Which interviewing technique is most emphasized for eliciting accurate information?

• A. Prepare questions in advance
• B. Establish rapport
• C. Verify statements through corroboration and notes
• D. Avoid taking notes during interview

Answer: (C)

Accurate information from interviews comes from verifying what someone says against other sources and keeping a record. This approach reduces memory errors and misinterpretations that can slip in when you take statements at face value. By corroborating statements with additional witnesses, documents, or physical evidence, you confirm details and spot inconsistencies. Keeping notes provides a verifiable record you can revisit, compare with other accounts, and resolve conflicting statements. While preparing questions in advance helps structure the interview and establishing rapport can encourage openness, neither alone guarantees accuracy. Avoiding notes removes that crucial record, making verification much harder. So, verifying statements through corroboration and notes is the most effective way to elicit accurate information.