Oral History Research and
Interview Procedures
| First and foremost: choose a group
coordinator who is responsible and can exert authority |
• person who can control the project from beginning to end
• person to whom all material goes and who makes all final decisions
| Also Primary: Be totally ethical |
• always be straightforward and honest in your dealings with everyone
Library research to find published material concerning your topic
• electronic databases, such as MLA, Social Sciences, Humanities
• electronic card catalogue
• ask around the group you're studying to find out information
• read the newspapers and special publications (back issues too)
| 2. Construct an "interview guide" |
• After picking a topic and doing some research
• make the Guide topical, i.e., write only key words, topics down
on the paper
• do not write out questions, because you will have a tendency simply
to read them off
• be sure, during the interview, that you are completely flexible
with your topical outline
• adapt your interview to the person's interests, not to your preconceived
topics
| 3. Choose appropriate people to interview |
(variously called narrators, interviewees, informants)
• people integral to the project's focus
• people who show a range of experience and expertise within the
confines of the topic
| 4. Contact your informant |
• well ahead of time
• set a definite time and day for the interview--and
make sure to keep the appointment!
• call them, or contact them in some way, the day or night beforehand
to confirm the interview and to ask them if they have any questions
• BEST: send letter following initial phone contact at the minimum
• tell them you will be taping and that you will have them sign
forms
• at least one day before the interview day, in order to
ensure that you can get replacements if you need them
• use only 60 minute tapes
• be sure to bring an extension cord
• Have the person sign release forms once you get there,
before the interview takes place--if possible
• Informed consent release
• Deed of gift form
| 7. Test your equipment on location |
• upon arriving
• in front of the person to be interviewed
| Conceive of it as a creative PERFORMANCE: you, the professional;
they, the valuable resource people |
• a. Identify self, informant, locale, time, date, project
name, and tape number at the beginning of the tape
• (e.g., This is Jackie Dace interviewing John Smith at his
house, 3521 Valley View Drive in Florissant, on January 31, 1999, for the
Smith family history project. This is tape one, side A.)
• b. Make sure you take notes during the interview
• 1. Note the special contexts
a. Any interruptions--phone, people, animals, etc.
b. How the informant seemed to feel: and whether these changed
> comfortable/uncomfortable and when they changed?
> friendly/unfriendly and why they may have changed?
> guarded/open etc.
c. How you as an interviewer felt
• 2. Note which topics, questions, or themes he or she was most/least
talkative about
a. speculate in your notes why you think that was so.
• 3. Note any artifacts mentioned; any gestures or visual cues
• 4. Make an index of sequential themes that you all covered
a. these may or may not conform to your topical questionnaire
• c. Begin with easy questions, questions they are comfortable
talking about, with easy answers
• 1. their name, family background, a bit about their childhood
• 2. try to pick something that is personally non-threatening while
relevant to your topic
• d. Begin, after the person feels comfortable, to delve into
the heart of your questionnaire
• e. Special, commonsense techniques
• 1. Don't talk too much--they're supposed to, you're not. Be a good
listener.
• 2. Silence is a great prompter. Use silence after a response to get
more of a response.
• 3. Always ask "why?", even if it seems dumb.
> never rely on "yes" or "no" questions; allow the person
to explain what is said
• 4. Let the person talk about what he or she is interested in, not
what you think he or she is interested in.
> if this means throwing away the interviewing questionnaire, throw
it away!
• 5. Be ready to persist.
>you can always ask the same question a different way in a tactful
way
• f. End of interview
1. Ask the person if he or she can think of anything else they would
like to say.
2. Ask for names of other potential contacts.
3. Thank the person, and ask if you can return if you can think of other
questions. Likewise, let them know that they can always call or write you
if they think of more information.
| Immediately write up an assessment: the Summary and Context Reports |
• 1. Use your notes (see above, # 9b) to summarize all those specific
points (interruptions, feelings, artifacts, gestures, sequential themes)
• 2. Listen to the tape in the quiet of your home (or wherever) and
write down any insights that a second hearing may give
> also write down any quotes you think you may use in a final product
• archives, publications, public presentations, plays, videos,
radio shows, exhibits, papers, etc.
• a. Describe your theme or topic
• b. Describe your methodology
• c. Describe the interviewing contexts
• d. Describe what you discovered
• e. Analyze all the descriptive data
• try to determine answer(s) to research question
created August 21, 2000
last revised August 21, 2000