Step 4: Order questions logically, signaling each topic area and asking the highest priority questions first. Opinion questions generally should follow information questions. For the interview as a whole, build up to more complex topic areas and end with a simpler topic area.

There are two general considerations for shaping the order of interview questions.

A) Group questions logically by topic area and signal these areas to the respondent; within each topic area, begin with the most important information questions, saving more sensitive or opinion questions for last. Respondents will give more meaningful answers if they understand the topic areas of the interview, reflecting on one area at a time. Thus, if you want to interview teachers about their curriculum and students, avoid mixing up questions on the two topics. Group all questions about curriculum together as one set and all questions about students as another set. If you want to interview administrators about the chronology of a program, you should order questions in keeping with the chronology.

 Within each group of topic questions, first ask the questions seeking the most important information or detail. Doing so will minimize the effects of respondent fatigue. If you want to include questions tapping opinions and attitudes, put these at the end of the set. Also, questions that might be sensitive in nature should go toward the end of a set. Avoid asking too many general open-ended questions in a set, or you are likely to get repetitious, increasingly unenthusiastic responses.

 One way to make certain the respondent understands the different topic areas of an interview is to signal the transition to each new topic area. Writing these transitions down is part of creating the script described in the following step.

B) For the interview as a whole, begin with a topic area that is central and straightforward, followed by topic areas that are more complex; end with a simpler topic area and invite additional comments. The overall pattern of questions within an interview is important, particularly from the standpoints of motivation and rapport. You want to begin with relatively simple questions that are central to the interview's overall purpose and that pique the respondent's interest. Beginning with questions that are worthwhile and easy to answer increases the attentiveness and comfort of the respondent. More complex topic areas should follow these introductory questions and extend through the middle of the interview. If you need to cover several topic areas, focus on the most important ones first. Thus, in an interview for a program evaluation, questions about program impact would precede questions about fiscal activities. The interview should wind down with easier topic areas in case the respondent begins to feel fatigued. If you have background or demographic questions, they fit well at this point (i.e., they are simple but not interesting enough to go at the beginning).

Finally, it is desirable to end each interview with a general question inviting the respondent to talk about anything else he or she considers important (e.g., "I've finished with my questions now. Before we end, is there anything else you think it would be useful to know?"). This question allows the respondent to bring up issues not covered that are potentially important. Even if the respondent has little to add, it validates the importance of his or her views.