The purpose of the Cultural Interview is for you (the student) to learn about a culture other than yours. When choosing a person to interview and selecting questions to ask the interviewee, KEEP in mind that you are trying to demonstrate you are learning something about this other culture that you do not know. Interview cannot be with a family member or someone from the same culture as you. The interview should include at least 15 questions aimed at exposing the differences between the interviewer's culture (your culture) and the interviewee's culture (their culture). A list of possible questions can be found on the Moodle page for this class, but you must also include your own questions that are not on the list provided to receive full credit (all possible points). Interviews must be typed. The cultural interviews can be conducted either in person or via the internet.

2) An introduction (you should explain why you chose to interview this specific person from this specific culture and what you expect to discover about the other person's culture)

3) Main Body (include actual responses of the interviewee: can be a list of the questions and responses or a summary of responses {if you use a summary of responses make sure I can determine you asked at least 15 questions}), and finally

4) Conclusion (describe how the culture of the person interviewed is the same or different from your culture). (Must have an APA style cover page and reference section if appropriate.)

Example Cultural Interview Questions

Please note that these are basic interview questions. You should ask follow up questions based on the response that your interviewee gives.

1. What is your name, gender, current residence?

2. What is your cultural and/or ethnic origin?

3. What is the size of your primary and secondary family?

4. What is your family structure? (Example Matriarchal, Patriarchal, etc.)

5. What is the primary language spoken in your family? Any foreign language speakers?

6. What is the primary difference between American culture and their culture?

7. What kind of food do you eat? Any ethnic foods?

8. What are your holidays and traditions?

9. What kind of government system do they have in your home country?

10. What kind of health care system do you have in your country?

11. What kind of fashions, such as clothes, etc. do people wear?

12. What kind of economic system does your country have?

13 What are the primary industries? How do people make a living?

14. What kind of housing does your country have?

15. How do people spend their leisure time? Sports? Movies, etc.?

16. What are some of your cultural customs?

17. What are some of your dating habits? Chaperoned? Unchaperoned? Age?

18 Have you noticed any differences between personal hygiene habits here as opposed to your own country?

19 What is a woman's role in society? How do you see it as compared to here?

20 How much importance is placed on education?

21 Tell us about the laws, criminal acts and punishment? Gun violence?

22 Is military service mandatory?

23 How Americanized are you?

24. Have you been discriminated against since coming to the United States?

25. Who are some of the important people within your culture?

26. Why did you come to the United States? Or, why do you live here?

27. What is the primary religion of your culture? How important is it?