Is it OK to conduct an interview via e-mail?

Question: Is it OK to conduct an interview via e-mail?

Answer: There are a few instances where e-mail is the best course. These include:

• The source has specifically requested e-mail communication. Some may do this because they want to have a copy of their quotes in print, thus having recourse if they're misquoted or taken out of context.

• The source has some sort of impairment or language barrier that makes e-mail a more comfortable source of communication.

• There is a great distance or time zone separating you and the source, or international calling rates that make the interview troublesome. E-mail is the best thing that could have happened for all journalists to establish and maintain international sources.

• You just need a couple of quotes from the source for your story, and know they respond quicker by e-mail.

Less-experienced journalists or poor note-takers may be tempted to lean on e-mail as a substitute for live or phone interviews. But this can be a bad habit to develop for a few key reasons:

• By interviewing via e-mail, you're not able to bounce off your source's answers and shift the focus of the interview as needed.

• Many sources will give much more candid answers when spoken to.

• Some sources are turned off by a long list of e-questions -- particularly when they've got a busy schedule -- and are likely to give shorter answers just to get it done.

• You run the risk of getting scripted P.R. answers pasted into your e-mail -- answers that may not have even been written by your source.

However, you may still not feel comfortable going the all-note, phone-interview route. In this case, you should try first sending an e-mail with your questions. Let the source send back responses, then follow up with a phone call to fill in the blanks. Ask the source to expand on certain points, ask him to clarify this or that, throw in an additional question or two as they naturally arise in the conversation. That way, you're not overwhelmed with note-taking and have already begun to narrow your interview focus. If the source starts rambling and you fall behind, don't be afraid to ask him to pause or slow down. And don't be afraid to repeat key quotes back to him, explaining that you just want to get it right.

Not only will your interviewing and note-taking skills improve, but you'll be able to use e-mail in a constructive way as you gather great quotes and information.

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