It is strongly recommended that you and your narrator both sign a consent and release form. Even if you plan to keep your oral history project within your family or community, a consent form establishes, in writing, the consent of all participants to be recorded and for using the interview in publishing, online, transcribing and other uses. Explore the following examples of consent and release forms below. Please note that these forms in no way constitute legal advice.
The pre-interview is an informal, non-recorded conversation between the interviewer and narrator in advance of the interview itself. This is an opportunity to gather some background information, review questions, build rapport, get comfy with technology, and establish informed consent. You can use the template below to structure your pre-interview.
Some oral historians create a time log. This functions much like a table of contents in a book. Instead of chapters and pages, however, the time log gives you a brief description of important topics and the time stamps at which they occurred in the interview. You can use the template below to create a time log for your interview.