Primary research– also known as field research– is evidence that you gather yourself. You create the questions, decide who to talk to and where to investigate.

For this assignment you will be conducting primary research in the form of an interview. You will need time to create the questions, and afterward to transcribe the responses… so start thinking now about who you will interview.

First, your interview questions must be something that relates to identity. It can be about race, ability / disability, gender, sexual orientation or any number of issues surrounding identity.

Next, decide whom to interview

For example:

Writing about issues of gender in education? Find a professor in the Sociology Department to talk to.

Writing about the ways we treat men and women in the medical profession. Find professors or students in the nursing department.

Writing about leadership? Ask someone who holds an elected position in office if they'll talk to you.

Then, conduct the interview.

Before the interview, make sure to explain thoroughly but briefly what you will be using this information for.

After the interview, make sure to thank the interviewee for their time.

Once that's completed, you will need to organize the information. Here's how to structure this assignment:

1. Heading in top left.

2. An opening paragraph that identifies whom you chose to interview and why.

3. A list of your interview questions.

4. Any notes you took during the interview.

5. An analysis that explains ideas from the interview, any lines of inquiry your investigation opened up, and how you imagine this interview will fit into your final essay.

Finally, transcribe the interview.

This takes a significant amount of time. Your transcription must be accurate word-for-word, and it must be the first section of the appendix of your final essay. You will also include the transcript as the Appendix for this assignment.