About Oral History Production

To Maintain Questions or Not? Is crucial

Hamid Qazvini
Translated by Natalie Haghverdian

2017-12-26

Production and final setting of the interview content is an important aspect and the oral history scholars have to be well versed on the details and act responsibly. The following have to be taken into consideration:

1. In final production it is recommended to maintain the interview outline and the questions. The questions help the audience better to understand the context and the responses and to have a clear understanding of the interview content and context.
2. If questions are omitted then it is crucial to include titles in between to avoid confusion of various subjects and produce an easy to read text.
3. A book in any form of production (with or without questions) shall be categorized into various chapters.
4. It is essential to keep the pose of the content close to the tone of the narrator with limited diversion between the two. This means that the memoirs of an individual from a certain social cast with a known literature and culture might not be composed with a completely different tone and pose.
5. During the interview process some irrelevant issues might have been recorded which shall not be included in the content.
6. In producing the final content the focus shall be on the direct memories and observations of the narrator and analysis shall not be included.
7. The footnotes and biographies shall be documented and credible sources (internet or literature) shall be employed. Also, the content and the footnotes shall be systematically designed and outlined in the entire book.
8. In cases where there is no specific source for the information included in the footnote it shall be clearly stated that such statements are those of the producer.
9. The aim of including footnotes is transparency and irrelevant issues or memoirs shall not be included.
10. It is crucial to include the definition of technical terms in the footnote.
11. The producer is accountable to take the recommendations of the narrator and the employer into consideration and the final content shall be delivered once convenience and consent is guaranteed.
12. The producer might deliver his/her and the narrator’s ideas on the cover design, name and layout of the book in writing to the employer or the published; however, the final decision is with the employer and the publisher.
13. The font and grammar are subject to the guidelines provided by the publisher or the employer.
14. Introduction and the documents and pictures and other attachments shall be handed over along with the final content.
15. All documents, interviews (audio and written), pictures, notes and any sort of documentation which have been produced by the scholar during the interview process or for the final compilation of the book shall be delivered to the publisher or the employer within the agreed timeframe.
16. The final content shall be approved by the narrator in writing prior to submission to the publisher.
17. It is vital to draft a timetable for all production process to facilitate required follow ups.