Research interview request form

An interview request form is how researchers, journalists and students approach someone for a one-on-one conversation. It needs to answer the question the recipient asks: Who is this and why do they want my time? This form collects the essentials — requester name, affiliation, purpose, topics, format preference, deadline — so the recipient can make a quick yes-or-no call without follow-up emails.

The form beside this text is live. Fill it in and submit it — it validates exactly as it would for a real respondent, and saves nothing.

Stating purpose upfront saves the recipient time

A text area asking "Why do you need this interview?" means the recipient reads one request and knows immediately if they want to do it. No follow-up emails asking "What is this for?"

Format options let the recipient choose the fit

A person might decline a phone call but accept a video call, or prefer written Q&A. Offering format choices — phone, video, in-person, email — increases acceptance.

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Research Interview Request Form

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How to build this form

7 steps in the editor. Nothing here needs a paid plan.

Add text fields for the requester's name, affiliation (university, publication, company) and title or role.
Add an email field and optional phone so the recipient can reach back.
Add a textarea asking "What is the purpose of this interview?" — research paper, journalism, dissertation, product feedback?
Add a second textarea asking "What topics do you want to cover?" so the recipient knows what ground you will cover.
Add a dropdown for format preference: phone call, video call, in-person meeting, written Q&A. The recipient might say no to one format but yes to another.
Add an optional date field for deadline or urgency — "When do you need the interview?" Deadlines help recipients say yes or no faster.
Send responses to a webhook or email. The recipient reads the request and accepts or declines outside the form — scheduling is handled separately.

Fields in this form

9 fields, using 6 of the 19 field types available.

Question	Field type	Required
Your name	Short text	Yes
Your affiliation (university, publication, company)	Short text	Yes
Your role or title	Short text	Yes
Email	Email	Yes
Phone (optional)	Phone	Optional
What is the purpose of this interview?	Long text	Yes
What topics do you want to cover?	Long text	Yes
Preferred format	Dropdown	Yes
When do you need this? (optional)	Date	Optional

What goes wrong with this form

Specific to a research interview request form, not general advice about forms.

Asking open-ended questions without context

Do not ask "Tell us about yourself." Ask specific questions: "What is the purpose?" "What topics?" "What format works?" Make each question answerable without guessing.

Not asking what format the requester prefers

Some recipients do video only, some take phone calls, some prefer email. A dropdown asking format preference increases the chance of yes; giving no choice makes recipients have to reply to counter-offer.

Including a deadline without urgency context

If you ask "When do you need this?" without explaining why, a recipient might be put off. Say "This is for a paper due X" or "I am on deadline X" — context helps them decide.

Questions about this form

Should interview requests go through a form?

Yes, if you are reaching many people. A form collects purpose, topics and format in one place so each recipient can decide quickly. If you are reaching one person you know well, an email is fine.

Can the form automatically schedule the interview?

No. The form collects the request; the recipient accepts it and you schedule separately. No calendar integration or automation happens in the form.

What should the requester put in the purpose field?

Honesty. "I am researching sleep deprivation and want to talk to someone who studies it" is good. "Can you spare 15 minutes?" is not enough. The recipient needs to know why you are asking.

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