HomeDoing Feminist Oral Histories

Doing Feminist Oral Histories

The Interview Process Step-by-Step

SAYHU’s approach to conducting interviews for our archive is grounded in our key values. Our method of doing feminist oral history and approach (methodology) was outlined by founding member Saneea Sakhyani, based on her study of public history, with the support of Dr. Rachel Afi Quinn and the SAYHU community. Want to contribute to the Preservation Project? Here are the steps involved in conducting an interview for this community archive--we hope you'll join us!

Contact the person you’d like to interview: someone in your home during quarantine or someone you can reach by phone or on video). Reach out via email, social media or phone depending on your familiarity with the person. In your message, explain:

who you are,
what the SAYHU Preservation Project is (share link the link to our archive),
ask them when would be the best time to conduct the interview and
where would they like to meet (in person? online?), and
why this work is important and their interview should be part of it.

Consider what language you will conduct the interview in and how comfortable the interviewee will feel in your chosen language and whether the person will be able to understand you.
- Will there be someone else who can translate between the interviewer and the interviewee? How might that change the dynamics of the conversation
Consider sound and audio (or video) recording of the interview. These recordings will need to be clear so that they can be transcribed for use in the archive online.
- Can you record on your phone or will you do a video or audio recording? Practice it to find out.
- Will the interviewee be able to hear you? (What might body language convey that might not?)
Tell them you will need them to sign a consent form (link)
- Send them the form before the meeting so they have time to look over and come prepared with questions about SAYHU’s use of the interview.
- Let them know that at any time they can decide not to use the recorded interview in the digital archive or request the interview be taken down from the archive later.
Prepare yourself for the interview
- Show up 10-15 minutes ahead of the interview to be prepared, for a phone call or zoom interview or in person.
- Prepare your technology and make sure it works.
  - Test out your audio recorder before the interview to make sure it works (has a charge for the time needed). Set up a backup recorder if you are concerned about preserving the story or have the interviewee do their own recording.
- Follow-up the day before the interview to make sure the interviewee has committed to join you.
- Print out the consent form and bring it with you
- Explain the project again: tell them what they can expect and go over the consent form (they may want to look it over and sign after the interview)
- Ask them if they are okay with their legal name being recorded.
- Let them know that if they are not comfortable with a question you ask, that they can skip it.
- Like any good conversation, interviews tend to take on a life of their own. You may come up with more questions or different questions when you are listening carefully to your interviewee.
- Ask them if they have any questions and are ready to begin - A bit of small talk and sharing about yourself can help break the ice as the interview gets started.
When you begin
- "Slate the Interview": State for the recording the date, who you are, who you are interviewing, where you are and that you are interviewing them for the SAYHU Preservation Project.
During the Interview
- Be flexible and let the interviewee lead some of the conversation
- Pay attention to body language and facial expressions--yours and that of your interviewee. Watch for any indications of emotional distress: if the person you are interviewing is uncomfortable, ask them if they are okay, whether they need to take a break, or if they want to skip the question
Wrapping up the interview
- Once you feel like you are nearing the end, wrap things up. It’s a good time to ask, “Is there anything else you would like to share or add?”
- Conclude your interview by thanking your interviewee for their time and for sharing their story and experiences with you and the archive.
- When you stop the recording, label it, and save it.
- Provide your interviewee a scanned copy of their consent form. If you don’t keep your own hard copy, be sure to capture an image of it for your files.
After the interview
- Complete your post-interview notes as soon as possible. Your notes might include: date, who you interviewed, when, where, how long the interview was, your preparation for the interview, any pre-interview info, your thoughts on the interview, details about what happened outside of the recorded interview, and your overall thoughts about the process. Writing notes helps with the archiving process. It is a chance to leave your future self reminders what stood out to you from the interview experience!
Share copies of your documents
- Upload the interview file and consent form to a backup location.
- Send a copy of the interview to the interviewee.
- Fill out our Google Form and submit it with detailed responses and your file(s) uploaded.
- Let your interviewee know when the archived item/interview is available in the archive.

Doing Feminist Oral Histories

Contact the person you’d like to interview: someone in your home during quarantine or someone you can reach by phone or on video). Reach out via email, social media or phone depending on your familiarity with the person. In your message, explain:

who you are,

what the SAYHU Preservation Project is (share link the link to our archive),

ask them when would be the best time to conduct the interview and

where would they like to meet (in person? online?), and

why this work is important and their interview should be part of it.

Consider what language you will conduct the interview in and how comfortable the interviewee will feel in your chosen language and whether the person will be able to understand you.

Will there be someone else who can translate between the interviewer and the interviewee? How might that change the dynamics of the conversation

Consider sound and audio (or video) recording of the interview. These recordings will need to be clear so that they can be transcribed for use in the archive online.

Can you record on your phone or will you do a video or audio recording? Practice it to find out.

Will the interviewee be able to hear you? (What might body language convey that might not?)

Tell them you will need them to sign a consent form (link)

Send them the form before the meeting so they have time to look over and come prepared with questions about SAYHU’s use of the interview.

Let them know that at any time they can decide not to use the recorded interview in the digital archive or request the interview be taken down from the archive later.

Prepare yourself for the interview

Show up 10-15 minutes ahead of the interview to be prepared, for a phone call or zoom interview or in person.

Prepare your technology and make sure it works.

Test out your audio recorder before the interview to make sure it works (has a charge for the time needed). Set up a backup recorder if you are concerned about preserving the story or have the interviewee do their own recording.

Follow-up the day before the interview to make sure the interviewee has committed to join you.

Print out the consent form and bring it with you

Explain the project again: tell them what they can expect and go over the consent form (they may want to look it over and sign after the interview)

Ask them if they are okay with their legal name being recorded.

Let them know that if they are not comfortable with a question you ask, that they can skip it.

Like any good conversation, interviews tend to take on a life of their own. You may come up with more questions or different questions when you are listening carefully to your interviewee.

Ask them if they have any questions and are ready to begin - A bit of small talk and sharing about yourself can help break the ice as the interview gets started.

When you begin

"Slate the Interview": State for the recording the date, who you are, who you are interviewing, where you are and that you are interviewing them for the SAYHU Preservation Project.

During the Interview

Be flexible and let the interviewee lead some of the conversation

Pay attention to body language and facial expressions--yours and that of your interviewee. Watch for any indications of emotional distress: if the person you are interviewing is uncomfortable, ask them if they are okay, whether they need to take a break, or if they want to skip the question

Wrapping up the interview

Once you feel like you are nearing the end, wrap things up. It’s a good time to ask, “Is there anything else you would like to share or add?”

Conclude your interview by thanking your interviewee for their time and for sharing their story and experiences with you and the archive.

When you stop the recording, label it, and save it.

Provide your interviewee a scanned copy of their consent form. If you don’t keep your own hard copy, be sure to capture an image of it for your files.

After the interview

Share copies of your documents

Upload the interview file and consent form to a backup location.

Send a copy of the interview to the interviewee.

Fill out our Google Form and submit it with detailed responses and your file(s) uploaded.

Let your interviewee know when the archived item/interview is available in the archive.