Wednesday, March 28, 2012
2nd Interview Scores
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnMcl58sgGGYdE4xS2NaQ1NBMkRzb2p2YjVJMjQ2MVE
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Interview Scores and Top 3
Scores: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnMcl58sgGGYdG1hYkNISmJrRExweWlzLUVWLWt1R3c
Top 3:
1. Nicholas Schleif (http://en191s12nicholasschleif.blogspot.com/) 20points
2. Tiffany, Smith (http://en191s12tiffanysmith.blogspot.com/) 19points
3. Yi Gu (http://en191s12yigu.blogspot.com/) 18points
Top 3:
1. Nicholas Schleif (http://en191s12nicholasschleif.blogspot.com/) 20points
2. Tiffany, Smith (http://en191s12tiffanysmith.blogspot.com/) 19points
3. Yi Gu (http://en191s12yigu.blogspot.com/) 18points
The First Interview
Original: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Og9_lEXLGMA_BmOj6jNPUPKTRJNfV7hr-lDNbFyIMR4/edit
Preparations:
First things first, I approached Xingyi and asked he would be willing to do the interview. He willingly obliged and we set up for Sunday at 1pm after spring break, due to him being gone over spring break. When Sunday rolled around, I texted him to confirm he knew to come over and do the interview, but he didn’t respond. It turned out that he was still away for spring break and only arrived home the next day. He apologized for being gone and asked if we could meet then on Monday. I had to go to work then, but I told him we could do it Monday night around 9:30 p.m. I jogged the 3 miles home from work in order to be home in time and then started to get things ready to record his interview. He called me and asked if it was okay if he brought his friend who also needed to interview. I said that was fine, completely understanding the need to get it done and I am not one to get upset over anything really. It took awhile for them to find my house, but once they did it went smoothly. I grabbed an extra chair and we discussed who would interview who. It was at that point that I switched to be interviewing Wenting and Xingyi to interviewing me. I got out my computer and opened up Garageband to record the interview. I also had the core questions up on my computer, but I knew it was necessary to improvise a little and add in questions to ease the flow, so I didn’t rely on them. We had some small talk before beginning and we all felt pretty comfortable together, so we began.
Interview Description:
Right from the start of the interview it was surprising how comfortable we were with each other in a room with strangers before that day. There is something in human nature that drives us to get to know things and people that surround us that we don’t fully know and that really made it a smooth process. As it went on, I was growing more interested in what Wenting had to say. She had some incredible ideas that I had no idea anyone thought. She spoke of Americans being passionate people compared to the Chinese. I had heard that foreigners think we are generally fat and lazy, but passionate was a very new and interesting concept to me. She thought it came from our freedom to go after our dreams. She sought that freedom and it was why she came to America: to achieve her dreams. This made me realize how many freedoms we take for granted in America. We complain about having to answer the question: “What are you going to do after high school?”, but she was willing to move across the globe just to be able to make that decision for herself. She could she that she was gaining my interest as we went on and that helped her answer more comfortably and honestly. It also surprised me that she preferred British food, especially the desserts. Being from South Africa, I have a bit of British background and it was nice that we both could appreciate their food. This was the first interview, but I feel like it was very successful and even made plans to go get Chinese food with them sometime.
Country Report:
I have previously studied China a little, so I knew a little about their history and the new shift from communism to capitalism and democracy. It is a very traditional country and also a very over-populated country. Their rulers had dynasties. They built the Great Wall to keep out the Mongolians. Many products are built in factories in China and a lot of people immigrate here from China. They are also known for their oppressive stance on controlling the Internet. I had thought they were generally religious people, but Wenting said she was not religious at all and sounded relieved to say it. My knowledge of China was not enough to give a full report though, so I dug deeper and did a good amount of research. China happens to be the fourth largest country in entire world.(CIA) It has a very diverse climate, from tropical in the south to subarctic in the north.(CIA) They only recently achieved their independence in 1949.(CIA) This hasn’t stopped them from having the world’s fastest growing economy for the past 30 years.(CUCAS) They have 5000 years of history and have led the world in philosophy, and technology for many years.(CUCAS) They also have vast diversity with 56 different ethnic groups each with their own customs and traditions.(CUCAS) So many things about this country make it desirable to visit, explore, and immerse yourself in. I definitely will travel there in the future.
References:
My Personal Knowledge
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html
http://www.cucas.edu.cn/HomePage/content/content_141.shtml
http://i3atsea.blogspot.com/2011/02/oriental-dragon-run-chinese-new-year.html
Interview Transcript:
(W=Wenting)
ME: What’s your name?
W: My name is Wenting.
