One Minute Guide to Oral History by Carole Hicke

The One-Minute Guide to Conducting an Oral History

- 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.

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