Editorial Note
A practical guide for researchers and journalists planning their first interview with a public figure or subject-matter expert.
Published 14 March 2025 · 8 min read
Whether you are working on a biographical profile, a cultural impact piece, or a fact-check for a broader editorial project, the first consultation sets the tone for everything that follows. A well-prepared session saves time, builds trust, and often surfaces details that would never appear in a written source.
This article outlines what to gather before you sit down with a source, how to structure your questions, and what to leave out of the room entirely. The goal is not a rigid script but a clear frame that lets the conversation breathe.
Start with the documented timeline: birth date, education, early career, notable works, public statements, and any controversies. Read the major profiles already published, but do not stop there. Look for local coverage, archival interviews, and academic references that add texture to the official biography.
Make a short list of gaps — dates that do not line up, roles that are mentioned but never explained, or projects that are consistently described in vague terms. These gaps are your best material for the consultation.
Before you ask a single question, decide what this consultation is for. Are you verifying facts for a reference entry? Gathering colour for a longer profile? Testing a hypothesis about the person's cultural influence? Each purpose changes the shape of your questions.
Write a one-paragraph brief that states the working title, the angle, and the specific information you need. Share it with the source or their team in advance. This reduces back-and-forth and signals that you respect their time.
Avoid compound questions that bundle three separate topics into one sentence. Break them down so the source can respond clearly and you can follow up without losing the thread.
Carry a printed copy of your brief, the timeline you have built, and a list of open questions. A notebook and a reliable recorder are essential. If you plan to quote the source directly, confirm recording consent at the start and note it in your file.
Leave assumptions at the door. If you have read a claim in three secondary sources, do not present it as fact in the room. Use the consultation to test it: "Several accounts mention X — can you clarify how that came about?"
Agree on a timeline for fact-checking and a point of contact for clarifications. Ask whether the source prefers to review direct quotes before publication. This is standard practice in editorial work and prevents misunderstandings later.
After the session, write up your notes within 24 hours while the details are still fresh. Flag anything that contradicts the public record and decide whether it needs verification or a second source.
For more on how we approach sourcing and verification across our profiles, see our editorial services or contact the team with a specific question.
About the author
Senior Editorial Researcher, Figures Publiques
Thandi Mokoena leads the editorial research desk at Figures Publiques, where she has spent the past nine years building and verifying biographical records for public figures across South Africa and the wider continent. Her work focuses on separating documented milestones from anecdotal claims, particularly in cases where public memory and archival evidence diverge.
Before joining the publication, Thandi worked as a research associate at the Historical Papers Research Archive in Johannesburg, where she catalogued oral histories and personal papers of anti-apartheid activists. That experience shaped her approach to biography: every profile must trace its claims to a primary source, a dated record, or a named witness.
Her published work includes profile series on South African cultural figures, a verification guide for journalists covering political transitions, and a long-running column on media literacy that examines how public reputations are constructed and contested. She has also contributed fact-checking notes to several university media studies curricula.
Thandi holds a Master's degree in Historical Studies from the University of Cape Town. Her current research interest is the documentation of civic leadership in small South African towns, a project that has so far produced twelve verified profiles and an open-source timeline of local governance milestones.
Readers who spot an error or wish to suggest a source for a profile under review can reach the editorial desk directly. Figures Publiques maintains a correction log for every published article, and all substantive updates are noted at the foot of the relevant page.