While the idea of asking students to conduct interviews
might seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be if your school takes the time to
develop a community of experts.

Everyone is an expert in something. By surveying parents at the
beginning of the year, the school can build a database that includes what
parents and staff members are passionate about and whether they’re willing to
answer questions from a child doing a report. You can also identify community
workers who are willing to assist students.

By interviewing the experts right in their own backyards, children
will gain a stronger understanding of how professional writers go about their
work. And because students develop their own questions and record the answers, the
information they collect will be imaginative and original. When students do
this kind of research, there’s no chance of plagiarism.