Introduction

Unlike an interview given to a journalist or other source, an oral history interview involves an interviewer with well-researched questions holding an in-depth conversation with a narrator (or interviewee) about their experience. An oral history interview focuses on the conversation between the interviewer and narrator, but is ultimately an opportunity for the narrator to tell their own story in their own words.

Separate from a formal oral history, an archivist may choose to record an acquisitions interview to provide context for an incoming acquisition. For more information, see: Acquisitions Interviews. 

Determining the collection title

• Oral history projects funded and conducted by the Center for the History of Medicine will be accessioned as an accrual to Harvard Medical School. Center for the History of Medicine. Project Records (M-CL02, Series 00794). Please refer to the steps below when conducting oral history project on behalf of the Center. 
• If an oral history project is funded by a department or office at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, or the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, it will be acquired as an institutional collection for that funding department/office, under the series "Project Records" (HUGRS #1175). For example: the Six Cities Oral History project (to be cataloged), which was conducted by the Center for the History of Medicine, but funded by the Harvard Chan School. 
• Oral history projects funded and conducted outside of the LMA will be accessioned as a manuscript collection (for example, the Bernard Lown oral histories 2013-2014 (inclusive), which were financed by the Lown Institute and conducted between the donor and another individual not affiliated with the Center for the History of Medicine). 
• Oral history projects connected and conducted by BWH will be accessioned as such.

Where to save files

Oral history projects that will be accessioned as a Center for the History of Medicine project records accrual should be saved within an appropriately titled project folder here: N:\Administration_CHoM\Programs_and_Program_Planning\Oral History Program 

Suggested folder structure:

• N:\Administration_CHoM\Programs_and_Program_Planning\Oral History Program
  • (Project title)
    • Audio Files
    • Correspondence
    • Documentation
    • Reference

Other oral history projects should live as a top level folder within N:\Administration_CHoM\Programs_and_Program_Planning

Suggested folder structure:

•  N:\Administration_CHoM\Programs_and_Program_Planning
  • (Project title)
    • Audio Files
    • Correspondence
    • Documentation
    • Reference

How to conduct an Oral History

Note: the following steps apply only to projects funded and conducted by the Center.  

Step 1: Scope Interview Focus and Research

An oral history interview can target a specific event, time period, or include all aspects of a person’s life and experiences. Prior to asking an interviewee for an interview, determine the scope of the interview and what you hope to learn more about. Conduct research about the time period, event, and/or person so that you can develop the best questions for the interview. Determine the best person to conduct the interview. For example, it may be more interesting if someone else conducts the actual interview, such as a colleague, a younger professional, & etc.

For interviews about sensitive topics, share the questions ahead of time, giving interviewees the opportunity to either edit, remove, or change questions, as well as prepare their thoughts.

Step 2: Schedule the Interview

Determine how best to contact the interviewee. Describe the project, the repository, and yourself in the introduction. Let the interviewee know that you’re hoping to hear about their own experience in their own words. Depending on the topic, determine how long to ask for from the interviewee (an hour is about the limit before needing to take a break, or schedule a follow up interview).

Step 3: Prep Documentation

The following documentation should be prepared in advance of the interview: 

• Oral History Release (template) (*upload to Adobe e-sign)
• Dossier
  • Request a CV from the participant(s), and/or
  • Share a customized Pre-interview questionnaire (template)
    • Example: Civil Rights Oral History Project pre-interview questionnaire.
• Oral history interview questions
• If conducting interviews with multiple people, it may be appropriate to create a tracking spreadsheet (names, contact info, referral info, status of interview, transcription work, etc.)

Examples and templates can be found here: N:\Administration_CHoM\Programs_and_Program_Planning\Oral History Program

Step 4: Determine Technology

1. For an in-person interview, use the Tascam recorder. TASCAM quick set up
2. For a remote interview, use Zoom. You will need to save the recording to the cloud, enable closed captioning, then follow additional steps to save the captioning separately. See Zoom Help: Saving Closed Captions for complete guidance. 
3. For a phone interview, make an account with FreeConferenceCall.com. Share the dial-in number and access code with interviewees, record the interview using Web Controls.

Step 5: Conduct the Interview

During the interview, make your interviewee as comfortable as possible. If possible, give them a bottle of water and have tissues on hand. Explain to them the purpose of the interview and project, and assure them that you can pause, stop, or delete the interview at any point in time before it is over. Let them know that you’ll be asking questions and nodding instead of responding to them so that there is a minimum of overlapping voices and a focus on their responses. Let them know that they can answer for as long or as short as they want, that they do not need to answer every question, and can skip questions if they’d like. The interviewer is asking the questions, but the interviewee is in control.

Show them the release form, let them read it in advance of the interview, and explain what restrictions are. Do not let them sign it until the interview is over, they should not sign away their interview before they have given it.

Begin the interview by stating your name, the date, and the project title. Ask the interviewee for permission to record and begin with an easy warm up question (Tell me about where you grew up.)

Conduct the interview using your draft questions. Do not worry if they answer a question before you get to it. Ask follow up questions as appropriate.

At the end of the interview, thank the interviewee, have them sign the release form. Thank them again, and let them know that you’ll be in touch with the transcript.

Step 6: After the Interview

Thank the interviewee again in writing. Send the audio file to be transcribed. Audit the audio file by comparing the transcription against the recording. Share the transcript with the interviewee.

Active oral history projects should stay on the N: drive until they are finished. At the conclusion of the project, image the files then extract use copies. Delete the originals from the N: drive. 

Acquisitions Interviews

Acquisitions interviews are different from oral histories, in that they are recorded to provide context for an incoming acquisition. An archivist may choose to record an acquisitions interview if this proves to be easier than taking notes (for example, if the donor has a lot of information to provide, or if traditional notetaking is not an option). As with an oral history, the narrator/records donor may opt to create researcher access to their interview. 

• If possible, try to use one of the suggested technologies mentioned above for recording. However, a recoding app within a personal cell phone can always work in a pinch. 
• After the interview, have the narrator/records donor complete a Acquisitions Interview Release Form (*upload to Adobe e-sign)
• Acquisitions interviews do not need to be accessioned
• Save the files as follows:
  • Institutional collections:
    • If the interview is about a specific accession – keep folder within series/ accession level folder.
    • If it is general about the department/office, keep folder at the same top level as the Acquisitions and Description folders. 
  • Manuscript collections:
    • Keep as a sub folder nested just beneath donor folder. 
• (for discussion) Bib record – any opportunity to reference acquisition interview?