ME: How long have you gone to St. Cloud State University?
W: About 8 months.
ME: Do you enjoy it here at St. Cloud?
W: Yes, the environment is beautiful and the St. Cloud State offers me a good environment for study.
ME: What could SCSU do to make your stay on campus better?
W: Just offer more parking lots and sometimes it’s hard to find a place to park my car.
ME: Yeah, me too!
ME: Well, tell me a little bit about yourself; what is something that most people don’t know about you?
W: Actually, before I came to America, I had been studying music for almost 12 years. After I came here, I started finance. So it’s totally different 2 majors.
ME: When did you stop studying music?
W: About 5 years ago.
ME: What interested you in finance?
W: I don’t know, I just liked business!
ME: So you are from China right?
W: Yes.
ME: Which country’s food do you like the most, and what are similarities and differences between it and your own culture’s food; what is your favorite food?
W: My favorite food?
ME: Yes, where is it from and how does it compare?
W: My favorite food is the British food. I have been to England and I tasted the desserts in that country. It is really good.
ME: I agree. In China, what are typical greetings and what do they mean, when people greet each other, what do they say?
W: In China, when we meet friends we just shake hands and maybe if boys meet each other they may hit each other’s shoulders.
ME: What does it mean when they hit each other’s shoulders?
W: It means hello.
ME: Is that the most common?
W: Yes.
ME: In China do you know what government runs China and how did it affect your life and in America have you noticed the differences with democracy here?
W: I think that democracy in America in charge of government works very well. In China, people have few rights to do what they want to do and we can’t say what we want to say to our government.
ME: So you like the free speech?
W: Yes, and in America we feel free to chase our goals and say what we want to say to government and I think American people have more rights.
ME: How do people get around in China mostly, like what is the most efficient way to get around?
W: Maybe walk more or by subway or bus.
ME: Not as many people drive cars?
W: I think most people just take the bus and half and half.
ME: So you started music study when you were five years old?
W: Yes.
ME: When did you start school, when you were 5 or younger?
W: About 6 years old.
ME: Does everyone start when they are 6 years old?
W: Most children start at 6.
ME: In the years going through school since you were 6, is it more stressful in China, like how was the stress level when you were working through school up until now, were you very stressed like did you work really hard to get through school or did is feel like it was pretty easy?
W: I think we are under huge stress of study because we have in, when I was in high school I went to school at about 7am and had class until 7pm that evening. Almost 12 hours. And after that we still had a lot of homework to do, so we really had little time to rest and do what we want to do, so we just study, study, study.
ME: What holidays do you get off in School? Are they the same as here or different?
W: I think it’s different. There are two breaks: spring and fall. That is a holiday in my country.
ME: Do you have any traditions that go with those breaks?
W: We, our family members gather together and we have a big dinner and the children will get a lot of gifts.
ME: Is there anything that you do daily in regards to your religious beliefs?
W: No. I am not religious.
ME: Okay. What about sports in your country which are famous and popular?
W: I think it is table tennis and badminton and like basketball.
ME: Which did you play?
W: I don’t like sports.
ME: When you go though a day as a child in your country how does a typical day go?
W: When I was a child I went to primary school. I woke up at 8 am and had breakfast and we went to primary school and we went until about 4pm in the afternoon, we get home and I start doing homework and dinner and bedtime.
ME: What was your motivation to come to America?
W: I think American people have more passion and they have more rights to do what they want to do. I just wanted to feel free to chase my dreams, so I came to America.
ME: So now you are going to school for finance?
W: Yes.
ME: What do you want to do after that?
W: Go deeper into grad school.
ME: Do you have anywhere you want to go to grad school?
W: Maybe New York.
ME: Well, it was good to talk to you.
W: Yeah it was.
ME: Bye for now.
Interview Report
Joe Reece
Preparations:
First things first, I approached Xingyi and asked he would be willing to do the interview. He willingly obliged and we set up for Sunday at 1pm after spring break, due to him being gone over spring break. When Sunday rolled around, I texted him to confirm he knew to come over and do the interview, but he didn’t respond. It turned out that he was still away for spring break and only arrived home the next day. He apologized for being gone and asked if we could meet then on Monday. I had to go to work then, but I told him we could do it Monday night around 9:30 p.m. I jogged the 3 miles home from work in order to be home in time and then started to get things ready to record his interview. He called me and asked if it was okay if he brought his friend who also needed to interview. I said that was fine, completely understanding the need to get it done and I am not one to get upset over anything really. It took awhile for them to find my house, but once they did it went smoothly. I grabbed an extra chair and we discussed who would interview who. It was at that point that I switched to be interviewing Wenting and Xingyi to interviewing me. I got out my computer and opened up Garageband to record the interview. I also had the core questions up on my computer, but I knew it was necessary to improvise a little and add in questions to ease the flow, so I didn’t rely on them. We had some small talk before beginning and we all felt pretty comfortable together, so we began.
