2. Conducting the interview 2.1. Location The safety of the respondent should be the principal factor in determining where an interview will take place. Where possible, interviews should be conducted in private in a safe, neutral venue, such as a school or community center, where unnecessary attention will not be drawn to the respondent and surveillance is minimal. Ideally, the respondent will be allowed to choose the time and place of the interview.26 2.2. Documenting the interview There are a number of options for recording or documenting the interview, including writing notes by hand, or using an audio or video recorder. The best option for a particular project will depend on balancing a number of factors, including which method is most likely to accurately and efficiently capture the respondent’s answers, which method is most practical given an organization’s resources, and which method is the most likely to guarantee confidentiality. Direct witnesses of human rights abuses in Syria may be particularly reluctant to have their voices and identities recorded, in which case handwritten note-taking will be the most acceptable approach to documentation. Handwritten note-taking, rather than digital recording, tends to be less intimidating to respondents and can facilitate sketching diagrams or maps, which can help respondents clarify their testimony. As importantly, there are fewer confidentiality and security concerns when working in hard copy. However, it may be difficult to capture all of the information as the interview proceeds. One way of addressing this is to work in two-person teams in which one person asks questions and the other person takes notes, although respondents may prefer to speak with only one person at a time. Using standardized forms that require annotation is another option. Standardized forms are useful for ensuring consistency across interviews and for collecting quantitative information. 3. During the interview Basic techniques Persons who have experienced or Informed consent witnessed human rights abuses, including refugees and internally An important consideration from the displaced persons, are often under a lot outset of an interview is that the of stress. These persons may also be interview should not proceed unless experiencing feelings of uncertainty the respondent has given hisinformed and loss of control. Interviewers should consent to participating (see section try to empathize with those feelings, 1.2). and be sensitive to the fact that the respondents may be without resources, and are away from their homes and possibly families. When interacting with respondents, interviewers should be aware of their tone, pitch, and inflection, and should try to maintain eye contact with the respondent throughout the interview. Respondents may focus on economic reasons for fleeing and may omit human rights violations. Interviewers should allow 15