Conchita read an extensive article about the life and times of a well-known rodeo clown.
B. Dmitri composed questions based on common knowledge concerning a famous basketball player.
C. Susan wrote down notes about what she remembered concerning the star of a 1980s TV show.
D. Javier researched a former astronaut by reading many articles about his days in the space shuttle
program.
15. Which of the following shows the wrong way to set up an interview?
A. Rodrigo sends the source an email.
B. Larry talks to the source over the phone.
C. Alisa tells the source she’ll do the interview whenever it is convenient.
D. Sandra emphasizes that the interview has to be done in two days.
19. Which of the following techniques enhances interview flow?
A. closed questions
B. loaded questions
C. interlocking questions
D. unexpected questions
20. Which of the following is the most effective way to conduct an interview?
A. Clara uses a smartphone app for recording and takes notes using freehand.
B. Serge uses a digital recorder and takes notes using his own shorthand.
C. Hinata uses a tape recorder and takes notes using freehand.
D. Robert uses a digital recorder and a tape recorder as a backup, and he does not take notes.
21. Which of the following interviewers would most likely have a good interview flow?
A. Constance, who asked mostly related questions punctuated by a few unrelated questions
B. Don, who asked a series of related questions
C. Manuel, who asked several unrelated questions
D. Azra, who asked alternating related and unrelated questions
22. Which of the following question pairs would disrupt interview flow?
A. “Were you nervous before the tennis match?” and “How did you deal with your nerves?”
B. “What mode of transportation did you take to Los Angeles?” and “Why did you take a bus?”
C. “Where did you find the panda bear?” and “Did you feed the bear?”
D. “What is your favorite dessert?” and “Why did you grow tomatoes?”
23. Which of the following is an example of an inaccurately based opening question for an interview?
A. When did you find out that the scandal happened?
B. What do you think is the main cause for the scandal?
C. How has the scandal affected your family?
D. How have you adjusted since the scandal depressed you?
24. Which of the following is an imprecise question?
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
A. Which movie stars from the 1930s inspired you?
B. What do you like about old movies?
C. Why do you watch so many movies produced in the 1940s?
D. What is your favorite movie released in 1939?
25. Which of the following is the best way to avoid writing vague questions for an interview?
A. Have someone else read the questions.
B. Write each question at least twice.
C. Read the questions aloud after writing them.
D. Write more than enough questions.
26. Which of the following question types is based on faulty assumptions?
A. imprecise questions
B. inaccurately based questions
C. interlocking questions
D. random questions
27. Which of the following question types is most likely to insult the source?
A. imprecise questions
B. interlocking questions
C. loaded questions
D. random questions
28. What type of question is “Did you use a video camera to steal your opponent’s strategy?”
A. loaded question
B. imprecise question
C. “it made sense when I wrote it” question
D. vague question
29. Which of the following will most likely make a source comfortable?
A. meeting the source at a restaurant close to interviewer’s office
B. meeting the source at his or her home
C. meeting the source in a meeting room in the interviewer’s office
D. meeting the source at a neutral location
30. Which of the following is an effective way to handle questions for an interview?
A. start off the interview with an unexpected, strange question
B. show the questions to a friend before the interview to make sure they are clear
C. stick only to the planned questions during the interview
D. do not write down any questions before an interview and instead rely on instincts
31. Which of the following will most likely help to establish a bond with a source?
A. contacting a source via a letter
B. contacting the source via email
C. meeting the source face-to-face
D. conducting a phone interview
32. Which of the following is the most precise revision of the question “Do you like sweet food?”
A. “Do you like eating chocolate?”
B. “Do you enjoy eating strawberry shortcake?”
C. “Do you like dessert?”
D. “Do you enjoy sugary things?”
33. Which of the following revisions makes the question “How much did your life change after the
earthquake?” an accurately based question?
A. “Did your life change after the earthquake?”
B. “Why did your life change after the earthquake?”
C. “How soon did your life change after the earthquake?”
D. “How did your family life change after the earthquake?”
34. Which of the following sources would most likely add a “hometown” impact to a story about raising
income taxes for the middle class?
A. a U.S. representative
B. a corporate executive
C. a school teacher
D. an IRS official
35. Which of following sources would most likely add value to a story about global warming?
A. a construction worker
B. a professor of climatology
C. a thermometer manufacturer
D. a state senator
36. You want to do an in-depth profile of a rock star. Which of the following sources would most likely add
value to your profile?
A. a close childhood friend of the rock star
B. a fan of the rock star
C. an acquaintance of the rock star
D. a professor who admires the rock star’s music
37. You are doing a news feature on the effects of a tornado on a small town. Which of the following
sources would add the most value to your feature?