Interview Description:
Right from the start of the interview it was surprising how comfortable we were with each other in a room with strangers before that day. There is something in human nature that drives us to get to know things and people that surround us that we don’t fully know and that really made it a smooth process. As it went on, I was growing more interested in what Wenting had to say. She had some incredible ideas that I had no idea anyone thought. She spoke of Americans being passionate people compared to the Chinese. I had heard that foreigners think we are generally fat and lazy, but passionate was a very new and interesting concept to me. She thought it came from our freedom to go after our dreams. She sought that freedom and it was why she came to America: to achieve her dreams. This made me realize how many freedoms we take for granted in America. We complain about having to answer the question: “What are you going to do after high school?”, but she was willing to move across the globe just to be able to make that decision for herself. She could she that she was gaining my interest as we went on and that helped her answer more comfortably and honestly. It also surprised me that she preferred British food, especially the desserts. Being from South Africa, I have a bit of British background and it was nice that we both could appreciate their food. This was the first interview, but I feel like it was very successful and even made plans to go get Chinese food with them sometime.
Country Report:
I have previously studied China a little, so I knew a little about their history and the new shift from communism to capitalism and democracy. It is a very traditional country and also a very over-populated country. Their rulers had dynasties. They built the Great Wall to keep out the Mongolians. Many products are built in factories in China and a lot of people immigrate here from China. They are also known for their oppressive stance on controlling the Internet. I had thought they were generally religious people, but Wenting said she was not religious at all and sounded relieved to say it. My knowledge of China was not enough to give a full report though, so I dug deeper and did a good amount of research. China happens to be the fourth largest country in entire world.(CIA) It has a very diverse climate, from tropical in the south to subarctic in the north.(CIA) They only recently achieved their independence in 1949.(CIA) This hasn’t stopped them from having the world’s fastest growing economy for the past 30 years.(CUCAS) They have 5000 years of history and have led the world in philosophy, and technology for many years.(CUCAS) They also have vast diversity with 56 different ethnic groups each with their own customs and traditions.(CUCAS) So many things about this country make it desirable to visit, explore, and immerse yourself in. I definitely will travel there in the future.
References:
My Personal Knowledge
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html
http://www.cucas.edu.cn/HomePage/content/content_141.shtml
http://i3atsea.blogspot.com/2011/02/oriental-dragon-run-chinese-new-year.html
Interview Transcript:
(W=Wenting)
ME: What’s your name?
W: My name is Wenting.
ME: How long have you gone to St. Cloud State University?
W: About 8 months.
ME: Do you enjoy it here at St. Cloud?
W: Yes, the environment is beautiful and the St. Cloud State offers me a good environment for study.
ME: What could SCSU do to make your stay on campus better?
W: Just offer more parking lots and sometimes it’s hard to find a place to park my car.
ME: Yeah, me too!
ME: Well, tell me a little bit about yourself; what is something that most people don’t know about you?
W: Actually, before I came to America, I had been studying music for almost 12 years. After I came here, I started finance. So it’s totally different 2 majors.
ME: When did you stop studying music?
W: About 5 years ago.
ME: What interested you in finance?
W: I don’t know, I just liked business!
ME: So you are from China right?
W: Yes.
ME: Which country’s food do you like the most, and what are similarities and differences between it and your own culture’s food; what is your favorite food?
W: My favorite food?
ME: Yes, where is it from and how does it compare?
W: My favorite food is the British food. I have been to England and I tasted the desserts in that country. It is really good.
ME: I agree. In China, what are typical greetings and what do they mean, when people greet each other, what do they say?
W: In China, when we meet friends we just shake hands and maybe if boys meet each other they may hit each other’s shoulders.
ME: What does it mean when they hit each other’s shoulders?
W: It means hello.
ME: Is that the most common?
W: Yes.
ME: In China do you know what government runs China and how did it affect your life and in America have you noticed the differences with democracy here?
W: I think that democracy in America in charge of government works very well. In China, people have few rights to do what they want to do and we can’t say what we want to say to our government.
ME: So you like the free speech?
W: Yes, and in America we feel free to chase our goals and say what we want to say to government and I think American people have more rights.
ME: How do people get around in China mostly, like what is the most efficient way to get around?
W: Maybe walk more or by subway or bus.
ME: Not as many people drive cars?
W: I think most people just take the bus and half and half.
