How to Interview a Child Therapist for a Term Paper

Particularly in today's world, where so much research is conducted online, interviewing an expert is a great way to conduct original research for a paper from a credible source. Remember that the interview should strengthen your paper and support your thesis, not undermine it. Thus, you should have some reason to believe that this therapist will support your thesis, either from her reputation or books she has written. At this stage of your paper, you should have your thesis, a strong idea of how you will argue your thesis, and some counter-examples that this child therapist can help you negate.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape recorder
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tell the child therapist the subject of your term paper and why you would like to use her a source for this paper.

    • 2

      Ask the therapist if she minds if you tape record her. This is important, as you won't be able to catch every word she says, thus you'll want to refer to your tape when you're citing her in your paper. If she agrees, turn on the tape recorder.

    • 3

      Ask your child therapist to state her credentials. Ask where she when to college and graduate school, what she wrote her thesis about, what area of specialty she possesses in child therapy and how long she has been practicing. Take notes.

    • 4

      Ask the therapist why she chose her area of specialty. For example, if she works with kids who have attention deficit disorder, or if she works with severely abused children, or children of divorce or kids who have lost a parent, get her to explain why she chose that field. Ask her to be specific.

    • 5

      Ask her for the names of any publications that she has written that relate to the subject of your term paper or child therapy.

    • 6

      State your thesis to her and ask her whether she agrees with it. Don't paraphrase.

    • 7

      Ask her to explain why she agrees or disagrees with it and to provide clear examples and reasons from her experience. Ask any follow-up questions which might arise.

    • 8

      Provide counter-examples that disagree with your thesis. Ask the therapist for her opinions about these theories.

    • 9

      Double-check facts, especially if she said anything you didn't understand.

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