Take Time: Take the time at the beginning of the interview to introduce yourself and tell your interviewee a little bit about yourself.  It will help you both feel more comfortable.

 

Ask Easy Questions First:  Asking easy questions first, like basic biographical information, will help both you and your interviewee get comfortable with the interview process.

Stay Engaged: People are more likely to tell a good story if they feel that you are really interested and paying attention to what they are saying.  Use body language like looking at the speaker, nodding and smiling to send the message that you are interested.

Don’t be Afraid of Silence: Pauses and moments of silence happen in every conversation.  If your interviewee pauses or is quiet, he or she may be thinking of what to say next or remembering something he or she has not thought of in years.

Ask the Right Questions: A good interview question will prompt someone to tell a story.  You will want to ask open ended questions, rather than questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no”.  It also helps to ask questions one at a time.  If you ask several questions at once, your interviewee is likely to only answer the first or last question.

Follow Up on the Good Stuff:  If your interviewee starts telling a good story, or you are particularly interested in their response, don’t be shy to ask a follow up question or ask them to elaborate.  You can ask not only what they did, but how they felt and what they thought.

Ask for Specific Examples:  If your interviewee makes a vague or general statement about something you would like to know more about, you could say “I don’t understand.  Could you explain in more detail?”

Be Yourself!:   Relax.  The more comfortable you are, the more comfortable your interviewee will be.

Don’t Interrupt:  If your interviewee is telling a good story, let them finish.  If you think of a question, or want to clarify a point, write down your question and ask it when the interviewee is finished answering your original question.

Don’t Challenge: If you think your interviewee may be giving inaccurate information, remember, this is about their perceptions.  If you confront them, they may not want to answer any more questions.

Give Positive Feedback:  Say things like “this is great information” or “this is really interesting” to convey to your interviewee that their story is valued.  Try not to interrupt interviews by saying “uh-huh” while the person is speaking.

Use Props: If your interviewee has brought photographs or memorabilia, ask about them!  Photos and mementos can be a wonderful way to learn more about someone.

Be Sensitive:  If your interviewee is getting tired, stop the interview.  If your interviewee feels uncomfortable with a certain area of questions, change the subject. 

Reference List:

 

About.com “Top 10 Tips for Great Interview Stories”

Moyer, Judith.  1999.  Dohistory.org “Step-by-Step Guide to  Oral History”

Smithsonian Institution.  “The Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide”