1. Firstly, you need to work out what your topic is about. Check your topic with your teacher to make sure that it is suitable.

2. Talk to your parents/guardians and get their permission to do the project. Use the Parent Permission Form provided and ask them to sign it.

2. In order to gather primary information you will need to interview someone. This is part of the process of recording oral history. This means finding the right person to get the best information possible. Again, ask your teacher about the correct way of doing this. You may already have someone in mind who could tell you lots of things.

3. Contact your interviewee and ask permission to do your interview. Reach agreement as to how the information they are giving may be used or accessed. Use the Participation Agreement Form provided and ask them to sign the part they agree to. If the person you wish to interview agrees to participate, then a date and time for the interview that is suitable for both of you should be set.

4. It is a good idea to send or deliver the Participation Agreement Form to the person you wish to interview, and leave enough time for them to give it some consideration. Let them know if you have deadlines.

5. Before the interview, you will have to make a list of relevant questions to ask the interviewee. You will need between ten and twenty questions. Your questions need to be in order. This means that they must be organised into sub-topics.

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• Make sure you introduce yourself and explain the reason for the interview.
• Be polite and respectful.
• Be prepared with serious questions. You don't want to waste people's time.
• Ask permission to tape the interview. If they say no, be prepared to write out (transcribe) the responses.
• Ask your interviewee if they have any photographs or literature they can show you, if this is relevant. This often leads to some good stories and descriptions!
• Give a copy of your work to the interviewee and make sure it reaches them by the promised date. This allows them to check that what you have recorded and transcribed is as they remember it.
• As a researcher you must be flexible and willing to take direction from the interviewee as to how they want their information used or accessed.
• Do not use any material in a way which goes against the wishes of your interviewee.
• Do not ask questions which result in a yes/no answer! You are looking for detailed information and description!
• Practice asking politely for more details.
• If they run out of things to say, ask more questions.

Remember keywords and phrases such as:

• Can you explain that?
• Why?
• Describe what it looked like.

Finally:

• Listen carefully to your interviewee. Tape the person if they will allow it.
• Allow the person to tell you as much as they can. Let them do the talking!
• Remember to say important things like "please", and thank the person for the interview.
• Practice by interviewing your friends.

Good luck. Keep in touch with your teacher regarding your planning and interview and/or any difficulties!

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