Oral History research: a quick guide
Oral History
People have been sharing their history through stories and songs for as long as humans have existed. This tradition isn't just for the educated or elite; many of our legends and songs come from ordinary people, passed down through the generations.
Today, we have amazing tools and technology that let us share and record stories like never before. Online albums and blogs can be shared with family, friends, or even strangers around the world with just a click. We can save these stories on the internet, store them on hard drives, or print them into books and photo albums, preserving them for future generations. This opportunity also brings the responsibility to treat the people whose stories we share with sensitivity and respect. We also need to take care of our own safety.
There are many questions about sharing our stories. Are family stories just for your family, or could they be part of a research study on a much broader historical subject? Could family or local histories be shared in a museum, or maybe one day appear in a published book or TV show?
That's why we've put together this toolkit, to guide you to resources and help you think about how you share your stories. Instead of covering everything here, we'll point you to fantastic resources like the Oral History Society, which has excellent information for anyone interested in oral history methods.
What is oral history?
Oral history is the gathering, preserving, and interpreting of the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants in past events. It's the oldest form of historical inquiry, predating the written word, and has evolved with technology from tape recorders in the 1940s to 21st-century digital tools.
Oral history captures personal memories that are historically significant. What counts as significant might be unique to an individual or different groups in society. While global events will always be part of history books; local stories, which may otherwise be overlooked, can be particularly important to communities. A community might be based on location, like a neighbourhood; but it could also be a school, church, club, or people with a shared characteristic. Often, the most personal stories are the most significant to a community.
Who can do oral history?
Oral history is a valuable tool for historians, museums and large projects, but it is also a methodology that can be used for a small personal study, such as a family history project.
The Oral History Society has a wealth of information for anyone interested in setting up a project, big or small. This includes advice for anyone wanting to start a family history project here. On this page, we've provided an overview of general, helpful tips for historians working within a university setting, or for anyone pursuing their own independent or community-based research project.
Getting started
Before you begin, decide on the theme or focus of your oral history project. It's important to know what topics you want to explore and the direction you'd like the conversation to go.
Consider where the research will be stored and how it may be used. Will it be for a specific group, or will it be shared more widely? This could impact what personal information is shared and what kind of consent you need from your participants before you publicise your findings. Remember that you must make sure participants are fully informed about the nature of your project and gain their full consent for their participation in your research enquiry, before you begin any interviews or share their contents.
Your project might focus on a particular event, time period, or theme, or you may prefer to let participants choose the stories they want to tell. If participants are sharing their own stories, the first question and the prompts which you use will guide the conversation.
The Oral History Society offers a wealth of resources for beginners in oral history: https://www.ohs.org.uk/for-beginners/
Finding participants
Some projects may have obvious participants, like family members. For others, you might need to extend the invitation to a wider network.
Ask participants if they can recommend anyone else that could be interviewed. You can also visit relevant community spaces like clubs, places of worship, or residential homes, to promote awareness of your project.
Equipment
Even if you're planning a written project, it's a good idea to record interviews. This ensures that nothing is accidentally left out or misunderstood.
- Audio Recording:
If you're transcribing interviews, recording quality is sometimes less crucial. However, if the recordings will be part of an archive, aim for the best possible quality, depending on your budget. A mobile phone can work, but a designated recording device is much better, offering higher quality, secure storage, and easier file transfers. - Video Recording:
Whether or not to use video depends on the project, the subject, location, and available technical equipment. While video adds costs and challenges, it can add a valuable visual dimension—such as when discussing a place or demonstrating how an object was used. - Back-up Recording:
Whether Always have a back-up recording using a second device, just in case of technical issues or mistakes.
Storing recordings
Ensure you have enough space on your computer or storage device for all the files you create, and make sure to back everything up. Organise your files with clear names so that you or others can easily find them later. Check that you can transfer recordings from the device to your computer for safekeeping.
Ethics
Interviewees need to understand what you are going to do with the recording or transcript of their interview, and agree with how it will be stored and shared, now and in the future. You will need to give careful thought as to what it is OK to include in the project and what is personal.
The Oral History Society has put together some excellent advice on managing ethical concerns here.
For a beginners' guide to planning and conducting an oral history project, check out the information provided on the 'Community Historians' tab on this page.
Conducting oral history interviews is research involving living human participants, and therefore includes their personal data and a need for their informed consent. All research associated with the University of Oxford is also subject to the University’s Research Ethics Policy, and therefore means that you will need to seek ethics clearance for your oral history project, before you begin any interviews.
All members of the University are individually responsible for ensuring that their work is conducted in accordance with the research commitment set out in the University’s Strategic Plan (2018-2024), the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, and with all policies that form part of the terms and conditions of employment and study. (Researchers at other universities and institutions should check all relevant policies.)
Information about the University of Oxford’s research ethics committee application process is available on the Research Support website.
If there is uncertainty as to whether activity requires research ethics review, researchers are advised to contact a member of the Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance Team for advice before the research is undertaken.
It is crucial that ethics approval is given before any participants are interviewed, even if this means delaying the start of the project.
The following literature and resources provide tips and insights to help you shape and develop your oral history project. You can find additional material on our Community History Toolkit page, which includes guidance on research ethics, establishing inclusive community-engaged research projects, and how to secure funding, to help you get your project up and running.
Abrams, Lynn, Oral History Theory (New York, N.Y: Routledge, 2016)
Perks, R. and Thompson, A. (eds.), Oral History Reader (London: Routledge, 2016)
Thompson, Paul, The Voice of the Past: Oral History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023)
Read Elizabeth Gemmill's blog post if you are getting started in Mediaeval History
In addition, this webpage from the Oral History Society might be useful for those who are starting their own community projects: https://www.ohs.org.uk/for-community-groups/
Finally, in terms of practicalities such as legal/ethical considerations and tech, these web resources might also be helpful additions to the toolkit:
- Oral History Society, 'Legal and Ethical Advice': https://www.ohs.org.uk/legal-and-ethical-advice/
- Sustainable Heritage Network, 'Basic Oral History Recording Kit': https://sustainableheritagenetwork.org/system/files/atoms/file/Basic_Oral_History_Recording_Kit.pdf
