MARCH 24, 2022 – Collecting an oral history is an important assignment. Here are things to consider when interviewing to gather a captivating story and true representation.
Oral history is the story of a person’s life through his or her eyes as presented to an interviewer. The interview process either makes or breaks the story; therefore, it is critical to have a successful interview. As the interviewer as well as an essay writer, your job is to investigate the life of the storyteller. You must engage in the story as it unfolds, finding the points of interest and asking questions the answers to which are captivating.
When performing an interview to collect oral history, there is a basic process to be followed:
- Gather biographical data and any relevant credentials the person carries that make him or her an authority on the topic being discussed.
- Gather a chronology of what happened and when.
- Record the interview and transcribe it.
- Once the interview is transcribed, research-related events ensure an accurate timeline.
- Forward the transcript to the storyteller to review and authorize.
How to Conduct an Interview?
Simply asking a person to tell a story usually does not suffice to gather all the details needed to create an interesting and captivating memoir. Nor does asking generalized questions that fill in only major blanks. Instead of being the journalist asking the basic “five W” questions, be the captivated child, full of wonder, and explore the parts of the story that have great detail and interest. If your storyteller is a WWII concentration camp survivor, for example, do not let the details he or she can recall go unreported. If his or her specific memory is of standing in line to receive rations, explore that in detail, rather than trying to find out all the different things the person can remember only vaguely. The more detailed the specific accounts are, the better and more personal the overall memoirs will be.
Do not rush. If you do not have sufficient time to gather the oral history in one session, arrange multiple sessions. If you are gathering information about a specific event, then you will not need much time. However, if you are gathering the life story of a 75-year old veteran, chances are, it will take much time and effort to get a complete account. In this case, an essay writer helper suggests that the more senior your storyteller, the shorter the sessions should be. Make sure the storyteller understands the commitment in terms of time, and that he or she feels you are paying sufficient attention. The interviewee’s story is valuable and important. This is not just a perception to instill, it is a reality you must grasp to do an important job with a sense of purpose.
Recording the Interview
Make sure you take copious notes as well as an audio or video recording of the interview. When transcribing, record individual topics and then arrange them either chronologically (beginning to end) or topically (all instances or related ideas together – for example, an incident that created a life lesson and then a time it was applied). If you have an opportunity to revisit any specific topics with a follow-up interview, do so and add the new information to the overall memoir script. When you have completed the recording, you have a rough draft of the oral history.
Present the oral history to the storyteller for his or her review and approval. One good way to do so is in a double-spaced, typed document with wide margins to allow for plenty of additions or revisions. Encourage the person to remove, rewrite, or add as much as he or she would like. When you receive it back, incorporate those changes as well.
Finalizing the Document before Publishing
Ensure you have revised for clarity and grammar and that the memoir reads well. Research any relevant historical events to add perspective and to make sure dates and timelines are as accurate as possible. In this case, the essay writing service emphasizes that mentioning events that were co-occurring with the events in the memoir or oral history adds interest and relatability to audiences. Adding these things helps tell the complete story. Once it is all put together, send your final draft to your storyteller for his or her approval.
Once approved, you will hold in your hands the life story of an individual that may inspire another, help someone understand the past or the present, or just be an interesting read to a historian, family member, or stranger. Oral histories and personal memoirs serve to open the past to the present and future, and you will have played an important role in making that a reality.