Royal United Services Institute of
Vancouver Island (RUSI-VI)
Extract from: Government of British Columbia Historical Archives Manual “Oral History” – continued– part 8 of 9.
Conducting The Interview
Equipment check: Before setting out for each interview, you should check your equipment and ensure (perhaps by use of a checklist) that no small but necessary widget is about to be left behind. The first tape to be used may be put into the machine and it and the box labeled in advance to allow you to set the equipment up more quickly.
Starting an interview: There are different ways of beginning the first interview. Some identifying information at the beginning of the tape itself is very useful to users as well as being one additional safeguard against loss of identification on labels and in files. This introduction should contain the name of the interviewer and the interviewee (with spellings, if necessary), the place and date, and other information if required. This “verbal label” (which can be recorded before going to the interview) should read something like:
This is the second tape of an interview with Lionel James Carson, C-A-R-S-O-N. recorded on February the second, 1984. at his home in New Denver, B.C.. The interviewer is Donald John Robbins.
Other interviews start by giving a brief biography of the interviewee, though this is not usually required in an autobiographical interview. Moreover, many consider it a distraction of major proportions to read this onto the tape in front of the~ interviewee, or even to play it back at the interview Another option is to leave a space at the beginning the tape then insert the information when the interview has been completed.
Some interviewers debate whether the interviewee should be told exactly when the recorder has been turned on. They fear that this, like the introductory comments, may make the interviewee freeze or become very formal, while a more “subtle” beginning encourages them to be informal and spontaneous. However, we discourage anyone from recording without the permission and knowledge of the interviewee. It is better to begin with some casual conversation and for the interviewer to set the appropriate tone without this type of subterfuge.
Getting people to talk: This problem is usually due to an initial period of shyness, but skill will be required if the interviewee develops “mike fright.” This is often a temporary thing and once they begin to talk they gradually gain confidence and become more relaxed. Interviewees who are uneasy should be reassured about the value of their contribution to the historical record and to your study. A good tactic is to begin the interview with simple, obvious questions (birthplace, birth date, parents’ background. or a description of the person’s special qualifications to comment on a particular subject). If you are at ease and able to set the tone, this will influence the interviewee’s view of the process.
While getting the interviewee to loosen up can require skill on your part, getting the interviewee to stop talking or to talk about the desired topic can be even more challenging. Tact and persistence may be necessary because there is no single answer to this problem. Some of the tangents may he valuable, opening new areas of investigation, while others serve the function of allowing interviewees to tell those things which they consider important, even if you don’t.
It is important to deal tactfully with this situation, since cutting them off too abruptly or displaying boredom or irritation will harm the rest of the interview. On the other hand, you must sooner or later direct the interviewee back to the main area of interest. Sometimes this delicate problem may be handled with a few subtle words in a well-timed interjection. Simply prefacing the remark with words such as, “Getting back to ...” will be enough of a hint for sensitive interviewees. Failing that, the direct approach will surely work me, “This is interesting but not really relevant here” or “Pardon me, but this is for another interview. Could we get back to ...” as a last resort, you can “run out of tape”. Fortunately, cases of mike fright or unwanted loquaciousness are relatively rare and, while everyone occasionally finds a challenging case of one or the other, you can usually overcome the difficulty.
[Oral tradition] may be false or true, but it is always an authentic expression at its author’s personality and culture.
— Henry Glassie, Oral History Review (1971)
Next : Part 9 of 9 - Research and Preparation Checklist
Previous : Part 7 of 9 - Question Sets
