Oral History :: Duration

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 22

Duration

Hamid Qazvini
Translated by Natalie Haghverdian

2017-09-19

Interview duration, its arrangement and management are issues to be considered.

The following are recommended for due consideration:

Set the interview duration according to the physical and emotional status of the narrator, the topic and questions to be asked.
In case the term grows very long the narrator gets exhausted and anxious which will compromise its quality.
The interview time shall be sufficient to avoid leaving any memory or story untold. Short interviews are permissible when the topic and questions are limited or the scholar wishes to record a short memory.
Sometimes the senility or mal-health or weakness of the narrator limits the time of the interview during which breaks shall be considered for the narrator to rest. I remember in my interview with an old political feature we had to cut the recording every twenty minutes to give him time to rest. In another interview, the narrator fell asleep. I mean, he closed his eyes and stopped talking. The interview team perceived that he is thinking and we waited but moment later we realized that he has fallen sleep. Also, an old veteran was anxiously telling us his story that suddenly he suffered loss of energy and we had no choice but to constantly cut the interview. Hence, due consideration of the narrator’s physical and emotional status is crucial.
Even if the narrator is in good health, the interview shall not last longer than one or one and a half hour. Long interviews compromise the narrator and interviewer’s concentration. In case the narrator insists on continuing the interview, stop for couple of minutes to rest and then continue.
Manage the interview so that the main topics are discussed and clarified in one session.
Set up the recording equipment to save time. Ensuring proper function of the equipment prior to the interview is of essence.
Delays in commencing the interview, not only limits the interview time but results in physical and mental exhaustion of the narrator. Also long discussions prior to the interview fulfills the emotional need of the narrator and consequently compromises his incentive to repeat the story.
In case of conducting the interview in the narrator’s premises or work place, coordinate the time to avoid any disturbance for his/her family or colleagues. Collect the equipment immediately after and leave the premises. Unjustified presence is morally intrusive and might be associated with undesired outcomes for future interviews.

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 1 - Oral History, Path to Cultural Dialogue

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 2 - Characteristics of an Interviewer

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 3 - Selecting a Subject

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 4 - Narrator Identification & Selection

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 5 - Goal Setting

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 6 - Importance of Pre-interview Data Collection

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 7 - To Schedule & Coordinate an Interview

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 8 - Required Equipment & Accessories

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 9 - Presentation is vital

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 10 - Interview Room

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 11 - Pre-interview Justifications

Oral History Interview & Importance Part 12 - How to Start an Interview