An oral-history interview begins with choice and permission

Explain the purpose and intended use before asking questions. Open prompts let the interviewee decide what to share, while an explicit right to decline protects against turning a classroom inquiry into pressure for private disclosure.

To hand: A voluntary fictional interview plan.

Agree on the purpose and intended use of responses. The interviewee should control whether to answer and whether recording is permitted.

Let the speaker control their contribution

1. Explain the purpose.
2. Draft non-assuming questions.
3. Agree on recording permissions.

'What would you like to tell us about this object?' leaves choice.

Avoid prompting private or distressing disclosure.

Can the speaker decline? Accept written responses.

Resources

• Interview Someone Special — Adapt the interview prompts with voluntary participation and agreed permissions.

Further reading

• National Museum of Australia — Digital Classroom

Read next

• A remembered detail can be valued and still need checking
• Selecting First Nations resources: start with authority and context
• A local place-name inquiry should not guess at a translation

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