Prepare for the interview

W h e n e v er possible, particularly on a feature assignment, lookup your  subject’s  background.  From  news  clippings  or from reference works like Who’s Who, try to determine beforehand any views the individual may have on the topic  of  your  interview.  Ignorance  of  an  important person’s  biography  and  work  may  seem  insulting  to  the individual  concerned,  and  you  may  lose  the  person’s cooperation. However, you should never try to impress the interviewee with your knowledge of the individual’s own subject.