Doing Oral History on a Shoestring

A note about this part of the resource

The lecture that is associated with this page is heavily influenced and derived from Oregon State University Libraries Oral History Interviewing Methods & Project Management Guide.

• Getting Started: How to reach out and build trust
• Permissions and Ethics: The importance of empathy, gratitude... and paperwork
• Interview Preparation: Pre-interview and other ideas on how to get ready
• Conducting the Interview: Golden Rules, Pro Tips and what to expect

For more information about these specific sections please visit OSU Libraries' Oral History Methods & Projec Management Resource Guide.

Oral History Interviewing Methods & Project Management Resource Guide

For this activity you are going to practice interviewing a workshop peer. Use these questions and take 10 minutes to do an interview. It is okay if you do not get to all of these questions. The aim of doing this activity is to give you experience as an interviewer and a narrator.

• What was your musical taste like when you were young?
• How have your musical taste evolved since then?
• Tell us about your experiences playing a music instrument or attending live musical performances?
• What role do you say music played in your day to day life?
• What is the largest impact music has had on your life?

When you are done then we'll reflect through class discussion.