Follow Up Interview Questions

Howell and Nolet (2000) offer the following as a set of interview questions for use in cases where you follow up (p. 501):

  1. When you do schoolwork in (name, subject of class) do you like to know exactly what is expected of you, or would you rather the expectations were open or vague?

    2. Follow-up question: Why?
    Does your (name, subject of class) teacher usually supply vague expectations or clear expectations?

  2. Who is mainly responsible for your meeting goals in (name, subject of class), you or your teacher?

    3. Follow-up: Why?
    What does your (name, subject of class) teacher say to let you know whether s/he is mainly responsible for your learning or whether you are responsible?

  3. Do you feel most successful in (name, subject of class) when you think you’ve learned a lot or when you get a high grade?

    4. Follow-up: Why?
    What does your (name, subject of class) teacher do to let you know whether s/he thinks high grades or learning is most important?
    If something seems uninteresting to you, do you study it anyhow, try to get interested in it, or avoid studying it?

  4. In (name, subject of class), when you run into something that seems hard to do, do you usually stop working or try working harder?

    5. Follow-up: Why?
    When you run into something that seems hard, what does your (name, subject of class) teacher do?

  5.  Do you feel as if you are a part of this school and that you belong here?

    6. Follow-up: Why?
    What does your (name, subject of class) teacher do that might help make you feel you don’t belong, or that you do belong?