tailieunhanh - Mastering the craft of science writing part 8

Tham khảo tài liệu 'mastering the craft of science writing part 8', ngoại ngữ, kỹ năng viết tiếng anh phục vụ nhu cầu học tập, nghiên cứu và làm việc hiệu quả | Ideas into Words without the visual details with which we human beings orient ourselves E-mail can work well for follow-up or if all you need is a brief expert reaction to someone else s research but the e-mail interview tends to devolve into mere information dry little packets of fact. I find that a piece written that way acquires the hollow depersonalized sound of an encyclopedia entry and I would abandon a story idea rather than depend on e-mail interviews. Telephone interviews may be a feasible alternative. Personality transmits on the phone and you and the scientist can develop significant rapport and a coherent line of thought. Interview in the morning on the other person s turf and never in a restaurant. Timing is no deal-breaker but if you can avoid the midafternoon droop make your appointment for the morning. You ll get a better interview when both of you are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as my mother used to say and when the day s distracting little crises have not yet arisen. Never interview in a restaurant. Silverware clicking on plates and the conversation at the other tables will obliterate every sound on the tape nor are you well situated to take notes. Distractions abound. At the person s lab or office by contrast things are quiet the scientist feels comfortable and serendipity can happen. If the subject widens you and the scientist can scamper down the hall to look in the lab or talk to someone else. If there s a reprint or photograph the person wants to give you you re in the right place. What you go home with that day you can be sure you have. Because you two can see each other s faces you will avoid many small misunderstandings and both of you are more likely to venture a joke or a wild idea that suddenly comes to mind. The conversation can flow in a natural easy way so that the resulting piece will have a certain indefinable flavor. Even when you interview someone several times the best quotes often come from the first session. For that reason .