interviewed

Interviewed is the past tense and past participle of the verb interview. To interview someone is to ask them questions in order to obtain information, impressions, or testimony. Interviews are used in journalism, academic research, and employment contexts to gather data, verify facts, or assess qualifications. The act can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured, depending on the goals and the breadth of topics.

Etymology and usage: The verb derives from the noun interview, which comes from the Old French entrevue, meaning a meeting or encounter, from entre “between” and voir “to see.” English adopted the verb form and its participles in later centuries. As a verb, interview is transitive (you interview someone) and can appear in various tenses (interviewed, interviewing, interviews). The passive voice is common in reporting (e.g., “The witness was interviewed”).

Contexts and methods: In journalism, interviews aim to elicit quotes and firsthand perspectives. In research, they are used to collect qualitative data, often within structured, semi-structured, or unstructured formats. In human resources, job interviews evaluate candidate fit and skills. Interview design affects data quality, with structure guiding comparability and flexibility allowing depth.

Ethics and quality: Good interviewing relies on informed consent, privacy safeguards, and accurate transcription. Ethical practice includes avoiding coercion, acknowledging limitations, and presenting quotes faithfully. Bias can arise from question wording, interviewer influence, or sample selection, so rigorous design and transparent reporting improve reliability and credibility.

In summary, interviewed denotes having conducted an interview and is used across professional and research contexts to obtain direct information through guided questioning.