ME: So you started music study when you were five years old?
W: Yes.
ME: When did you start school, when you were 5 or younger?
W: About 6 years old.
ME: Does everyone start when they are 6 years old?
W: Most children start at 6.
ME: In the years going through school since you were 6, is it more stressful in China, like how was the stress level when you were working through school up until now, were you very stressed like did you work really hard to get through school or did is feel like it was pretty easy?
W: I think we are under huge stress of study because we have in, when I was in high school I went to school at about 7am and had class until 7pm that evening. Almost 12 hours. And after that we still had a lot of homework to do, so we really had little time to rest and do what we want to do, so we just study, study, study.
ME: What holidays do you get off in School? Are they the same as here or different?
W: I think it’s different. There are two breaks: spring and fall. That is a holiday in my country.
ME: Do you have any traditions that go with those breaks?
W: We, our family members gather together and we have a big dinner and the children will get a lot of gifts.
ME: Is there anything that you do daily in regards to your religious beliefs?
W: No. I am not religious.
ME: Okay. What about sports in your country which are famous and popular?
W: I think it is table tennis and badminton and like basketball.
ME: Which did you play?
W: I don’t like sports.
ME: When you go though a day as a child in your country how does a typical day go?
W: When I was a child I went to primary school. I woke up at 8 am and had breakfast and we went to primary school and we went until about 4pm in the afternoon, we get home and I start doing homework and dinner and bedtime.
ME: What was your motivation to come to America?
W: I think American people have more passion and they have more rights to do what they want to do. I just wanted to feel free to chase my dreams, so I came to America.
ME: So now you are going to school for finance?
W: Yes.
ME: What do you want to do after that?
W: Go deeper into grad school.
ME: Do you have anywhere you want to go to grad school?
W: Maybe New York.
ME: Well, it was good to talk to you.
W: Yeah it was.
ME: Bye for now.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Interview Objective and Steps
Objective:
When I am interviewing, there are a
things that I need to accomplish. First, I am trying to establish a connection
with the person being interviewed. This will make the transfer of information
much more natural and, if they trust you, more truthful. I want to achieve an
in depth understanding of what makes that person who they are today. An
accurate recording of this information will help me to transcribe it more
accurately. In a sense, I am trying to put myself in his or her shoes in an
effort to make it easier to get across who this person is. All while I am
extracting this information from the interviewee, I need to make sure they are
comfortable and feel welcome. To do this, I need to make sure to ask questions
in a friendly manner and not be too persistent. I want to uncover a secret or
two that he or she would not normally talk about when meeting someone for the
first time. The whole purpose is to have a better understanding of the person
and where they are from.
Steps:
11.
Approach someone to be interviewed.
22 .
Introduce the idea of them being interviewed
lightly.
33.
Agree to a date and time to conduct the
interview.
44.
Discuss the list of questions and make changes
as necessary.
55.
Familiarize myself with the questions.
66.
Add filler questions wherever necessary.
77.
Prepare the necessary recording equipment to
conduct the interview.
88.
Do research on the country that the interviewee
is from.
99.
Compile the research done into a country report.
110.
Conduct the interview.
111.
Take note of things that surprised you.
112.
Go over the recording to make sure it is
understandable and quality.
113.
Graciously say goodbye.
114.
Get onto the computer.
115.
Transcribe the interview.
116.
Discuss the final product with the interviewee
to make sure they are satisfied with how they are portrayed.
117.
Organize the information.
118.
Revise your transcription and country report for
mistakes.
119.
Finalize the entire work.
220.
Post it to the blog.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Prioritzed Core Interview Questions
1.Can you describe a typical day for a child
in your country?
2. What are the typical greetings in your
culture and what do they mean?
3. At what age do you start school? Are
you under a lot of stress in school?
4. What different modes of transportation are
used in your country?
5. What religious holidays or other cultural
events do you or others celebrate; can you explain your traditions for
each?
6 Do you have any daily rituals in regards to
your religious beliefs?
7. Could you tell me a secret about yourself
that very few people here know about and that shows us well, who you are and
what you stand for?
8. What could SCSU do to make your stay on
campus better?
9. Which country`s food do you like the most?
What are the similarities and differences between it and your own culture`s
food?
10. What kind of government is in charge of your
home country, how did it affect your life and how has democracy in America been
a change?
11. How would you describe famous sports
in your country?
Library Research Assistance- group #4; topic: Ref Works
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3Mcl58sgGGYMTMwZTc3OTAtYzRiMy00MjNhLTk0ZWYtMGIyZmQxMWE0YzMy
Interview Questions Answered
1. What
could SCSU do to make your stay on campus better?
