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Lowcountry Oral History Initiative (LOHI) Toolkit: Conduct the Interview

How-to guide for community and campus oral history projects brought to you by the Lowcountry Oral History Initiative at the College of Charleston Libraries.

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Before the Interview

  • You should host a pre-interview meeting with each prospective interviewee. Ideally, this meeting should be scheduled at least one month in advance of when you plan to record your oral histories. This period allows both you and the interviewee ample time to prepare for the interview. 
  • During this meeting, you can discuss the project in greater detail and answer any questions the interviewee may have. If you do not have a prior relationship with the interviewee, this meeting is also a good opportunity to build rapport. 
  • If the interview will be conducted remotely, consider conducting this meeting over the platform you will be using (e.g. Zoom) to test the recording equipment and interview setting in advance. For in person interviews, a phone call is sufficient.
  • It is also likely that you may schedule the interview during this meeting.
    • For more information on scheduling the interview, see the next tab, "Scheduling the Interview."
    • Also see the Related Materials column on this page. The Scheduling the Interview document may be of help.

For more information on what to cover during the pre-interview meeting, please see the Related Materials column on this page. You may find the Pre-Interview Meeting document helpful. 

When the prospective interviewee has agreed to participate in your oral history project, you should proceed with scheduling the interview. Note that they may agree to participate during the pre-interview meeting or may want more time to consider participating.

Interview day is approaching!  You should be sure to complete the following before interview day:

  • Upload the completed biographical and consent forms in the appropriate folder(s) in your cloud storage system. If the forms were mailed, you will first need to scan the documents. 
    • If the forms are incomplete, you will need to send them back to the interviewee to complete.
    • You cannot conduct an interview without a signed consent form.
  • Update your project progress tracker to note whether the biographical and consent forms have been received.
  • Review the biographical form. It will help you tailor the interview protocol to each interviewee.
  • If the interview will be remote, send the interviewee the log-on information for the interview. For example, you will need to create and send a link for a Zoom interview, in addition to the meeting ID and passcode.
    • You will want to test your remote recording connection prior to interview day.  Your interviewee may not have a fast enough internet speed to make for a good recording. If that is the case, you can always switch to an audio recording method; it's best to be prepared before the actual interview day.
  • Contact the interviewee one or two days prior to the interview to ensure they are still available. Likewise, if another oral historian is conducting the interview, check with them to ensure they are still available.

You can find a Pre-Interview Checklist in the Related Materials column on this page.  Use this checklist to keep yourself on track!

Interviewing Techniques

As an interviewer, your role is to be an active listener and to guide the conversation. There are various techniques to interviewing that can take some time to learn, but with practice, allows you to master the art of conducting an oral history interview. Here are some of those techniques:

  • Transitioning from one question to another
  • Steering the interviewee back if they go off topic or delve into a topic that you plan to address later in the interview
  • Returning to a point later in the interview that the interviewee mentioned early on 
  • Resetting an interview if the interviewee provides too much information up front
  • Utilizing probing and process questions if the interviewee's answers are too short 

Note that these techniques represent the most that you should be speaking during an interview. Make sure to limit interruptions, including the temptation to offer verbal affirmations. Affirm in other ways like smiling, nodding, etc.

If you are new to oral history, you should first obtain training in oral history interviewing. For more information on free and low-cost options for oral history training, see Recommended Readings and Resources: Oral History Training Programs.

Interview Day

  • Arrive early to the interview location (if virtual, log on to the recording platform early).
  • Have copies of your interview protocol.
  • Have paper and a pen/pencil to jot down any notes and any points (e.g. probing, clarifying, process questions) on which you will follow up during the interview.
  • Test the recording equipment. Check the volume/sound, adjust seating arrangements for optimal lighting, and ensure background noises are at a minimum.
    • Also test your backup recording equipment.
  • Answer any last minute questions/concerns the interviewee may have prior to starting the recording.
  • For in-person interviews: If the biographical and consent forms have not been completed, have the interviewee complete/sign them prior to beginning the interview.

You can find an Interview Day Checklist in the Related Materials column on this page.  Use this checklist to keep yourself on track!

Once you have asked your final question (and verified that the interviewee has nothing left to add), be sure to thank the interviewee for participating, and provide them an overview of what happens next (i.e. the processing of the interview) and a rough estimate of how long each step will take.

Once the interview has ended, you should immediately make sure the recording file and the backup are saved, and upload it to the cloud storage platform. It's a good idea to have multiple copies of recordings stored in multiple locations so that if one is lost/destroyed, you have not permanently lost the interviews. You should create and use a file-naming convention when saving your recordings (See Step 4: Process the Interview).

To prepare the interview for processing, note that:

  • The interview will need to be edited, ideally on editing software by someone with experience doing so. Make sure that (one of) the original recordings is saved and that an additional copy is the version that will be edited. 
  • After the interview is edited, it is ready to be shared with the interviewee so they can make any corrections or remove any content.
  • Once the final edits have been made and the interviewee has approved, send them the final version and, if permitted, their compensation.

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