Memories are important — they encapsulate attitudes and beliefs, wisdom and knowledge that lie at the heart of a person's identity and experience. Stories we collect are valuable not necessarily because they represent historical facts, but because they embody human values and truths — a particular way of looking at the world.

Oral History, verbal story telling, is the most traditional way of learning history. The first historians were people who told stories of their experiences and those of their ancestors as far back as they could remember. We need to remember what history is. History is not only to be found in documents, letters or textbooks, but also in the memory of people who witnessed or lived through events. It’s not just a collection process – it’s also a theory of history (ethnography) which maintains that the common folk and the powerless have a history as well as those who are famous, or those who are the “conquerors.”

The following is a brief guide to interviewing:

Before the Interview

1. Schedule a time and place to conduct the interview. If you plan to use a tape recorder, ask permission.
2. Explain the purpose of the interview, and what will happen to the tapes and/or notes afterwards.
3. Conduct some background research at libraries, archives, and on the internet. Books, pamphlets, photographs, maps, and family documents provide information on your subject and assist in planning questions,
4. Prepare a list of questions. Make sure they are open-ended. Avoid questions that elicit simple yes or no answers. Questions that begin with "How" "What" or "Why" usually elicit a more complete response than questions that begin with "Do" or "Did." For example, "How did you travel to Canada?" or "What was it like to travel?" instead of "Did you like traveling?"
5. Know which questions are central to your subject, but don't be limited to your list. Questions are meant simply to help focus and guide the interview.
6. Structure the interview. Think of the interview as a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Build on your questions and link them together in a logical way.

Tape-recording supplemented by note-taking are the most useful methods of recording: tape-recording allows you to do more complete documentation, and captures the inflections, tone, pauses, and other subtleties of performance. A small cassette tape recorder with either a built-in or an external (plug-in) microphone is a good choice. Use high-quality 60-or 90-minute cassettes (longer tapes can stretch or break). Bring spare cassettes, an extension chord and batteries (in case of limited electrical outlets).

A camera also captures a visual record of the person you are interviewing or objects that assist in telling the story (quilt, artifacts). A zoom lens attachment is useful for documenting old family photographs, letters, birth records, or scrapbooks. A video camera can capture and visually record the activities and the  interview itself, but not all subjects are comfortable with this medium.

During the Interview

• Wherever stories are told and traditional customs observed can be places to interview (the home, workplace, church hall, community centre).
• Begin by providing interviewees with your name and telephone number. Discuss the purpose of the interview and describe the nature of your project.
• Place the tape recorder within easy reach so that you can change tapes and adjust the controls, and position the microphone so that all voices are heard.
• Eliminate or minimize loud background noises (radio, television, street noise, a loud-ticking clock, clattering dishes).
• To test the equipment, tape a few seconds of counting or conversation. Re-wind tape and orally label the tape by recording your name, your subject’s name, the date, the location, and the topic of the interview.
• An opening question that will help put your subject at ease is often biographical: "Where were you born?", "Where did you grow up?" or “What is your earliest memory?”
• Avoid questions that will bring only a yes or no response. In order to get as much specific information as possible, be sure to ask follow-up questions: "Could you explain?" "Can you give me an example?" or "How did that happen?"
• Show interest and listen carefully to what your subject is saying. Keep eye contact and encourage him or her with nods or smiles, but avoid any verbal interruptions (mm’s. oh’s, ah’s and giggles)
• Participate in the conversation without dominating it. Don't be afraid of silences — give the person you are interviewing time to think and respond. Be prepared to detour from your list of questions if necessary.
• Visual materials can stimulate memories: old photographs, family photo albums, scrapbooks, letters, birth certificates, family Bibles, tools, heirlooms, and mementos can trigger stories.
• Don't turn the tape recorder on and off while the interview is in progress. Not only are you likely to miss important information, but it disturbs the flow of the story.
• Number each tape as you take it out of the tape recorder. More specific information is best added later.
• Near the end of the interview, take a quick look over your prepared list of questions to see if you've covered everything important to the story.
• Be sensitive to the needs of your interviewee. If he or she is getting tired, stop the interview and schedule another session. Between one and two hours is usually the right amount of time for an interview.

