Asking Questions

Preparing for the Recording

Before the recording you should:

  • Have done some homework on the topics to be talked about. Depending on the circumstances of the recording this will vary from a thorough knowledge of the subject to a basic awareness of relevant terminology etc.  
  • Have put together an outline of the questions/topics you are going to ask about. Your guide or schedule (not usually a 'questionnaire') doesn't need to be huge, but should cover major topics and related issues.
  • Have a think about the structure of the recording.
  • Whether you are conducting one or more sessions, you will need to have an idea of whether you are going to let the interviewee decide the topics, follow a chronological path through certain events, or concentrate on specific topics.
  • Be able to use correctly all your recording equipment.

Many interviewers like to draw up a check list of things they will need to take to the interview. For example:

  • Directions and/or a map
  • Some form of identification
  • Recording equipment
  • Spare batteries, cassettes etc.
  • Notepad and pen
  • Relevant documents/literature

Remember

Making an oral history recording is an unusual experience for most people. We all have preconceived ideas about interviews for radio, television, jobs, social services etc. that prepare us for what is going to happen, but this isn’t always the case for oral history.

When was the last time someone said to you that they were so interested in what you had to say about something that they were prepared to sit and listen carefully, without interrupting, for as long as necessary for you to say everything on the subject? It probably hasn’t happened too often!

By recognising this, you will be able to help the person you are recording tell their story as well as possible.

Asking Questions

A good interviewer keeps her/his voice out of the recording as much as possible but still looks interested. Eye contact and nodding the head are the best ways of doing this. Remember to avoid verbalizing while they are talking. any cross-talk on the recording can make listening and transcribing difficult. Likewise, be careful not to contradict or clarify for somebody. If they make a statement that you think is wrong or incorrect, you can ask a follow-up question for clarification. Using open questions and following up for more detailed information will also help.

Main points for asking questions:

  • Eye contact (if appropriate)
  • Short questions, one at a time
  • Clear, simple: avoid technical language
  • Open not leading
  • Move from general > specific
  • Factual (what?) > motivational (how?) > reflective (why?)
  • How did you feel/why did you feel?
  • Clarify uncertain points
  • Don’t be afraid to ask
  • Don’t interrupt or butt in
  • Respect people’s opinions
  • Be aware of tiredness

There is more detailed information on asking the questions at:

https://perma.cc/TFG3-T9RL Links to an external site.

Upsetting memories

There is always the possibility that the person you are recording may become upset. When remembering the past we are recalling people who are no longer with us, events and experiences that may have affected us deeply for better or for worse. If your interviewee does become upset use common politeness; ask if s/he is alright, pause the recording, ask if s/he would like to skip the subject or carry on, wait until s/he is ready to proceed.

Going ‘off topic’

A question often asked is about what to do if someone wanders off topic. One of the pleasures of oral history is that it does allow people to go off at a tangent, and this should be encouraged. Sometimes the digression is informative, sometimes not, but it usually doesn’t take more than a few minutes. However, if someone is obsessed with the price of gas, or something unrelated to the topics at hand, you may have to practice a firm but polite, ‘I can see this is an important issue for you, but we are straying from the subject and I would like to ask you to talk about…’.

Information on other issues involved with interviewing at: http://www.le.ac.uk/emoha/howtointerview/issues.html Links to an external site.

The video, 'How to Record an Oral History Interview', which is also on the ‘Building and Enriching Shared Heritages’ website, covers setting up your equipment and good interviewing technique: http://youtu.be/jTCzxWt1RQk Links to an external site.

 

This material is made available by the University of Leicester School of History under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC licence. You are free to use the material as you wish but should give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. Further information about this Creative Commons licence is available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.