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Oral History Step-by-Step

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Prepare for the Interview
While it may seem silly to create a plan for talking to your own family members, it is something which will greatly improve your chances for success. Take the time to make an appointment with your family member, prepare for the interview and decide on a list of questions, ranked in order of importance. Send the interviewee a list of your questions or summary of the topics you want to cover in advance, if possible. This gives them time to think about people and events that may not have occurred to them in a long time, and can often improve the actual interview.

Be prepared for your visit with a notebook, several sharpened pencils and a cassette or video recorder (including extra tapes and batteries) if you plan to use one. An oral or video record of the interview is a big plus as it means you can spend more time developing a rapport with your interviewee and less time scribbling madly. Do not plan to record the interview if this really makes your relative uncomfortable, however. You should also bring your pedigree chart (those gaps of missing information may spark memories), family photos and other information which you have collected about the family. You can also collect oral histories from distant relatives via letter, phone or even email!

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