Oral History Project

…Mr. McDonnell

8th Grade Social Studies

OFFICIAL GUIDELINES TO THE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

What is an Oral History project?

Oral History is different from its cousin, history.  Oral history is more concerned with memories, feelings, and experiences than with facts, interpretations, and statistics.  It also does not go nearly as far back in time. History’s scope, of course, stretches thousands of years back.  Oral History goes back a generation or two. Yet, the fascinating thing about Oral history, is that it becomes history.  For once recorded, it becomes documented. Once this happens, you will have created a significant historical document.

The finished product of an oral history gives the reader an intensely unique and personal account of a past era.  The historical importance of this is obvious. It is a chance for you to make history.  Literally.

1. What do you have to do? Component 1

  • – Decide whom you wish to interview and what you wish to interview them about.
  • – Receive permission to do the interview from your informant.
  • – Write a proposal -typed on quarter to one half page on who you will ask to interview, what you plan to interview them about, and when you are going to do the interview. Do include this proposal in your finished project.

2. What do you have to do? Component 2

  • – Do research on the topic on which you will interview your informant. Have a list of 20-25 questions based on your research that you bring to your interview. Incorporate this list in your finished project.
  • Also write a 3-4 page Research paper on your topic. – (1.5 spacing)

3. What do you have to do? Component 3

  • – Interview a person who lived in and through the time period you are asking them about.
  • – Interview this person for about an hour- at least 45 minutes
  • – I suggest you have two interview sessions a week apart, 30 minutes each. If you are doing someone’s early years, I suggest you always ask “Tell me about your earliest childhood memory.” and end with, “Is there any final message to give to future generations?”
  • – Record the interview. (Tape record, microphone into computer, videotape. ipod headphones can be microphones.. just plug them into the jack.)
  • – Ask permission from your informant to record them.
  • – Make sure your recorder in whatever its form works (i.e. has batteries, etc…)

4. What do you have to do? Component 4

  • – After the interview, transcribe (write out) the entire interview. (This is strongly recommended, but very tedious.)
  • – After the transcription is complete, edit down the finished product to 8-12 pages (single space and a half- 12 font- please. No more and no less..)
  • – The transcription might be well over 20 pages.
  • – Consider how to order the paper and edit into a seamless whole. Do you want it to be in chronological order, or by topical order?
  • – Consider how to maintain the person’s voice. You probably should keep slang and folksy grammar, unless it makes the meaning unclear.
  • – Edit out your questions wherever possible.
  • – For the final project, incorporate maps/ pictures/ photographs/ footnotes.
  • – Type the final project.
  • – Due Tuesday, May 18, 2012

Who should you interview?

Here are some suggestions:

Is there a neighbor, a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, a teacher, an older cousin you can interview?

There is also something to be said about interviewing someone you don’t know,  because a parent might not share everything.

This is the biggest project of the year- certainly it is the most important and the most rewarding.  I promise you that you will be very proud of yourself when you are done- and you will create a document of historical significance.

It is amazing stuff.

To calm the concerns some of you might be having right now, here are some journal quotes from a class from a couple of years ago about the project.

Before I actually began it, I was, it seemed, eternally mad at you for giving us this project (no offense).  I disagreed that it was a good learning experience; I didn’t see the point of it and I thought it was a waste of time.  I figured that I would end up getting a bad grade on it considering the fact that it sounded impossible, and then completely regret even spending time on it.  Of course, that was just me being pessimistic.  But now, after it’s all over and done with, I really am glad that I did it.  I got to know more about my uncle’s experiences in the Vietnam War, and I got to also learn about the Vietnam War itself, which I didn’t know anything about when I started.  Getting to know my uncle better was great, especially because he lives in Texas and I never talk to him…..Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for giving us this project, because I really did benefit from it, and I know that my uncle was really flattered that I chose him to interview.  Oh yeah, and Mr. McD.?  Don’t you dare show this to your next year’s class.  Let them be intimidated…it’s good for their character.

I think that the oral history project personalizes every person’s project so instead of learning it out of a generalizing text book, it’s almost as if we are experiencing it ourselves.  It makes the 8th graders that are interviewing feel special because they’re making history.  That fact boggles my mind every time I think about it.

 

I know its spring break but I just wanted to let you know that my grandmother passed away just last Thursday, and when I went to write a eulogy for her funeral I didn’t know where to start, but thankfully I had the oral history from last year. I just wanted to thank you for doing that project because now it’s all I have left of her and it’s such an incredible piece of her and I can still hear her voice when I read the stories. Thank you so much, enjoy your break.