How should interview notes be structured to facilitate readability and later review?

• A. Notes should be kept private with no timestamps.
• B. Use consistent templates, capture direct quotes, summarize without interpretation, and timestamp entries.
• C. Write long narratives with personal opinions.
• D. Avoid recording direct quotes.

Answer: (B)

Structured interview notes focus on clarity, objectivity, and traceability. Using a consistent template provides uniform sections for questions, responses, and any observed cues, which makes it easy to scan and compare across multiple interviews. Capturing direct quotes preserves the exact language used, ensuring accuracy and giving you verbatim material to reference in reports or later review. Summarizing content without interpretation helps keep the notes objective, so analysts can rely on the stated statements rather than on the note-taker’s judgments. Timestamping each entry creates a clear sequence and lets reviewers locate specific moments, verify what was said at particular times, and align notes with any audio or video recordings.

Notes that are private with no timestamps or that rely on long personal narratives hinder readability and verifiability, while avoiding direct quotes weakens the ability to accurately reflect what was said.