Component 5 - Process interview tapes

While it would be nice (and much more fun) to go around collecting interviews and nothing else, the following steps are essential to a high-quality, useful oral history project. Whether you are using audio or video tape recording, these rules apply.

1. Make sure tabs of cassettes are punched out to guard against accidental erasure.
   
   
2. As soon as the interview is over, label the tape. Include the names of the interviewee and the interviewer, date and place of the interview, project title (or institution), and numbered sequence of tapes.
   
   
3. If at all possible, duplicate your tape promptly. The original tape can then be stored, reducing danger of accidental erasure or damage.
   
   
4. Index the interview tape using an index form that includes location and subject information for the cassette.
   
   
5. Then transcribe the tape. This means listen to the tape, and write out every spoken word and who is speaking. Notate any other sounds or long pauses.
   
   
6. Turn in the following items to your teacher:
   • The tape
   • The index form
   • The transcription
   • The release form
   • completed rubric for this component

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