Subject: Interview First Kiss - howtos Part 1 a blend of some of my past posts on interviewing.... HERE is a G-R-E-A-T book for those that are going the route of interviewing their elders - the absolute best place to start! All the little things that MAKE a PERSON come to the surface this route... Civil records give us documentation, not the essence of the person... An interview can make that person 'come alive'..... I, myself, did this for about 10 years before I did any real on-line searching.... (course then there wasn't as much on line!) and I had a rather large group of living elders....) It is called RECORDING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY BY WILLIAM FLETCHER by Gamut, NY NY. ISBN 0-396-08887-2 1983, 1986 runs about 300 pages It is packed with questions to ask...And WHY you should ask them, as well as techniques for asking the questions. also: Shirley Hornbeck HORNBECK SURNAME RESOURCE CENTER: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hornbeck/hsrc/home.htm or THIS & THAT GENEALOGY TIPS: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hornbeck My tips now available from Genealogical Publishing Co.: http://www.genealogybookshop.com/genealogybookshop/files/General,General_Reference/9377.html commentary on interviews and questionaire.... I would suggest using a video camera.....even if the person is NOT VISIBLE on the video.....use it as a tape recorder.... and if you have any photos or other items discussed in the interview, pass them in front of the lens. I have found that if you cover the flashing red light on the video (electricians tape is best), that 'life is better for you' as you tape....plus, they forget about the camera...by the end of your session, they will likely want you to come back for more 'talkin' ALWAYS remember to hold the photos in YOUR hand as you discuss photos, then you can control the speed at which they are looked at and you get a chance to 'label' them in some way...have a pencil(s) handy.... What I do is plug in the camera before it ever gets onto the tripod. Then as soon as I have the machine locked in place and Ihave the area in the viewer, I turn on the machine. and recording.. the time before the actual interviewing is just as much fun as hearing the questions and as you are setting up you can be talking about what you are going to do...what the date is and where you are....ask them their address and how long they have been there, etc.....instead of breaking the bubble with the formal introduction.....and then trying to recapture the moment... just sit down and start asking questions.... they will be eased into the interview this way but they will ask if the camera is on and just tell them oh yes, and go on with your questions.... Have a question in mind for when this happens - because it will! Your job as the interviewer is to keep the questions going....and knowing when to add to your question list on the fly.... YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS, you see it happen on TV all the time... now it is YOUR turn.... If you feel that you need to practice, then interview a spouse...which you should do anyway....or YOURSELF! Always ask if an elder remembers ancestors speaking with accents, if they could speak another language, play instruments, had missing appendages, markings, eyesight/deafness, lifelong illnesses, smoking habits, ability to drive/or not, religious background, school experiences, cemeteries that they visited (that is where you will find people linked to you in some way) and churches that they went to, if even for a marriage, funeral, etc. occupations.- for them selves and for those that were older them themselves.. STAY ORGANIZED...do mix too many people into the interview and if GRANDMA is said, ALWAYS ask "GRANDMA who? and get the real name.... ALWAYS! DO NOT MISS THIS POINT! Ask about their travelling experiences...and work experiences because this is another area(s) where they might have LIVED and that is where some of your records might be. When you take photos of these folks remember to label them EACH INTERVIEW should be identified with a date and the person at the beginning and on the label.....and others present. If you interview again, ask a few questions over again....make sure that you get the same basic response.... Age is a nasty thing sometimes....If they forget something as they talk, go on to another question and come back to the question again... USE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WORDS IN THE REquestion here to trigger new thought process.... Forgetting happens to all of us....that 'it is on the tip of my tongue' usually comes back after another question has been answered..... just format the question a bit different. DO NOT interview with telephones or radios or tv on and with a bunch of people around. make it one on one if at all possible. INTERVIEWING at a birthday gathering is not a good thing, although sometimes the questions do happen. Be prepared with the video and take what you can get, but try to revisit one-on-one at another time...IN THEIR FAVORITE CHAIR....or at THEIR kitchen table... their comfort zones....NOT in a FORMAL setting or sterile place.....