One-Minute Guide to Oral Histories

 by Carole Hicke

• Ascertain willingness of narrator to participate.

• Research narrator's background; prepare and send outline.

• Schedule appointments.

• Obtain signed release agreement at first interview.

• Tape-record interviews.

• Get interviews transcribed.

• Review transcript; then get narrator to review.

• Deposit corrected transcripts, tapes, and release agreements in the appropriate library, archives, or historical society.

The One-Minute Guide to Oral History Interviewing

• Ensure that equipment is functioning properly.

• Label tapes with names interviewer, narrator, date, tape number.

• Take outline, photos, clippings to interview.

• Obtain signature on release agreement.

• Develop rapport but remain neutral.

• Ask who, what, where, when, why, how.

• Remain polite but firmly in control.

• Listen carefully--and pursue new topics.

• Use silence.

• Ask for examples and anecdotes as illustrations.

http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/
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All rights reserved.

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One Minute Guide to Oral Histories

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Download One Minute Guide in Word Document format.