Basic Guide for Conducting Your Own Family Oral Histories
What Is Oral History?

 

Plan your interview:

 

 

•       Have a clearly defined goal.

•       Determine topics or themes.

•       Have notes or an interview outline to help keep interview on track.

•       It's important to establish rapport prior to interview. Gathering background information shows you are sincerely interested.

 

 

 

 

Equipment you will need:            

 

 

•       Pen and paper for notes

•       Spare tapes, batteries, extension cord

•       Small cassette recorder with built-in or external microphone

•       High quality 60-minute tapes (longer tapes are more likely to stretch or break)

•       Pertinent photos or objects that may be reminders or that you wish to know more about.

 

 

 

 

Before the interview:

 

When you set up the interview, make it clear you plan to use a tape recorder. (Many people feel a little uncomfortable being recorded, but will relax as the interview gets going).

 

 

Be familiar with how the tape recorder works. Check the recorder, batteries and tape prior to the interview. Do a sound check to make sure voices are picked up clearly - it's important that your questions can be heard too.

 

 

 

Choose a quiet, comfortable setting where the interviewee can be relaxed and is able to focus on the interview. It's best to have only the interviewer and interviewee present.

 

Let interviewee know the purpose, how you'll proceed, how long (a series of shorter sessions rather than one long marathon session is better), and what will happen with the interview.

 

Take time to establish rapport before turning on the recorder. Perhaps discuss the intent of your project or chat about innocuous topics.

 

Conducting the interview:

 

Introduce every recording with your name, date, location, who you are interviewing, and the purpose of the interview. On the second side of each tape you might reintroduce the subject with "let's see, we were talking about..."

 

Help put the interviewee at ease by starting with questions that are easy to answer. Start with the general and head toward the more specific as the interview proceeds.

 

 

 

 

•       Ask brief, open-ended questions - not yes or no questions. Short and simple, and one at a time. Examples: "tell me about...," "what was it like when..."

 

•       Don't interrupt, wait until the speaker is finished to ask another question, and give the person time to think. Ask follow-up questions to clarify. Gently direct interview, but give leeway. You'll get the best information and stories if you let the narrator talk about what is most significant to him or her.

 

•       Ask for personal stories - it's the personal information that makes oral histories so interesting and illustrative. Ask about thoughts and feelings. Example: "what did you think when...?"

 

•       Help put events in context by asking specifics of dates, names, and places.

 

•       Prompt memory recall through insightful questions. Also prompt as needed with reminders of names, places, events.

 

•       Working from the general to specific, innocuous to delicate, safer to more interesting will help the interviewee go into greater depth as the interview proceeds.

 

•       Limit your own remarks. Don't share your perspectives or opinions. Let the person tell THEIR story. Don't show how much you know, or the interviewee may assume you're an expert and then won't talk.

 

•       Don't argue or contradict. This is the narrator's story. When in doubt, ask more questions.

 

•       Be a good listener. Maintain eye contact. Concentrate on what narrator is saying so your follow-up questions are pertinent. Be patient and respectful.

 

•       Smiles and nods and silence are effective ways to encourage responses.

 

•       Take breaks if needed, and try to end in the planned length of time. It's preferable to limit interviews to about 90 minutes.

 

•       Thank the narrator on tape at the end of the interview.

 

 

 

 

After the interview:

 

•       Label tapes immediately.

•       Transcribe as soon as possible.

•       If you will be doing multiple interviews on particular topics, it's important to cover the same subjects with all interviewees.

 

Ideas for ways to organize a family oral history project (from Baylor University's Institute for Oral History):

• Topical: focus on a particular historical event, such as World War II; a special family event, such as a wedding; or a place associated with the family over the years, such as a farm or neighborhood
• Autobiographical: one person's life history
• Genealogical: what can the interviewee tell about ancestors?
• Skills or occupations: descriptions and demonstrations of how things were done in the past
• Social history: includes ethnic culture, religious practices, gender roles, everyday life, et cetera
• Folklore: favorite stories, songs, poems; local legends; games and other pastimes

 

Bibliography:

Books/Printed Information:

 

The Oral History Manual, by Barbara Sommer and Mary Kay Quinlan, 2002, AltaMira Press, Walnut Creek

 

Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum (JHHSM) vertical research files, 105 Mercill, Jackson, Wyoming, 83001

 

 

 

 

 

Internet Resources:

 

The Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing guide:

www.folklife.si.edu/explore/Resources/InterviewGuide/InterviewGuide_home.html

 

Baylor University Institute for Oral History Workshop on the Web: www.baylor.edu/oral_history/index.php?id=23560

 

 

 

For samples you can listen to online:

 

The Maria Rogers Oral History Program at the Carnegie Branch Library of the Boulder Public Library: www.bplcarnegie.org/oralHistory/