Conducting the Oral History Interview

1. Select an interviewee

Choose an elder. A grandparent, older family member or older community member is ideal. Your subject must be at least 30 years older than you and should not be your parent unless absolutely necessary.

2. Ask the interviewee if they are interested

If so, schedule a time and place for the interview. Pick somewhere quiet where you will have the least distractions and interruptions.

3. Do background research

by asking other people what they know about your subject and taking note of anything that is particularly interesting. For example, if your subject is a grandparent or even an older community member you might ask your parent or guardian if they know anything interesting about the subject. If you can find out their birth year (you might even ask them this when you ask them if they’ll do the oral history) then you can research historical events that happened in their lifetime.

4. Ensure that you have a recording device

Some people will use a smart phone, which has a voice recording app installed on it. Most laptops do as well. You may have your own or you may have to borrow one from somebody. Many public libraries also loan out recording devices and your teacher may have access to one as well. You may download a recording program called Audacity for free from the internet onto your laptop if you have one.

5. Come up with 10 to 12 questions

Write them out neatly so you can have them in front of you when you are conducting the oral history.

6. Practice doing an interview

Practice doing an interview on other people before you do it with the subject. Your teacher may allow you and your classmates to practice on each other or you can do this with a sibling, parent or friend.

7. Prepare for the interview

Be sure to take the following to the interview:

• A printed copy of your questions
• A pen or pencil to jot down notes
• The device you are using to record the interview

Be sure to take a charging cord with you just in case your battery runs low on your device. You should also bring a phone or camera to take a picture of your subject.

When you arrive, introduce yourself and place the recording device an equal distance between the two of you so it will pick up both your voices. It is always best to do an interview at a table. However, the most important thing is to make sure your subject is comfortable, so keep that in mind, but you must be relatively close to one another for the recording device.

Test it out with your voice and theirs before you start to make sure it is picking you both up properly.

8. Start the recording

For the very first thing, say your name, the date and your location. Then say “May I have your permission to record you?”

Make sure that they say aloud that you have their permission (a head nod will not suffice).

9. Begin your interview

A good first question is “Where are you from?” There are other suggestions for questions later on in this packet.

During the interview, make sure the subject has been able to say everything they wanted. Do not interrupt them or stop their train of thought.

If you think of something else to ask them while they are talking, subtly make a note to yourself and ask it later (that’s why you need a pen or pencil). Let them do the talking.

• Avoid yes or no questions. If you get a short answer, follow up with tell me more, who, what, when, where, how and why.
• Ask “open-ended” questions such as:
  • “Tell me about, describe, etc.”
  • “What do you remember about…?”
• If the interviewee responds with just a yes or no, ask how, why, when, where, who.
• Ask one question at a time and try to ask simple questions.
• Provide the interviewee with feedback by nodding, smiling, listening attentively.
• Try to avoid too many verbal responses that will record over the interviewee, such as “Really!” or “Uh-huh, uh-huh.”
• Try to ask follow-up questions – “tell me more”, who, what, where.
• To stimulate their memory, use “statement questions” such as, “In 1967 you were drafted and went to Vietnam. What is the main thing you remember about that experience?”
• Focus on recording their personal experiences, rather than stories about others or that they have heard. If you’re getting general stories, say “Tell me about your role,” “Describe how you felt that day,” etc.

Don’t worry about silences. Let the interviewee think and take time before they answer. Look at your outline and check off topics if the interviewee needs time to think.

10. Ask to take their picture

Once you’ve finished conducting the oral history, ask your interviewee if you may take their picture. Tell them to relax and do whatever makes them comfortable; some people don’t want to be told to smile. It makes for a better portrait if you make sure that light is on your subject’s face. If possible turn them towards natural light and fill the entire frame of your photograph with their head and shoulders.

11. Thank the interviewee

Thank the interviewee for sharing their story with you.