Example of Interview Protocol
Interview Protocol: 1. How would you define biology? 2. How would you define life? 3. Give 5 examples of life and explain why they exhibit life. 4. What is the smallest unit of life? 5. Is soil alive? Why or why not? 6. Is air alive? Why or why not? 7. What body part makes us most alive? Why?
Interview #1 Interviewer (LH): How would you define biology? Interviewee (BM): Um..as a part of life LH: Okay, how would you define life? BM: Uh..everything around you…from the sky to the grass LH: Can you give 5 examples of life and explain why they exhibit life. BM: Plants, because you need them to breathe oxygen, yourself, because you are you, animals, because they are part of the food chain (she flashed a thumbs up here because she was proud she recalled this information), the sun, because you need it to grow and not be moody, and water, water because everything needs water. LH: Nice..what is the smallest unit of life? BM: Um…um..um…I know this… LH: I know you do… (Another minute passed and never recalled despite looking around the room and looking directly at the cell poster) LH: Is soil alive? Why or why not? BM: Yes, because you can make it grow. LH: Is air alive? Why or why not? BM: Um…(about 30 second delay)…I am going to say no… LH: Why not? BM: (she shrugs) LH: Okay, go back to how you defined life. How do you define life? What makes something alive to you? BM: It grows and survives. LH: Okay, so is air alive? BM: No, because it doesn’t grow. LH: One of your examples of life was the human body. What part of the human body makes you most alive and why? BM: Your heart because it makes everything move. Because you can live without a brain, can’t you? You can be brain dead. LH: But once your heart gives out then you are dead? BM: Yes, because you still can live… LH: Without a brain but not without a heart? BM: You can live more without
Interview #1 Interviewer (LH): How would you define biology? Interviewee (BM): Um..as a part of life LH: Okay, how would you define life? BM: Uh..everything around you…from the sky to the grass LH: Can you give 5 examples of life and explain why they exhibit life. BM: Plants, because you need them to breathe oxygen, yourself, because you are you, animals, because they are part of the food chain (she flashed a thumbs up here because she was proud she recalled this information), the sun, because you need it to grow and not be moody, and water, water because everything needs water. LH: Nice..what is the smallest unit of life? BM: Um…um..um…I know this… LH: I know you do… (Another minute passed and never recalled despite looking around the room and looking directly at the cell poster) LH: Is soil alive? Why or why not? BM: Yes, because you can make it grow. LH: Is air alive? Why or why not? BM: Um…(about 30 second delay)…I am going to say no… LH: Why not? BM: (she shrugs) LH: Okay, go back to how you defined life. How do you define life? What makes something alive to you? BM: It grows and survives. LH: Okay, so is air alive? BM: No, because it doesn’t grow. LH: One of your examples of life was the human body. What part of the human body makes you most alive and why? BM: Your heart because it makes everything move. Because you can live without a brain, can’t you? You can be brain dead. LH: But once your heart gives out then you are dead? BM: Yes, because you still can live… LH: Without a brain but not without a heart? BM: You can live more without