There are a few things that SCSU could do to
improve things on campus. First, the notification system for classes being
cancelled for whatever reason is atrocious. Additionally, parking is a
nightmare and has a lot of room for improvement. The amount for a parking
ticket is too high. They should make permits more affordable as well. With a
few of those things taken care of, I can’t say I would have much left to
complain about. They facilitate learning well overall.
2. Could
you tell me a secret about yourself that very few people here know about and
that shows us well, who you are and what you stand for?
I could tell you many secrets. That does not mean that it would
benefit you to know them. It doesn’t even mean you would know more about who I
am or what I stand for. Those are not secrets to me. I divulge information
willingly for the most part. I enjoy getting to know someone and understanding
how he or she ticks. Therefore, I feel obligated to allow them the same
opportunity. This usually gets me into trouble; not a good trait.
3. Which
country`s food do you like the most? What are the similarities and differences
between it and your own culture`s food?
When I think about what kind of food I like the most, it
takes me awhile to put a finger on it. I am not prejudicial based upon the
foods origins. The only thing that really matters is how it tastes to you. I
enjoy a great steak, but I also love shrimp. The best food caters to the
occasion and the mood at the time that you are eating it. In some cases my
favorite foods would make me want to puke, but that doesn’t stop me from eating
the right food for the right occasion.
4. What are
the typical greetings in your culture and what do they mean?
Typically, I just say “Hey!” “Hello” or “ello”.
“Hey” can mean: what do you think you are doing? It can also mean: you over
there, come here and talk to me. Lastly, it is most commonly meant to just
greet kindly and innocently. “Hello” would mean I am simply trying to greet you
neutrally: with no mood attached to my greeting. This is a pretty common
greeting here in America. “Ello” is a friendly and almost silly greeting that
is playfully mocking the way that British people have an accent.
5. What
kind of government is in charge of your home country, how did it affect your
life and how has democracy in America been a change?
The type of government that was in charge in my home country
was a presidential representative democratic republic. I left the country when
I was 3 years old. That form of government may have had a little affect on my
life. The way I was treated as a baby may have been different from here in some
ways. For instance, I was born on a queen bed, at home, with a mosquito net
over it in order to keep me from contracting malaria. In many ways Democracy
has not been a change for me due to growing up in America.
6. What
different modes of transportation are used in your country?
Most people tend to drive around when they need to go places. Some smaller towns you may see people walking from place to place. Occasionally, there are bicycles used as transportation when you need to arrive faster than walking. My personal favorite method of transportation is on a motorcycle. This is the fastest and, I think, safest method of transport. It is also much more efficient than driving a car! Planes are also used when needing to travel great distances. If I need to go to California I am more likely to fly, because it is cheaper than driving.
7. At
what age do you start school? Are you under a lot of stress in school?
When I was three, I attended pre-school. Not everyone goes to pre-school though. It is also possible to start kindergarten when you are five. School can get more stressful over time. It is all about how you let it affect you as well as what you dwell on. The level of homework was higher in High School than in college. The significance of your homework is higher in college. I think it can be stressful at times to think how you do on some test could affect your future. Having a job while in school also has compounded that stress level.
8. What
religious holidays or other cultural events do you or others celebrate; can you
explain your traditions for each?
I am not very
religious to begin with. That does not stop me from celebrating holidays
though. I celebrate Christmas. We exchange presents and have a family dinner. I
also celebrate Thanksgiving and have a large meal with many courses. New Year’s
is a great holiday. We have parties and confetti! Then, we usually have a resolution
for the new year.
9. Do you
have any daily rituals in regards to your religious beliefs?
I don’t have any
rituals per say. I am not religious. My family is somewhat religious. They pray
before meals sometimes. They also go to church on Sundays. I, personally, do
not participate. I find it a bit naïve.
10. How
would you describe famous sports in your country?
Football is the most
watched sport in America. The superbowl is a fantastic game to watch in
America. Soccer is also pretty popular. Soccer tends to be more popular
internationally. Baseball is supposedly a very American sport. I am not really
a fan of it. It can be really boring to watch. I prefer cricket which is more
common in South Africa.
11. Can you describe a typical day for a child in
your country?
I am not sure about a typical day for other children, but I
can describe a typical day for me. Start of the day with a shower. Next, I
usually check my phone and see who replied or didn’t. Then if I have class I
will go to it. After class, I will either make breakfast or if I am really
tired, sleep more. Then maybe I will watch a movie on my computer and relax.
After that, make some lunch. Most days, I work a 5-8 hour shift. Lastly, I will
come home, finish homework if necessary, and then get some well-needed rest.
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