 An interview log provides more details about

the contents of the interview than a

summary but is still a relatively simple way
of making tape recordings accessible to
other people.

 It involves listening to the interview and

noting down on paper:
-The passage of time

 -The subjects discussed

-Any proper names or unusual words of
significance in the interview
 The interview log should be made as soon as
possible after the interview while the
circumstances of the interview are still very
clear.

 It is recommended that the “time “column

includes minutes rather than the numbers on
the tape recorder’s counter. Tape counters
vary dramatically on different machines.
 The Information written in the central
‘Subject’ column should be concise but
informative.

 Try not to use more than one or two pages

for each 30 minutes of tape but be careful
to make the information useful.

 The interview log that just list the

subjects covered in very general terms,
such as ‘School days- Teachers – Leaving
school – First Job’, will not distinguished
one interview in a project from another.
 Instead, the subject information should
provide brief descriptive phrases, for
instance: ‘School days, 1910-1917, at
Penang Free School – Teachers, including
reference to their different teaching
methods – Leaving School aged 12 to
contribute to family income.

 The “Proper Names’ column should

include most names mentioned, except
those given just a passing reference, so
that researchers can quickly see whether a
particular person, place of business is
spoken about in the interview.
 It is also useful to list any unusual words
or phrases used by the interviewee.

 Be sure to check the spelling of all the

names on the list so that the interview log
is an accurate guide to the contents of
the interview as well
En Labu bin Labi menemubual Tuan Haji
Mohd.Nor, yang dilahirkan pada 1925, di Pulau
Pinang. Temubual dijalankan di Rumah beliau di
Gurney Drive, Pulau Pinang, mengenai
pengalaman beliau sebagai seorang guru dalam
tahun 1945 hingga 1970.
0.00 Outlines School days 1930’s in Free Scholl
Penang Free School

3.00 Speak in detail about four Mr. Shariff

teachers during that era – Mr. Tim Pok
different teaching method Yee
Miss
Yogeswaran
4.00 Describe disappointment
At having to leave school at age
12 contribute to family income
20.30 Provides details about first job Tuan
as apprentice to local builder Harrison

0.00 Tape 1 Side B

Quit the job and become
temporary teacher
 DEPOSITING RECORDINGS

 Once the interviews have been made and

the tapes summarized or transcribed, the
voices and the information contained in the
tape and transcripts should be used.
 In order for the interviews to be used to their
fullest potentials, they should be accessible in
their original form to as many people as
possible.

 An important way of sharing your interviews is

to offer them to a national, state or regional
repository with facilities for caring for oral
history recordings and making them available
to the public.
 Your donation should include the original
recordings for preservation purposes, copies
of documentation such as summaries, logs,
transcripts, preliminary interview
information sheets, conditions of use
agreements, and any other relevant
material, such as copes of photograph,
associated with the recordings.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLICATION
 A logical place to start is considering the
publication of your transcript. This need not
to be a complicated or expensive task.

 Modern word processing and photocopying

facilities and do-it-yourself binding devices
can make the production of an attractive A4
or A5 booklet cheap and easy.
 Illustrations can be created by photocopying
older photographs lent by interviewees or
contemporary portraits taken by you at the
time of the interview

 The use of color printers and photocopies can

provide added appeal.
 Be sure to use large, clear type face so that
the text can be read and enjoyed by all age
groups.

 Simple publication like this has been

successfully promoted to a local market by
schools, historical societies and museums.
 Packaging copies of your tapes for local sale
or distribution can also be relatively
inexpensive and easy.

 A word processing program and photocopier

can be used to produce attractive card
inserts for the cassette case.

 Your publication, on tape or in print, can

simply be a collection of individual
interviews.
 However, a ‘thematic’ presentation can be
more accessible and useful, especially for
school students and reminiscence groups.

 This involves identifying a number of common

themes in your interviewing program – such as
‘emergency and communist’, ‘Japanese
occupation’, ‘role of teachers’, ‘May 13’ – and
drawing excerpts from each interview to
illustrate these themes separately.
 It is useful to include a brief biography of each
interviewee in an introductory section to
introduce them to the audience.

 You will gain ideas and inspiration for your own

publication by examining the wealth of
published oral histories in libraries and
bookshops
 Displays are another excellent way of
publicizing your project. The combination
of carefully edited transcript excerpts and
appealing historic and contemporary
photographs can provide the basis for eye-
catching displays as well as books.
 Displays of oral history can include the
dimension of sound by the simple addition
of ‘listening posts’ where people can hear
through speakers or headphone brief,
carefully edited interview excerpts that
contribute to the display’s themes.
Seek funding to commission a song writer to
use your interviews as the basis for songs.
Have the writer or other perform the songs
at local hospitals, senior citizen centers,
school and public forums.
-Seek funding to commission a playwright to
use your interviews as the basis for a play.
-Community arts workers, local theatre groups
and school students have created very popular
and powerful publication using characters and
dialogue drawn directly from oral histories in
recent years.
Discuss your project with school teachers or
curriculum consultants with a view to
producing source material for student
either locally or state-wide.
Prepare a talk based on your project and include a
generous number of carefully edited interview
excerpts for amplification. Offer your services to
retired persons’ organizations, service groups and
historical societies- and do not be surprised to find
yourself in great demand as the word spreads about
your availability on the speaking circuit!
 Discuss your project with the editors
of local newspapers and newsletters,
and the producers at local radio
stations, with a view to providing
short articles or programs for
publication and broadcast.
 .
Enliven information pamphlets or interpretation
signs that visitors read when visiting a local
historic site or precinct by including interview
excerpts
The producers may be interested to
interview you on your oral history project
and play excerpts of your interviews.
Do not forget to publicise your project
amongst your interviewees, their families
and friends, and your local community. Let
them know about what you produce from
the interviews, invite them to the launch of
your book, display or walking tour, or
organize a social occasion such as morning
tea or reunion barbecue, ‘kenduri arwah’,
‘open day’ and other types of social
functions to thank them for their
involvement and talk about the project’s
outcome.
 Collecting, processing and disseminating this
distinctive historical resource is a serious
business, and must not be undertaken lightly or
casually.

 Proficiency in any oral history skill can be

learned – either through reading or repeating
practice

 It is the pleasure in learning about one’s

community, the nation, the human condition
generally.
 -about real life
 -self discipline
 -integrity & responsibility
 -cultural values & social etiquettes
 -love for history
 -caring for an elderly citizens
 -communication skill
 -public relation
 -to develop patient
 -respect other people’s opinion