Websites:

Guidelines on constructing a project and conducting interviews: http://www.umsl.edu/~wolfordj/courses/a291/oh-procedures-A291.html

Summary of the "Planning" Section:

Donald A. Ritchie, "Starting an oral history project," in Doing Oral History (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 23-26.

• Where does an oral history project begin? (23)
• What kind of goals should an oral history project set? (23-25)
• Should a project set a goal of how many people to interview? (25)
• Is there an optimal number of hours for interviewing each person? (25-26)

Donald A. Ritchie, "Equipment," in Doing Oral History (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 34-40.

• What basic equipment is needed for an oral history project? (34-35)
• What type of tape lasts the longest? (36)
• What sort of documentation should be kept on each interview? (36-37)
• Where should interviews take place? (37)
• What happens if the equipment fails? (37)
• Is it ever appropriate to interview a group of people together? (38-39)
• Can a team of interviewers conduct an interview together? (39)
• What are the differences in recording events that are still taking place and recording those that are long past? (39-40)

Donald A. Ritchie, "Legal Concerns," in Doing Oral History (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 51-56.

• Journalists do not use legal release forms for their interviews; why should oral historians? (51-52)
• Must the interviewer also sign a deed of gift? (52)
• Do interviewees have the right to close their interviews for a long time? (52-53)
• What rights do the interviewees have to publish their own interviews? (53)
• What if someone demands that the tapes and transcripts be returned? (54)
• Can something said in an oral history ever be considered libelous or defamatory? (54)
• What should be done with the finished interviews? (54-55)
• How do you let people know where to find your projects' oral histories? (55-56)

The Oral History Association, "Principles and Standards of the Oral History Association," in Donald A. Ritchie, Doing Oral History (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 207-209.

• Three basic sections
• Responsibility to interviewees
• Responsibility to the Public and to the Profession
• Responsibility of Sponsoring and Archiving Institutions

• Read these, know these, and abide by these principles and standards

Donald A. Ritchie, "Starting an oral history project," in Doing Oral History (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 23-26.

• Where does an oral history project begin? (23)

• What kind of goals should an oral history project set? (23-25)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• Should a project set a goal of how many people to interview? (25)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• Is there an optimal number of hours for interviewing each person? (25-26)

RETURN TO TOP

Donald A. Ritchie, "Equipment," in Doing Oral History(New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 34-40.

• What basic equipment is needed for an oral history project? (34-35)

• What type of tape lasts the longest? (36)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• What sort of documentation should be kept on each interview? (36-37)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• Where should interviews take place? (37)

• What happens if the equipment fails? (37)

• Is it ever appropriate to interview a group of people together? (38-39)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• Can a team of interviewers conduct an interview together? (39)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• What are the differences in recording events that are still taking place and recording those that are long past? (39-40)

RETURN TO TOP

Donald A. Ritchie, "Legal Concerns," in Doing Oral History(New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 51-56.

• Journalists do not use legal release forms for their iterviews; why should oral historians? (51-52)

• Must the interviewer also sign a deed of gift? (52)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• Do interviewees have the right to close their interviews for a long time? (52-53)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• What rights do the interviewees have to publish their own interviews? (53)

• What if someone demands that the tapes and transcripts be returned? (54)

• Can something said in an oral history ever be considered libelous or defamatory? (54)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• What should be done with the finished interviews? (54-55)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• How do you let people know where to find your projects' oral histories? (55-56)

RETURN TO TOP

The Oral History Association, "Principles and Standards of the Oral History Association," in Donald A. Ritchie, Doing Oral History(New York: Twayne Publishers, 1995): 207-209.

• Three basic sections
• Responsibility to interviewees
• Responsibility to the Public and to the Profession
• Responsibility of Sponsoring and Archiving Institutions

• Read these, know these, and abide by these principles and standards

RETURN TO TOP