Interviewing Subject Matter Experts
Interviewing a subject matter expert (SME) may not be something that you have thought about. This is a skill that is often times used in journalism, but it can also be used to make a paper a bit more unique. When a student is younger, they may often think of interviews as something other people who were more established in their studies pursue. As a student gets older, they may realize that anyone can interview any consenting person.
A subject matter expert is someone who knows a great deal about their particular field. If you are writing a paper on physics, for example, you may want to interview a physicist. If you are writing a paper on a specific historical figure, you may want to interview a historian who specializes in that person.
When you decide to interview a subject matter expert, you need to make sure that the person is credible. A credible resource is someone who is an actual expert – do not interview your friend because they did a report on physics a couple of years ago. The person you interview should be well known in their field as someone who understands what they are doing. The person might have published articles on the subject you are researching, or they may have written books.
There are quite a few ways to find subject area experts. According to Marcia Rieffer Johnston, one excellent way to find subject matter experts is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is an excellent networking site where you can see resumes for potential subject matter experts. Elizabeth Elstien adds that you can use search engines – simply type in [area you are researching] experts and you may find someone to contact.
Once a subject area expert has agreed to speak with you, you need to make sure that you ask the right questions. If the person you are interviewing has written articles, given other interviews, or written books, you should read what they said there first. You should not ask an expert something they have already answered somewhere else. You can ask for clarification, or to go deeper into a point they made somewhere else. You should have a list of questions, but be prepared and flexible when an expert goes on what seems like a tangent – what they say may make your paper more interesting. You should also ask permission to record the SME – you will need to record the interview somehow. Do not simply write down what the SME is saying; you will forget something.
Always thank a SME for their time, and show them the finished paper if possible.
Sources:
These sources are in MLA Format.
Daley, Christopher B., and Leighton Walter Kille. “Interviewing a Source: Tips.” Journalist’s Resource, 1 June 2016, https://journalistsresource.org/tip-sheets/reporting/interviewing-a-source/.
Elstien, Elizabeth. “How to Find Great Subject-Matter Experts for Your Articles.” FreelanceWriting, 21 July 2016, https://www.freelancewriting.com/feature-articles/subject-matter-experts/.
Foster, Rachel. “How to Interview Subject Matter Experts for Your White Papers and Other B2B Marketing Content.” Copywriter Toronto - B2B Technology and Software Copywriter, 10 July 2013, http://copywritertoronto.com/how-to-interview-subject-matter-experts-for-your-white-papers/.
Johnston, Marcia Riefer. “Subject Matter Experts: Getting Better Content From Them.” Content Marketing Institute, 13 Oct. 2016, https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/10/better-content-subject-matter-experts/.
Marling, Megan. “The Do’s & Don’ts Of Subject Matter Expert Interviews.” Nectafy, 6 Oct. 2015, https://www.nectafy.com/blog/subject-matter-expert-interviews.
Interviewing a subject matter expert (SME) may not be something that you have thought about. This is a skill that is often times used in journalism, but it can also be used to make a paper a bit more unique. When a student is younger, they may often think of interviews as something other people who were more established in their studies pursue. As a student gets older, they may realize that anyone can interview any consenting person.
A subject matter expert is someone who knows a great deal about their particular field. If you are writing a paper on physics, for example, you may want to interview a physicist. If you are writing a paper on a specific historical figure, you may want to interview a historian who specializes in that person.
When you decide to interview a subject matter expert, you need to make sure that the person is credible. A credible resource is someone who is an actual expert – do not interview your friend because they did a report on physics a couple of years ago. The person you interview should be well known in their field as someone who understands what they are doing. The person might have published articles on the subject you are researching, or they may have written books.
There are quite a few ways to find subject area experts. According to Marcia Rieffer Johnston, one excellent way to find subject matter experts is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is an excellent networking site where you can see resumes for potential subject matter experts. Elizabeth Elstien adds that you can use search engines – simply type in [area you are researching] experts and you may find someone to contact.
Once a subject area expert has agreed to speak with you, you need to make sure that you ask the right questions. If the person you are interviewing has written articles, given other interviews, or written books, you should read what they said there first. You should not ask an expert something they have already answered somewhere else. You can ask for clarification, or to go deeper into a point they made somewhere else. You should have a list of questions, but be prepared and flexible when an expert goes on what seems like a tangent – what they say may make your paper more interesting. You should also ask permission to record the SME – you will need to record the interview somehow. Do not simply write down what the SME is saying; you will forget something.
Always thank a SME for their time, and show them the finished paper if possible.
Sources:
These sources are in MLA Format.
Daley, Christopher B., and Leighton Walter Kille. “Interviewing a Source: Tips.” Journalist’s Resource, 1 June 2016, https://journalistsresource.org/tip-sheets/reporting/interviewing-a-source/.
Elstien, Elizabeth. “How to Find Great Subject-Matter Experts for Your Articles.” FreelanceWriting, 21 July 2016, https://www.freelancewriting.com/feature-articles/subject-matter-experts/.
Foster, Rachel. “How to Interview Subject Matter Experts for Your White Papers and Other B2B Marketing Content.” Copywriter Toronto - B2B Technology and Software Copywriter, 10 July 2013, http://copywritertoronto.com/how-to-interview-subject-matter-experts-for-your-white-papers/.
Johnston, Marcia Riefer. “Subject Matter Experts: Getting Better Content From Them.” Content Marketing Institute, 13 Oct. 2016, https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/10/better-content-subject-matter-experts/.
Marling, Megan. “The Do’s & Don’ts Of Subject Matter Expert Interviews.” Nectafy, 6 Oct. 2015, https://www.nectafy.com/blog/subject-matter-expert-interviews.
