Wyat Draper

Oral History Interview

StoryCorps URL: https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/interview-on-protest/ 

Reflection

I learned that an oral history interview can be conducted in multiple ways. You can have a formal interview with someone or just have a conversation. Another way is that the interview can be conducted with audio and video, or just an audio recording. I found it was most challenging to create open ended questions to ask my interviewee. I found conducting the interview most enjoyable because it was like having a conversion with someone to learn about a part of their life.

I did not know how many oral histories have been conducted and how popular it was. I also learned that an oral history can be conducted about anything or anyone.

When I actually conducted the interview, it felt very relaxed. While doing the preparations I was nervous about the interview being awkward or stressed, but it was like having a normal conversation.

Inquiry based thinking was used because for the interview we had for formulate questions that were focused on either pandemics or protests. We had to find existing knowledge to ask our interviewee’s questions about. Then we had to collect our data by conducting our interview, and we concluded by doing this reflection.

I do not have any recommendations. I feel that the instructor prepared us well for our interviews. I would tell a future FYS student that this assignment is a lot easier than it seems. I would give them advice not to stress it and to just follow the instructor’s steps.