Module 1:
Oral history project planning and preparation
Undertaking an oral history project is a fun, challenging and ultimately rewarding experience. To get the most out of an oral history project, there are some essential things to think about when it comes to planning and preparing for your interview/s. The following information will help you get started.
What is oral history?
Oral history is a powerful tool for gathering information about the past. It involves recording people’s memories and stories in their own unique voices and words, illuminating and preserving their lived experiences.
Oral history can be especially important in cases of underrepresented or marginalised communities, as their experiences may not be well reflected in official or mainstream sources. Oral history can be used to fill gaps in the historical record, and also to give documentary sources greater depth and diversity. For example, we may know a great deal about a historical event from the official records, but what about the intimate, personal experiences of those who lived through that event?
Things to keep in mind
One of the major criticisms of oral history is that memory is of course fallible and not completely accurate or reliable. Many other factors can also impact on oral testimony, such as power dynamics between the interviewer and interviewee, questions around consent, ownership and usage of the interview, and the risks involved for both interviewer and interviewee.
It is important to keep these things in mind when embarking on an oral history project, or even just a single interview. Of course, all historical sources are infallible in one way or another and need to be used with care. Further details about these considerations can be found across this website.
Planning your project
As you begin an oral history project, there are several things to consider before you press record. Whether you are interviewing for a major cultural institution or for a community group, a family history or even for your personal research, it is crucial to consider these questions in advance, so you can ensure you are ready to do justice to your interviewees’ stories.
What is the aim of your project?
The aim of your project will dictate how you approach and shape it. What are you hoping to achieve with your oral history project? Are you collecting interviews to seek information on a particular topic? To create an oral history archive? To record memories to pass on to the next generation?
Your interviewees will be giving up their time and energy, and trusting you with their story. For some people, recording their memories may be particularly emotional or difficult. So it is essential to collect oral histories in a way that has been well thought out and with a careful plan in place for how the interviews will be managed into the future.
Who will you interview?
When selecting interviewees, there are a few key things to consider:
- What will the material be used for and what has already been collected on this topic? Are there gaps that could be filled by oral history?
- Is there any urgency to the project? Are there potential interviewees who are elderly or unwell, and should be prioritised over others?
- What is your timeframe and budget? How many interviews is realistic to plan for?
- How can you make sure to gather a diversity of voices and perspectives?
- How will you promote your project and find diverse interviewees?
- How will you contact prospective interviewees and/or how will they find you?
Length of interviews
How long will your interviews be? Will you conduct them in one session, or over multiple sessions? Make sure to think about the needs of your interviewees. Talking for a long time can be tiring, but on the other hand, leaving too long of a gap between interviews may be detrimental.
A topic-based interview will probably be shorter than a whole-of-life interview. But whatever your focus, a short interview (less than an hour) often won’t leave enough time to capture in-depth experiences or explore your chosen topic in detail. Talking to your interviewee before scheduling your interview should also give you a good idea of the length of time that may suit them and their storytelling style.
Where will you record your interviews?
Where will you conduct your interviews? Is it important to record in a quiet environment, to ensure that background noise does not affect the quality of your audio recordings? Or is there a particular, significant place that you would like to record in, which has meaning to your interviewees and the stories you’re gathering?
It is also crucial to consider the needs of your interviewees, and where they will feel most comfortable talking to you. For some people, this may be in their own home. Many public libraries offer recording spaces and rooms you can book for free. Remote or online interviewing is also an option, explored more on the Creating excellent interviews page.
How will your interviews be stored, used, accessed and future-proofed?
It is easy to get caught up in thinking about the interview itself, and neglect to consider what will happen to it afterwards. The post-interview management and administration of an oral history project is in fact a large part of the work, and an essential element to plan in advance.
Once you have collected your interviews, what will happen to them? Will they be transcribed? Will they need to be translated? How will they be stored? How are you planning to use the interviews, and how might they be used by others in the future?
Will your interviews be open and accessible to anyone, or will potential users be required to apply for access? How will this process be managed?
See the page on Preservation for more details.
Ethical considerations
As an oral history interviewer, it is your responsibility to protect the rights of your interviewees, and to conduct your project with these rights in mind. Carefully consider issues like consent, power dynamics, ownership, access and usage of the material, and the potential risks involved in your project. Your interviewees have a right to understand exactly what they are agreeing to and what will happen to their story once it is recorded.
See the page Ethics, legalities and rights for more details.
All Modules
- Module 1:
Oral history project planning and preparation - Module 2:
Creating excellent interviews - Module 3:
Documenting interviews - Module 4:
Ethics legalities and rights - Module 5:
Victorian Collections - Module 6:
Other preservation options