Extract from: Government of British Columbia Historical Archives Manual “Oral History” – continued– part 6 of 9.

The Preliminary Interview

The preliminary meeting allows you and interviewee to become acquainted without the distracting presence of the tape recorder.

If the potential interviewee is willing, a personal meeting should be arranged. After this meeting a decision can be made to tape record an interview or merely obtain information in note form and, with appropriate appreciation, complete this contact. If the person is suitable, a tape-recorded interview should be arranged at this time. There is a tendency for some people to launch into their story in response to preliminary questions and it is not always wise either to suppress such enthusiasm or to let them exhaust the material before recording can begin. You should assume that no recording would take place but have the recorder ready to use if appropriate.

The purpose of the interview and its relationship to the larger project should be explained mentioning, that the interview will be valuable not only to you but also for historians, educators and future scholars in general. This does not mean that the specific questions need to be reviewed but the interviewee should be advised of the format and general themes to be covered. On the other hand, the interviewee should be tactfully deterred from giving all the details which will be recorded later. Possible future uses of the interview should be discussed at this time as well as the fact that the interviewee will later be asked to sign a release form.

The preliminary interview is also the time to get the interviewee’s ideas on the subjects to be covered and the format of the interview. The cooperative aspects of the interview should be stressed and it should be explained that the interview should satisfy both of you. While engaged in this discussion, you should also note any special qualities or talents that the interviewee possesses. Story telling ability, voice characteristics, and sense of humour are qualities that may enhance an interview.

Since this session sets the pace for future meetings, do not be rushed or harried. Try to acquaint yourself with the interviewee’s schedule and interests so that interviews can be arranged in a convenient manner. If the interviewee has a spouse bring him or her into the process in order to gain their cooperation and enthusiasm.

Some interviewees need to be convinced of the value of having their reminiscences recorded and will protest that they have nothing of value to say because their lives were commonplace. In this case, you must reassure them that many people will have an interest in their experiences and that the interview is one good way of permanently preserving them. It is a sad comment on the place of history and tradition in our society that many people are genuinely surprised to hear that their experiences are of interest to others.

There are no absolute rules to indicate the reliability of oral evidence, any more than that of other historical sources ...  All are fallible and subject to bias and each has varying strengths in different situations.
— Paul Thompson, The Voice of the Past (i34).

Another concern on the part of some interviewees is the use of the tape recorder itself. They might not mind note taking but are apprehensive about of being tape recorded. In this case, explain the helpfulness of a tape recorder, mentioning how frequently they are now used. You might wish to take the recorder along to this session to show to the interviewee, perhaps even demonstrating it. Whether or not the recorder is actually present, its necessity and technical requirements should be made clear.

In summary, a relaxed but straightforward pattern should be set at this session. The basic purpose of the meeting is to become acquainted with an interesting and enjoyable person.

Next : Part 7 of 9 - Question Sets

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