1. Introduce yourself with you first name,
your teacher’s name, your school, and a little information
about your class project.
“I’m ..., I’m in Mrs.
Jones’
ninth grade biology class at East Chapel Hill High School.
We’re doing a unit on pests and pest control. My
group is studying (schools, parks, restaurants, etc.)....”
2. Tell the person what they can help you
learn.
“We’re researching what kinds of pests
you see in ... (schools, parks, etc.) and how you deal
with them so we can understand the biology of pests
and pest control better. It would help us a lot if
you could tell us about your experiences.”
If they agree to talk with you, ask "do you have
a few minutes now to talk, or would it be best to make
an appointment to talk another time?"
If no, be sure to thank the person anyway.
3. Ask questions and take notes about the
answers. Ask them to repeat anything you don’t get
down. Ask follow up questions if something isn’t
clear.
What are the most common pests you see in different
seasons?
What do you do to prevent pest problems from developing?
What do you do when there’s a problem with a
certain pest?
What pesticides do you use? How are they applied?
Have you ever heard of Integrated Pest Management?
Do you use it?
Do you have a standard set of policies or procedures
about pest problems that you follow?
Who makes decisions about your pest control?
What role can students and others play in preventing
pests?
If you’re calling an agency that does
inspections (Health Department, Department of Environment & Natural
Resources) ask these questions instead:
What rules do you have about pests and pest control?
How were these rules decided on?
How do you make sure that people are following the
rules?