What is your name? Where and when were you born? Where did you grow up? Where have you lived? What jobs have you had?

Sample Questions: Family Folklore

• What do you know about your family name? Are there stories about its history or origins? Has it undergone any changes? Are there any stories about those changes? Are there any traditional first names or nicknames in your  family? What are they? How did they come about? Are there any naming traditions? What are they?
•   Do you know any stories about how your family first came to Canada? Where did they first settle? Why? How did they make a living? Did your family stay in one place or move around? How did they come to live in this area?
•   If your interviewee is a first-generation immigrant, you might ask: Why did you leave to come to Canada? What possessions did you bring with you and why? What was the journey like? Which family members came along or  stayed behind? What were some of your first impressions and early experiences in this country? What traditions or customs have you made an effort to preserve? Why? Are there traditions that you have given up or changed?  Why?
• What languages do you speak? Do you speak a different language in different settings, such as home, school, or work? Are there any expressions, jokes, stories, celebrations where a certain language is always used? Can you give some examples?
• Do you know any courtship stories? How did your parents, grandparents, and other relatives come to meet and marry?
• What are some of your childhood memories? What games did you play when you were a child? Did you sing verses when you played games? What were they? What kinds of toys did you play with? Who made them? Did you make any yourself? How did you make them? What kinds of materials did you use? What kind of home entertainment was there? Was there storytelling? Music? Were there craft traditions?
• Does your family have any special sayings or expressions? What are they? How did they come about?
• How are holidays traditionally celebrated in your family? What holidays are the most important? Are there special family traditions, customs, songs, foods? Has your family created its own traditions and celebrations? What are they? How did they come about?
• What special food traditions does your family have? Have any recipes been preserved and passed down in your family from generation to generation? What are they? What are their origins? Have they changed over the years?
• How? Have any of the ingredients been adapted or changed? Why? Are there certain foods that are traditionally prepared for holidays and celebrations? Who makes them? Are there family stories connected to the preparation of special foods?
• Does your family hold reunions? When? Where? Who attends? How long have the reunions been going on? What activities take place? Is there a central figure who is honored? Why? What sorts of stories are told at these events?
• What family heirlooms or mementos do you possess? Why are they valuable to you? What is their history? How were they handed down? Are there any memories or stories connected with them?
• Do you have any photo albums, scrapbooks, home movies? Who made them? When? Can you explain their contents? Who is pictured? What activities and events are documented?

• The person you interviewed needs to sign a written release that provides permission to comply with any restrictions requested. Always ask permission to use the results of the interview in the ways you both agree on. It is important to respect confidences and privacy.
• Label all your tapes and notes with the date, person’s name, location of the interview, your name, project title, and any brief thematic information that might be helpful.
• Consider preparing a tape log (topic-by-topic summary) of the contents of the recording after the interview. You can use the counter on the tape recorder to note the location of each new topic. With this tape log, you will later be able to go back and select portions of the tape to listen to and transcribe (word-for-word translation of the tape-recorded interview). Complete tape transcriptions are important, but they are also very time-consuming. A good compromise is to do a combination of logging and transcribing: log the general contents of the tape and transcribe, word for word, the parts that you think you might want to quote directly.
• Store the tapes in a safe place where they are protected from heat, water, and other damage.
• Consider sharing your findings (with the permission of the interviewee). You may simply want to index and/or transcribe your tape-recorded interviews and store your materials in a safe place where you and other members of your family or community can have easy access to them, such as a local archive, school library, historical society, or community organization. Or you might want to organize and share your information with others by writing a family history, organizing an exhibition, compiling a family scrapbook, or  making a memory quilt, publishing a newsletter or magazine, or producing a video documentary.
• Consider sending a written thank you to the person you interviewed and, if possible, include a copy of the tape(s).