Subject Librarian
Doing Oral History
Professional Guides
- Oral History AssociationThe national, professional association supporting oral historians provides resources on remote interviewing tips, archiving, technology, events and more.
- Vermont Folklife Center: Fieldwork and Research GuidesA series of guides provides useful information to fieldworkers, students, community scholars, and others interested in cultural documentation, ethnography and oral history.
- Manual of the George J. Mitchell Oral History ProjectA comprehensive guide for doing oral history work.
- Oral History as part of the Political Archival Landscape [ppt]Power Point Presentation, 2014, Wash., D.C.
Remote Interviewing
The Department of Oral History encourages remote interviewing during the COVID-19 pandemic. While not ideal circumstances for oral history interviews, implementing distance technology for audio and/or video recordings can contribute to safe interviewing practices.
Online Resources
- Oral History at a Distance: Conducting Remote InterviewsThe Oral History Association in partnership with Baylor University produced this webinar on distance interviewing.
- Remote Recording Tips from Vermont Folklife CenterCovers video conference platforms, smartphones, and web-based audio platforms.
- Advice on Oral History Interviewing during the PandemicThe Oral History Society (UK) offers a detailed guide to decision-making and the process of interviewing from a distance.
Projects on COVID-19
- Documenting COVID-19 at the University of South CarolinaSouth Caroliniana Library is building a permanent digital collection to tell the story of the personal impact of COVID-19 on students, faculty, and staff.
- COVID-19 Oral History Class CollectionStudent projects from a USC Honors course documentthe perspectives and experiences of those impacted in a variety of ways by the current global pandemic, using oral history skills to tell the stories.
- NYC Covid-19 Oral History, Narrative and Memory ArchiveA team of sociologists, oral historians, and anthropologists at Columbia University is building an archive documenting New York City’s experience of the pandemic.
- Telling Your Story: Documenting COVID-19 in IndianaLearn more about how to contribute your story to the project.
Basic Methodology and Interviewing Tips
Support Storytelling
The information sought in oral history work is best obtained by supporting interviewees in the telling of their stories. Oral histories should not be dry recitations of facts, but engaging remembrances of the interviewee's experiences and insights.
- Frame questions to encourage, not dampen, the interviewee in their recollections.
- Cast yourself as the student, eager to learn what the interviewee wishes to impart, not the investigative reporter, trying to pin down the facts.
Silence as a Tool
If the interviewee pauses, don't jump in immediately with another question. The interviewee may be connecting what they've just said to some other thought that is related and important.
Role of the Interviewer
Remember that your job as the interviewer is to guide the interviewee, not to be a participant in a conversation. Your voice should be heard sparingly, and the best way to achieve that is to think carefully about what questions to ask, how to word the questions to get the fullest response, and in what order to ask the questions (flow of the interview).
Location, Location, Location
Choose a place that is quiet with minimal distractions. DO NOT conduct interviews in public places, such as restaurants or cafes. Be aware of open windows, slamming doors, kitchen noises, utensils, squeaky chairs, fans and air conditioners, pet birds, traffic, open spaces and high ceilings that cause echo sounds, etc.
How to Ask Questions
It is often how you ask the question that accounts for the richness of the answer. Always try to keep in mind that the person you're interviewing knows more about their life and connection to the subject than you do, and if you give them sufficient berth with your questions, they will often provide information on matters you couldn't anticipate.