This presentation was created to provide undergraduate students at FIU an overview of the oral history process

Bakker, Rebecca J

English

DigitalCommons@Florida International University

Florida International University FIU Digital Commons Works of the FIU Libraries FIU Libraries 3-10-2022 Oral History Best Practices Rebecca J. Bakker Florida International University, rbakker@fiu.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/glworks  Part of the Library and Information Science Commons, and the Oral History Commons Recommended Citation Bakker, Rebecca J., "Oral History Best Practices" (2022). Works of the FIU Libraries. 110. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/glworks/110 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the FIU Libraries at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Works of the FIU Libraries by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact dcc@fiu.edu. ORAL HISTORYBEST PRACTICESRebecca BakkerDigital Collections Librarianrbakker@fiu.eduWhat this presentation(hopefully) will coverOral History Project Overview Where to find additional resources Steps necessary to get you ready tocreate your own oral history! Why do Oral Histories?Fill in the gaps of historyPreserves who we are in thepresent and what we rememberabout the pastCreation of a primary source forfuture researchersOral History Associationoralhistory.org Baylor University's Institute of Oral Histories University of Florida's Samuel Proctor Oral HistoryProgram Oral History ResourcesOral HistoryCore PrinciplesRespectTransparencyAwarenessPreservationDo No Harmhttps://www.oralhistory.org/oha-core-principles/Before theInterviewFirst Steps Why are you doing thisproject?What do you hope to learn?What kinds of questions willyou ask?Think about who you want tointerview and why:Communicating with your NarratorGive your narrator an idea on what you will be asking Let them know the interview will be recordedExplain how the interview will be usedLet them know they can decline to answer any questionsSend them the release form to review and sign.Introduce yourself and describe the project.Set clear expectations: Schedule interview for when it is convenient for them.Get some background information on the narrator. Ask if there are anyitems they would like to bring: awards, scrapbooks, photo albums, etc.Thank them for their time and willingness to participate!Remember: you are building rapport and trust in these firstcommunications!ResearchTime period and locations that will likely be subjectof interviewRelevant news events that may have taken placeProminent people in the industry, organization, etc.Publications, interests, research areas of narratorRough chronology of narrator's lifeDo some background research on: FIU ResourcesFIU Special Collections & University Archives -https://specialcollections.fiu.edu/http://dpanther.fiu.edu/sobek/l/ua/textFIU Course Catalogs - https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/catalogs/FIU Yearbooks - https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/yearbooks/FIU Employee Newsletters -http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpanther/items?searchContent=Ivory+Tower+Florida+International+University&searchCode=TIFIU Student Newspapers -http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpanther/collections/bnPrepareListen to other oral history interviewsKnow your topic and participantThink about the audience and final destination of interviewAnticipate challengesPractice!Interview QuestionsOpen ended Historical interviewing NOT Job interviewingAsk specific follow up questions during interviewHave at least 10 prepared interview questions Sample questions:Tell me about _______What were some of the challenges you faced when youbegan your career?How did working at FIU compare with your prior workexperiences?Why did you move to Miami?Oral History Release FormsRelease forms make the narrator aware of how the interviewwill be used, and is essential to make the interview available toresearchers.The release form may indicate where interview will be housed,if it will be accessible online and any copyright restrictions.Two forms should be submitted: one signed by interviewer andone signed by narrator.Should be clear and concise! Make copies and keep them withthe recorded interview files!Sample release forms:The Claremont Colleges, Inc. Library of CongressFIU Photographic/Film Consent & Release FormSetting up for theInterviewAvailable EquipmentVideo RecordersAudio RecordersSD CardsMicrophonesFIU's Digital Scholar StudioGreen Library, MMC Campus, GL540Contact: Molly Castro, Digital Humanities Librarianmocastro@fiu.eduFIU's Media & Instructional Technology ServicesGreen Library, MMC Campus, GL 177Contact: mediaeqp@fiu.edu 305-348-2815 codecs: uncompressed losslessbit depth: 24 bits per sampleheight and width: minimum 720x486 pixels at 30 frames per secondsampling rate: minimum sample rate of 44.1 KHz, although sampling at 96 KHz is encouragedFiles created for "streaming" broadcast (e.g. RealAudio, Windows Media) - these