The Interview Assignment: The Interview Process
Instructions for Students Picking an Interview Topic
First, you must decide upon some event or period of history about which you want to learn more. You may draw upon something that you have heard or read about in class or at home. By narrowing your topic, you will give your interview a focus and will encourage your interview subject to give details and put a personal stamp on the interview.
Picking Someone to Interview
Who remembers? Remember that for an oral history, the person whom you are interviewing must have lived through that event or time period and must be able to recall details and other memories. If you want to learn about the Great Depression, for example, you must find someone who was at least in his or her early teen years during the 1930s. This means that the person must be at least 80 years old today. This is not as hard as you think; older people are all around you. They are your relatives, neighbors and family friends. You can always interview someone about a less distant event, too, like the Civil Rights Movement or the Vietnam War. In any case, most people will be thrilled that you are interested in their experiences and will go out of their way to make the interview an experience that you will not forget.
Who should you choose to interview?
Who is your final choice for your interview?
You should record the name, address, and telephone number of your interview subject, so that you can contact the person, before or after the interview, if necessary.
Name:_______________________________________________
Phone:_______________________________________________
Email: _______________________________________________
Setting up the Interview
Location: _____________________________________________________________________
Post Card/Email Confirmation:
Dear ________________________, Thank you for agreeing to an interview on audio- or videotape. I will meet you:
Date: _________________________________
Time: _________________________________
Place: _________________________________
I would like to ask some questions about the topic of: _______________________________________________. I would enjoy seeing and hearing about any photographs, letters, or other keepsakes that you would be willing to share with others.
Yours truly, _________________
Telephone Number_______
Preparing for the Interview Background Reading:
What have you found out about your interview topic?
“Just the Facts”: Taking Notes After doing some background reading, one of the best ways to begin sorting through the information that you have just learned about your focus topic is to fill in answers for the five “w’s:” who, what, when, where and why. Start by writing your focus topic in the title box at the top of the page. Then, write, in your own words, quick notes that answer the five “w” questions listed down the side of the page. Most likely, you will find a lot of information about your focus topic in books, movies, and on the Internet. It is up to you to sift through the information and choose those facts that will help you the most to prepare for your interview. Remember that the goal of this exercise is to help you come up with the most useful questions to ask your interview subject.
Writing Interview Questions Memory Questions:
After you have decided on a focus topic and done some background reading, you should carefully consider and write down the questions that you plan to use in your interview, using your own worksheet or the one provided with this manual. Your interview should begin with several memory questions. First, memory questions should help relax your subject and get them in a mood to reminisce. Second, these questions will help you gather information about your subject’s personal experiences. Note that your topic and questions will be shaped by the subject(s) you choose to interview. You will get the best answers if you ask your interview subject to talk about his or her own experiences, so encourage your interviewee to provide personal stories, sad and funny memories that you will not find in the standard school books.
Writing Additional Questions
In order to learn as much as possible from the interview experience you should write several questions that will encourage your subject to expand and explain their feelings and ideas. The second stage of questions should encourage your subject to dig deeper into the stories to explain why things happened and how they relate to other events. Below are some basic questions to help you get started. Use your own worksheet, or the one provided, to write your own complete questions.
Explanation Questions
- What caused this event…?
- Why did this happen…?
- What happened next…?
- Can you describe the scene in one word…?
- Can you compare two events…?
- Explain the reason for…?
- What conclusion can you draw…?
- What is your point of view about…?
- Can you describe the scene…?
- Can you explain a photograph…?
Judgment Questions
The last group of questions should offer your subject a chance to talk about the “big picture” by telling about what was good or bad, important or less important. These questions should be asked last because they allow the interview subject a chance to sum up and make conclusions. Remember that this is your subject’s opportunity to give his or her own opinion—you may or may not agree with the conclusions.
- What was the happiest (funniest or saddest) memory?
- What was your biggest accomplishment?
- What actions would you change if you had a chance to re-live those years again?
- What mistakes did people make during this period or event in history?
- What should people today remember about this time/event?
Interview Tips
Proper Attire
You want your interview subjects to relax and tell their best stories. Your clothing should not distract your subject from the purpose of the interview. You should be neatly dressed in comfortable clothes. Practice If you are not familiar with audio- or videotape recorders, you should make a practice tape at home.
Set Up
If you are videotaping your interview, the camera will be set up on a tripod. Put the camera as close to the interview subject as possible. If you have a camera operator ask him or her to keep the camera as still as possible. Use the zoom button only when a close-up seems to help the audience understand the story being told. (Do not put the camera more than ten feet from the subject unless you have a special microphone that is attached to a jack.)
Identify the Tape
Whether you use an audio- or videotape, you want to be sure to identify your project. Speaking clearly, say, “My name is __________________ and, I am interviewing ________________________ on the topic of____________________. The time is_____a.m./p.m. and the date is _____________________.”
Conducting the Interview
Let your interview subject know that this is an important project and that you are very interested in his or her personal experiences. Treat the interview as serious work. Ask each question from your list and wait respectfully for an answer. (Don’t be afraid of silence! Sometimes it may take your subject a moment or two to compose an answer.) Look directly at the person who is giving the interview. Nod and smile to show that you are listening and understand the story. If you don’t understand, ask a follow up question. Remember this probably will be your only chance to get these stories on tape.
Interview Skill: Active Listening
If you find that your interview subject needs to be assured that you are listening and understand his or her story, try to paraphrase (repeat in your own words) an important part of the interview. This will let your storytellers know that you are connecting with them and their stories.
Checking the Tape
When you feel the interview is complete. Stop the recorder and rewind the tape. Replay the tape to check to see that the recording can be seen and/or heard. Ask your subject if he or she wishes to erase or add any comments before you leave. Once both of you are satisfied, ask your subject to sign the following permission form. This is an important final step of the interview (This will allow you to show the interview to others.) Before you leave, smile and say, “Thank you!”
Written Transcript of the Tape:
You should make a written transcript of some part of the taped interview that you think is especially important. When you think back on the experience, which story comes to mind first? These stories are probably the best parts to transcribe on paper. Remember that a transcription is the exact words from the tape. In order to be true to your subject’s wishes and to be historically accurate, do not change words. Thank you note: Write a thank you note after you view or listen to the tape. Quote an important part of the interview in the note to let the subject know that you spent the time to listen and think about his or her story.
Conclusion:
After the interview tape and transcript are complete it is a good idea to take a quiet moment to think about what you learned from the experience.
Write a response to the following, which will be included in your final paper.
