Topic: People as Resources for Research Papers

10-second review: Don’t overlook the interview with experienced people in researching a topic: finding them, preparing for the interview, recording the interview and incorporating the interview into the research paper are necessary steps for the successful use of the interview in research.

Title: “Research Outside the Library; Learning a Field.” T N Trzyna. College Composition and Communication (May 1986), 217-222. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: Students need to find resources outside the library for completing research. People experienced in the field of the research will have more timely information on the topic than will be found in published—and probably outdated—material. This article was written before e-mail became a popular method for conducting interviews, but students still must be able to find sources and organizations, prepare interview questions and incorporate the information into the research paper.

Comment: Including interviews in the research paper will also add a deterrent to plagiarism, since the student’s contacts and information can be checked with the source(s). But that’s not the main reason for including interviews in the research process. Timeliness of recent information is. The interview will also add interest to the research. RayS.