The novice interviewer will find such a project challenging and frightening, but also bearing the potential of considerable rewards. Many students ignore interviewing as a research tool because the logistics problems appear, at first glance, to be immense. Furthermore, the popular concept of an interview implies that the interviewee must be a celebrity. In fact, while interviewing very prominent persons may indeed be fruitful, it is an axiom that the best subjects are often relatively obscure. Depending upon the topic under investigation, a historian may wish to interview persons from various walks of life. The best subject for your interview might be a former goverment official, but it could also be your next-door neighbor. The prudent historian explores all possible sources of information.
