What are the best methods and sources for conducting oral history interviews?

1 Choosing your topic and research question

Before you start looking for potential interviewees, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to learn from them and why. Your topic and research question should be focused, relevant, and feasible. You should also consider the ethical and practical implications of your project, such as how you will obtain consent, protect confidentiality, and store and share your data. A good way to narrow down your topic and research question is to conduct a literature review and identify the gaps or controversies in the existing scholarship.

3 Preparing for the interview

Before you conduct the interview, you need to prepare a list of questions that will guide your conversation and elicit meaningful responses. You should avoid yes/no questions, leading questions, or complex questions that might confuse or intimidate your interviewee. Instead, you should use open-ended questions, follow-up questions, and probes that encourage your interviewee to elaborate, clarify, or illustrate their answers. You should also do some background research on your interviewee and their context, and familiarize yourself with the technical aspects of recording and transcribing the interview.

4 Conducting the interview

During the interview, you need to establish rapport, trust, and respect with your interviewee, and create a comfortable and conducive environment for them to share their stories. You should follow your list of questions, but also be flexible and responsive to your interviewee's cues and interests. You should listen attentively, actively, and empathetically, and avoid interrupting, judging, or arguing with your interviewee. You should also monitor the quality and duration of the recording, and thank your interviewee for their time and cooperation.

6 Writing and presenting the interview

The final step of oral history research is to write and present your findings and arguments, using your data as evidence and illustration. You should acknowledge the limitations and challenges of oral history as a source, and address any ethical or legal issues that might arise from using it. You should also cite your data properly, and respect the rights and wishes of your interviewees regarding the use and dissemination of their information. You should aim to write and present your oral history research in a clear, engaging, and respectful way that honors the voices and experiences of your interviewees.