Recording Oral History A Practical Guide for Social Scientists

by Valerie Raleigh Yow

• ISBN13: 9780803955783
• ISBN10: 0803955782
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1994-02-14
• Publisher: Sage Publications

Summary

With extensive examples from both historical and social science literature, this book is a practical guide to methods of recording oral history. The author provides suggestions on a range of techniques from developing a written interview guide and using tape recorders to asking probing questions during in-depth interviews and editing transcriptions. She also covers the ethical and legal issues involved in conducting life-history interviews and elaborates on three different types of oral history projects: community studies, biographies and family histories.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Introduction to the In-Depth Interview	1	(31)
Brief History of the Use of Oral History	3	(1)
Definition of Oral History	3	(1)
Oral History: Still a New Kid on the Block	4	(1)
Qualitative Research and Quantitative Research: Comparisons	5	(3)
The In-Depth Interview as a Qualitative Research Method	8	(1)
Differences in Ways That Disciplines Approach the In-Depth Interview	9	(1)
Uses of the Recorded In-Depth Interview	10	(5)
Limitations of the Recorded Life Review	15	(7)
Special Strengths of Oral History	22	(2)
Summary	24	(1)
Notes	25	(3)
Recommended Reading	28	(4)
Preparation for the Interviewing Project	32	(23)
Conceptualization of the Research Project	33	(2)
Composing the Interview Guide	35	(3)
Strategies for Questioning	38	(6)
Kinds of Words and Phrasing to Avoid	44	(1)
Selecting Narrators	45	(3)
Contacting Narrators	48	(1)
Scheduling the Interview	49	(1)
Preparing the Equipment	50	(2)
Summary	52	(1)
Notes	53	(1)
Recommended Reading	53	(2)
Interviewing Techniques	55	(29)
The Preliminary Meeting	56	(2)
Beginning the Interview	58	(2)
Building Rapport	60	(4)
Diminishing Rapport	64	(2)
Using Skill in Questioning	66	(6)
Coping With Troublesome Situations	72	(6)
Ending the Interview	78	(2)
Summary	80	(1)
Notes	81	(2)
Recommended Reading	83	(1)
Legalities and Ethics	84	(32)
Legal Issues	84	(5)
Ethical Issues	89	(7)
The Ethics of the Profession Versus Humanitarian Concerns	96	(2)
Truth in Presentation of Findings: Commissioned Research	98	(5)
Unconscious Advocacy	103	(2)
Protection of Interviewer in Contracts	105	(1)
Power in the Interview	105	(2)
Ethics in Relationships of Unequal Power	107	(1)
Correct Representation of the Narrator's Meaning	108	(1)
Summary	109	(2)
Notes	111	(2)
Recommended Reading	113	(3)
Interpersonal Relations in the Interview	116	(27)
Effects of the Interview on the Narrator	117	(4)
Effects of the Interview on the Interviewer	121	(6)
Effects of Race, Gender, Age, Class, Ethnicity, and Subculture	127	(8)
Conclusions About Differences Impinging on the Interview	135	(1)
Effects of the Interview on People Close to the Narrator	136	(1)
Summary	136	(1)
Notes	137	(3)
Recommended Reading	140	(3)
Varieties of Oral History Projects: Community Studies	143	(24)
Preparation for Interviewing in Community Studies	144	(5)
Choice of Narrators	149	(1)
Structuring the Interview Guide to Show Connections to the Wider World	150	(1)
Special Research Situations	151	(10)
Summary	161	(1)
Notes	161	(2)
Recommended Reading	163	(4)
Varieties of Oral History Projects: Biography	167	(25)
Life History and Biography	168	(2)
Initial Contact With the Subject	170	(2)
Thoughts on Recording a Life History: Constructing a Self	172	(2)
Motivation, Bias, and Strategies in the Narrator's Testimony	174	(3)
Interviewer's Motivations, Strategies, and Biases	177	(4)
Interviewing Associates and Enemies	181	(1)
Revealing Details of Private Life, Family Reactions	182	(2)
Legal Difficulties in Researching and Writing Contemporary Biography	184	(1)
Representativeness of the Life	185	(1)
Summary	186	(1)
Notes	187	(2)
Recommended Reading	189	(3)
Varieties of Oral History Projects: Family Research	192	(28)
Finding Families for Social Science Research	195	(1)
Introduction of the Project to the Family	196	(1)
Inspiring Narrators' Interest in Participating in the Research	197	(1)
Research Strategies	198	(1)
Sensitivity to Members' Feelings Versus Need to Present Evidence	199	(2)
Confronting Differences in Interpretation With the Narrator	201	(1)
Interviewing Techniques With Family Members	202	(2)
Use of Artifacts in Interviewing	204	(2)
Family Folklore	206	(2)
Suggested Questions to Ask in Family History Research	208	(3)
Evaluation of Family Members' Oral Histories	211	(1)
Advantages of Studying Family History	212	(1)
Summary	213	(2)
Notes	215	(2)
Recommended Reading	217	(3)
Conclusion of the Project	220	(25)
Evaluation of the Interview	221	(1)
Face Sheet and Information Sheet	222	(1)
Content Analysis	223	(2)
Index to Each Tape and Master Index	225	(2)
Transcription	227	(6)
Return of the Transcript to the Narrator	233	(3)
Publication of Oral Histories	236	(4)
Sharing Information	240	(1)
Summary	241	(1)
Notes	242	(2)
Recommended Reading	244	(1)
Appendix A	245	(7)
Sample Interview Guide: Workers at Wurlitzer, World War II	245	(7)
Appendix B	252	(13)
Principles and Standards of the Oral History Association	252	(3)
Oral History Evaluation Guidelines	255	(10)
Appendix C	265	(3)
Sample Face Sheet	265	(1)
Sample Information Sheet	266	(1)
Sample Index (first page)	267	(1)
Appendix D	268	(1)
Sample First Page of a Tape Collection's Master Index	268	(1)
Appendix E	269	(3)
Model Record-Keeping Sheets	269	(3)
Appendix F	272	(4)
Sample Release Forms	272	(2)
Interviewer Agreement	274	(1)
Deed of Gift for Deposit in Archives	275	(1)
Author Index	276	(4)
Subject Index	280	(4)
About the Author	284