Summary

The essay "Elicitation" discusses the interview process. McPhee prefers to "watch people do what they do than talk to them across a desk" (91). He interviews his subjects while embarking on their daily tasks and escapades alongside them. McPhee writes about some of his interviewees who are so forthcoming that it is difficult to keep up. He cautions against relying on memory and using a combination of voice recorder and paper note taking. McPhee also advises readers not to rely solely on a voice recorder as it can affect how the interviewee speaks as well as how the interviewer listens. John also shares some note taking techniques that can encourage an interviewee to open up and to keep the interview moving forward. He compares the ease of interviewing a forthcoming subject like Woody Allen to the difficulty of interviewing a suspicious and reluctant subject like...