Tips and Guidelines for Oral Histories

The below information is adapted from publications available on the website of the Oral History Association.

As a First Step, Plan the Purpose and Scope of the Oral History Project

Ask: Why am I doing this project? Who or what will it document (a person, a community, an event, a place)?
Define research questions or themes.
Decide the scope: how many interviews, over what time, with which kinds of narrators, what geographic/community scope.
Identify the audience (academic, public history, exhibition, web archive) and how the material will be used.
Check for pre-existing collections: is something similar already done, or will your project add new voices?

Choose narrators whose experiences are relevant to the topic and who bring diverse perspectives (age, gender, ethnicity, role).
Establish rapport: have a pre-interview meeting/discussion to explain the project, process, consent, rights, what the narrator can expect.
Be transparent: explain how the interview will be recorded, how it will be used/preserved, what review rights the narrator may have, what happens to transcripts, etc.
Respect agency: narrators should know they can decline topics, stop recording, or withdraw.

Do your homework: research the topic, community, relevant history so you come to the interview informed (so you can ask good follow-ups, contextualise what they say).
Prepare an interview guide or outline of open-ended questions and topic areas rather than a rigid script.
Prepare equipment: test audio/video gear, external microphones, check sound environment, ensure batteries/back-ups.
Select a suitable environment: quiet, comfortable, minimal distractions; set up so narrator and interviewer are comfortable, can see each other, etc.
If applicable, prepare the ethical/legal forms: consent forms, release forms (for audio/video, for use of materials), data-protection.

Start with simple, warm-up questions: name, place of birth, early life — to help narrator relax.
Use open-ended questions (“Can you describe…”, “What was it like when…”) rather than yes/no or leading questions.
Listen actively, follow up, allow silences, allow the narrator to speak at length, rather than you dominating.
Be sensitive to difficult topics (trauma, loss, contested memory). Build trust, allow narrator to pass on questions.
Capture as best possible: play back a test recording to ensure that the volume is recording correctly.

Narrators are not just “sources” — they are people with agency, rights, and histories. Consider power relations (interviewer/interviewee), community context, consent, representation.
Be clear about how the interview might be used (publications, websites, exhibitions). Make sure narrators understand and agree.
Respect confidentiality and sensitive material: sometimes parts of an interview may need to be redacted or embargoed.
Return value / benefit to the community: think about how the narrators or their communities might benefit (public sharing, exhibitions, copies for narrators, local events).