Oral Histories

Tips and Questions for Interviewing Family Members

May 10, 2007 Kim Kankiewicz

Recording interviews with grandparents, parents, and other family members preserves their stories in their own words. Use these tips to plan your interview.

• Don't put it off! Holiday and other family gatherings can be good times to record interviews. If these occasions are too hectic for interviews, consider scheduling a special visit or a phone interview.
• Consider interviewing married couples, siblings, or other closely related individuals together. This is not only more practical in some cases, in terms of scheduling and other logisitics, but it captures the dynamics of those relationships.
• Ask permission before using an audio or video recorder, and look for an inconspicuous spot for the recording machine. Keep a notebook handy so you can jot down quotes or ideas you want to remember.
• Do conduct an interview rather than giving someone a blank book to fill in. You're more likely to get the information you want in an interview, and you honor the person by spending time together in conversation.
• Ask questions beginning with who, what, when, where, and especially why and how. Avoid yes-or-no questions except to introduce a new topic or clarify a point.
• If a formal interview seems intimidating, use photos from the past as conversation starters. Or try the following prompts, organized by category.

What is the meaning of your name? Were you named in honor of another person?

What's your first memory?

Who's the oldest relative you remember and what do you remember about him or her?

How did your parents meet?

How many siblings did you grow up with and what was it like living with them?

Home

Who lived in your childhood home?

With whom did you share a room?

What were your mealtime rituals?

School

Where did you go to school?

What were your favorite subjects and why?

What was your least favorite aspect of school and why?

Who were your school friends and what did you do together?

Who were your best teachers?

Work

What was your first job?

What did you do with your first paycheck?

How did you decide to pursue your career?

What was your work day like?

When did you retire?

What advice would you offer someone at the start of their career?

What advice would you offer someone nearing retirement?

Fun

Where did you go on vacations when you were young?

How did you celebrate holidays?

What are your favorite songs? Books? Movies?

Marriage and Children

How did you meet your spouse?

Where did you go on your first date?

When did you know you wanted to marry him or her?

Tell me about your wedding day.

Tell me about the day your first child was born

How did you choose your child(ren)'s name(s)?

What are your happiest memories of your children?

What about your children makes you the most proud?

Values

What role has faith played in your life?

Who are some of your role models?

Where were you when you heard that President Kennedy was shot? (Add or substitute other historic events, such as the Challenger explosion or the World Trade Center attack.)

What's your experience with or opionion of television? Computers?

Tell me about some of the places where you've been the happiest.

The copyright of the article Oral Histories in Genealogy is owned by Kim Kankiewicz. Permission to republish Oral Histories in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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