files sacrifice quality forfile size. They are often reduced from high resolution files by removing high and low frequency rangesand compressing the remaining signal.AUDIO is the most important part of the interviewUncompressed audio/video is preferred:Video: AVI, MOV, MPEG-4Audio: AIFF, WAVMP4 and MP3/M4A are OKPreferred:Not preferred:Recording Best PracticesInterview Recording TipsFrame your shot and pay attention to lighting on the interviewee’sface.Helpful if your shot gets a sense of the person in context of theirsurroundings.Continually check your shot, as people shift out of the frame.When possible, use an external mic.Use a tripod or make sure camera is in a secure position.Know how to edit the settings of your video, and how to get it off the device.If possible, have a helper who is recording, listening to audio through headphones.Know your equipment: Practice/test before recording!Recording TipsMake sure narrator is comfortable. Remind them that they can choose what questions to answer, and that the camera can be turned off at any time they would like.Quiet room – really be aware of ambient noise (fans, lawnmowers, traffic, cell phones). Audio is the most important part of the interview!Agree to the length of time, and keep track. Make sure you can record that long on your device!Ideally, one cut.Redundant audio capturing, if at all possible. Have a second recorder running! Make a CLAP!Make sure your device is plugged in or has enough battery life.Make backup copies immediately! Keep with signed release forms.Cell Phone Recording TipsPut it on airplane mode!Make sure you have enough internal storage for the file size.Be careful of apps that may violate privacy of narrator.Make sure there are no time limits to record video/audio.Make sure mic will capture audio for both interviewer and narrator.Know how to get the file off your phone.Remote Oral HistoriesMake sure narrator is comfortable with the format and hasall necessary equipment.Use external mic - smartphone earbuds are fine (and makesure computer knows the audio input is headphones!)Close all applications that might make noise or pop upnotifications (and recommend the same to narrator).Test your internet speed before the interview. Redundant capture, if possible.Make sure you have a phone # for your narrator - just in casethings go down!Oral History Association. (2020, October 8). Considerations for Remote Oral HistoryInterviewing.https://www.oralhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Remote-interviewing-guidelines-10.8.2020.pdf Recording theInterviewInterview TipsStart with a “lead”! The lead should consist of the names of narrator and interviewer, dateof the session, interview’s location, and proposed subject of the recording.Start with biographical questions: early life, education, family. Ask controversial/sensitive topics after rapport has beenestablished.Ask one question at a time.Don’t challenge answers.Allow tangents and off-topic stories.Be a curious and active listener!Interview ProbesSilence – give them time and space to answerEncouragement – nod, smile, engageImmediate elaboration – Tell me more about that! And then what happened?Immediate clarification – How did you feel about that? When did that occur?Retrospective elaboration – A few minutes ago, you mentioned your mentor’sinfluence in your life. Tell me about her.Reflective probe: Repeat what they saidOral History for Texans, Second Edition by Thomas L. Charlton: https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/33212.pdfEnding InterviewRespect the narrator's time - stop at the agreed upon timeIf narrator seems fatigued, stop or take breaksAsk if there is anything they would like to mention that you did not ask aboutAsk them to spell any names or places you did not understandClose the session by asking them to asses the experienceof being interviewedLet the narrator know if you will be providing a copy of theinterview and/or transcriptThank the narrator for their involvementAfter the InterviewAfter the InterviewMake notes immediately! Add some context, biographicalinformation on the interviewee, or anything that might help theaudience or transcriber understand the interview better. Create a quick summary. This may be used to create an abstractthat can be used as a finding aid later.Make digital copies, and make sure copies are being preservedwithin accepted best practices (ask your local librarian/archivist forhelp, as needed!)Send a thank you to the narrator for their time and involvement!Transcripts/CaptionsMakes the interviews more accessibleRough versions can be created through AIsoftwareCan be very time consuming!Consider transcribing only relevant or importantportions.Send transcript to the narrator for review.Ask your local librarian/archivist for assistance increating transcripts!Rebecca BakkerDigital CollectionsLibrarianrbakker@fiu.eduTHANK YOU FORBEING HERE!

Oral History Best Practices

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Oral History Best Practices

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