A. a person who claims the tornado was caused by climate change
B. a person who saw the tornado while driving
C. a person who specializes in tornado chasing
D. a person whose house was destroyed by the tornado
38. If you are writing an article on a murder case, which of the following sources do you need the most?
A. one of several detectives who handled the case
B. the witness to the murder
C. one of the murderer’s three brothers
D. the head of the law firm that reopened the case
39. Which of the following stories will probably have the least valuable sources?
A. an interview of people who claim they saw the Loch Ness monster
B. the response of fans to the premiere of a new movie
C. an article on the feasibility of manned space flights to Mars
D. the exposé on the corruption of a city mayor
40. If a source asks for anonymity, a reporter would most likely _______.
A. try to convince the source to reconsider the request
B. discuss the source‘s request with his or her boss
C. grant the source’s request immediately
D. refuse the source’s request
41. Which of the following is an accurate statement about localization interviews?
A. They add local flavor to international stories.
B. They provide expert details for local stories.
C. They provide a general overview for stories.
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
D. They add key information to investigative stories.
42. Which of the following practices will most likely cause a source to provide more information?
A. Repeat questions you asked previously to get the source to give more details.
B. Tell the source how many awards you won for other articles.
C. Ask the source if he or she wants to share anything else at the end of the interview.
D. Flatter the source on how well he or she answered the questions.
43. At the end of an interview, a reporter should always ask the source for _______.
A. confirmation that all answers to questions are accurate
B. a promise to share the article on social media when it is published
C. a statement saying how well the interview was conducted
D. contact information for possible sources mentioned during the interview
44. After a personality profile, a reporter should ________.
A. gather multiple “cleanup questions” and then call the source
B. call the source several times whenever “cleanup questions” come to mind
C. email the source multiple times to ask “cleanup questions”
D. avoid calling or emailing the source for fear of being annoying
45. Liam wants to get a good quote about an oil spill. Considering this, which of the following questions
would be the most helpful?
A. At what time did the oil spill happen?
B. How many tons of oil spilled into the ocean?
C. Do you think the authorities responded quickly to the spill?
D. Did you check the security of the cargo after it was loaded?
46. Which of the following combines two open-ended questions?
A. “When did you first start to play baseball?” and “What attracted you to the game?”
B. “How many home runs did you hit last year?” and “Which home run was the most important?”
C. “Why did you try to steal second base on the first pitch?” and “What caused you to be thrown out?”
D. “Did the manager give you a sign to steal?” and “Do you think the manager should encourage more
base stealing?”
47. Which of the following will have the best interview flow?
A. an interview with a conversational feel
B. a formal interview
C. an interview with disjointed questions
D. an interview without secondary questions
48. Which of the following is an accurate statement about email interviews?
A. They enhance bonding with the source.
B. They provide more reporting opportunities than face-to-face interviews.
C. The reporter is able to capture the exact words of the source.
D. Sources have less control over the interview.
Multiple Response
1. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following question pairs will enhance interview flow?
A. “What attracted you to acting in the movie?” and “What’s your favorite snack?”
B. “When did you hear about the robbery?” and “How did you find out?”
C. “What kind of pitch did you hit for the home run?” and “Did you know it was a home run right away?”
D. “How long did it take you to write the novel?” and “Do any of your children want to be writers?”
2. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. Which of the following are loaded questions?
A. Have you stopped cheating on your taxes?
B. Have you ever taken a bribe?
C. Is the bridge still not rebuilt?
D. Why was the building torn down?
1. Open-ended questions encourage short answers from sources.
2. A profile allows for more in-depth exploration of a source than person-on-the-street interviews.
3. A news conference provides less opportunity for reporters to follow up on key issues than a profile.
4. Random questions enhance interview flow.
5. “What is the number of companies that Cirro Inc. purchased from 2000 to 2010?” is an imprecise
question.
6. “Did your fear of getting concussions cause you to retire from football?” is a loaded question.
7. The best way to avoid “it made sense when I wrote it” questions is to read the questions out loud at
least three times.
8. Inaccurately based questions are based on making assumptions.
9. To find out if a person plans to run for political office, an interviewer asks, “Did it take you a long time to
decide to run for governor?” This is an inaccurately based question.
10. In the case of a developing story, you should stay in contact with the sources to make sure they still
want to be used as sources.
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Short Answer
1. How is a hostile interview similar to a person-on-the street interview?
2. Does a breaking news story or a news conference allow for more preparation on the part of the
reporter? Explain.
3. You are interviewing a person who was shipwrecked on an island. Write two questions that would
enhance interview flow.
4. Identify the problem in each of the following questions and then rewrite them to improve the interaction
with the source: “Did you always enjoy surfing?” “Did your conflict with the mayor cause you to retire from
public office?”
5. Summarize in one or two sentences what adds value to a source.
Instructor Resource
Filak, Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: How Badly Do I Need This Source?
Difficulty Level: Medium
Essay
1. You are interviewing a baseball manager after his team lost a game. The manager put in a relief
pitcher who blew a 3-run lead. You want to ask five close-ended questions to get more facts about the
game. Also, you want to ask two questions that could evoke memorable quotes. What questions would
you ask? Explain why you would ask each of these questions. Make sure the questions are appropriate
for the source. Feel free to make up more details about the events in the game.
2. You wrote a breaking news story about a fire that occurred in a high-rise building downtown. A month
later, you do a follow-up story about the fire that focuses on people’s opinions about its cause and safety
measures that could have prevented it. Give an example of three questions you would ask people for the
follow-up story. How are these questions different from the ones you asked for the breaking news story?
3. How is a news conference given by a football player different from a profile written about that same
person? Give examples.
4. Prepare an interview of your favorite movie star by writing out at least ten questions in a way that
enhances interview flow.
5. List the steps involved in approaching and interviewing a source. Summarize how each step should be
handled.