Got Roots? Doing an Oral History Project

Interviewing (2 days)

Objective: Student will learn the techniques of good interviewing.

Procedure: Day 1

Review the concept of primary sources
.Students will decide and write the primary source for their interview
Break the students into small groups. Have them brainstorm oral history questions they can ask the person who they are interviewing.
Watch video clip of a good interview. (This can be from a program like the Today Show.) Have the whole class brainstorm techniques of good interviewing.
Continue oral history vocabulary development. (Click here for important terms.)
Continue work on Springer family narrative. Edit with your partner. Begin final draft.

Procedure: Day 2

Pass out Interviewing Techniques Sheet.
Have students focus on open and closed ended questions
.Practice interviewing techniques as well as taping techniques with their peers.
Complete Springer family narrative to present tomorrow.

Material: Computer, worksheets and tape of an interview.

Assessment: This is a rubric for evaluating interviews in general.

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Preparation	Before the interview, the student prepared several in-depth AND factual questions to ask.	Before the interview, the student prepared a couple of in-depth questions and several factual questions to ask.	Before the interview, the student prepared several factual questions to ask.	The student did not prepare any questions before the interview.
Notetaking	The interviewer took occasional notes during the interview, but usally maintained focus on the person rather than the notes. Notes were added to immediately after the interview so facts were not lost.	The interviewer took occasional notes during the interview, but usally maintained focus on the person rather than the notes. No additional notes were taken.	The interviewer took notes during the interview, but did so in a way that interrupted the "flow" of the interview. Additional notes may, or may not, have been taken.	The interviewer took no notes during or after the interview.
Follow-up Questions	The student listened carefully to the person being interviewed and asked several relevant follow-up questions based on what the person said.	The student listened carefully to the person being interviewed and asked a couple of relevant follow-up questions based on what the person said.	The student asked a couple of follow-up questions based on what s/he thought the person said.	The student did not ask any follow-up questions based on what the person said.
Politeness	Student never interrupted or hurried the person being interviewed and thanked them for being willing to be interviewed.	Student rarely interrupted or hurried the person being interviewed and thanked them for being willing to be interviewed.	Student rarely interrupted or hurried the person being interviewed, but forgot to thank the person.	Several times, the student interrupted or hurried the person being interviewed AND forgot to thank the person.
Copyright 2001, High Plains Regional Technology in Education Consortium