Preparing for Oral History Interviews

The first step to take when preparing interview question is to (a)   as many questions as possible

Questions should be short and (a)   to understand.

Which of the following is an open-ended question?

• Was the Singapore River polluted in the 1970s?

• What was the Singapore River like in the 1970s?

• Did you take part in National Day Parades?

• Tell me about your experiences as a participant of the National Day Parade in 1985

What type of questions are recommended during an oral history interview to encourage detailed responses?

• Yes/No questions

• Leading questions

• Open-ended questions

• Multiple-choice questions

Which of the following is an open-ended question?

• Why was training during National Service so tough in the 1980s?

• What was it like the serve National Service in the 1980s?

How can you make sure that your interviewee gives you useful details that are based on his/her experiences?

• Ask  general and open-ended questions

• Ask specific questions and follow-up questions to get specific details

• Prepare questions that are short and easy to answer

• After coming up with a list of interview questions, organise your questions in   (a)  

order

Why is it beneficial to share your interview questions with your interviewee before the interview?

• To allow your interviewee to prepare answers and gather relevant materials.

• To ensure the interviewee agrees with all the questions.

• To give the interviewee a chance to edit the questions.

• To make the interview shorter.

A “thought” question is a question that

• asks about factual details

• invites the interviewee to reflect on his/her experiences over time.

• can be answered with “yes” or “no”

Which of the following is a ‘thought’ question?

• What was it like to grow up in a kampong?

• What is your most treasured memory from your time living in a kampong?