UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies

Dr Joe Cain

• about
• study: undergraduate
• study: msc
• study: phd
• publications
• projects
• oral history workshop
• voices project
  • equipment specifications and notes
  • audio samples: recording equipment
  • audio samples: microphones
  • workshop
• film nights
• walking tours
• CHES
• Darwin
• twitter

Oral History and Interviewing Workshop

This page provides information about this workshop led by Dr Cain. 

course information

This practical course is intended for those wishing to use interviews and oral history as a strategy for data collection.

The workshop runs over two afternoons. You should plan to attend both afternoons, as they form an integrated package.

student comments about this course

• "The presenter was amazing!...This was, by far, one of the most useful and enjoyable training event arranged by the Grad School that I have attended, so far!"
• " If you are planning to conduct oral history interviews, you should definitely go on this course!"
• "This course is an excellent introductory session to interviews and oral history. The information is conveyed in a very entertaining manner that also manages the gravity of the ethics of this research method. It was also very helpful in guiding students to locations of further information."
• "The course made me think of so many important things that I would never have considered before attending, especially the legal side of conducting interviews."
• "Invaluable for those conducting any sort of research that involves interviewing."
• "I really enjoyed this course. I found it very interesting, informative and the course leader was excellent, very entusiastic and helpful. It's also great to have been given a useful book too."
• "excellent and really forced me to focus on exactly how I will go about my research"
• "excellent course, very informative, and full of useful practical advice"

course materials

These are updated when the course is close at hand.

transcription exercise assignment

interview samples for transcription exercise

• audio clips #1 | #2 | #3 (mp3)
• alternative: transcript (link); use sessions 9 and 12

other materials

• post-interview notes sample (mp3)
• audio equipment:specifications (link)
• audio tests:recording equipment (link)
• microphones (link)

recommended sources

• Perks, R. and Thomson. 2006. The Oral History Reader. 2nd edition (Routledge). Amazon UK | US | Students registering for this course will receive a free copy of this book.
• Shopes, L. 2002. "What is Oral History?" in History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web (pdf).
• Kolovos, A. 2006. "Audio Field Recording Equipment Guide," Vermont Folklife Center (Web).

professional groups

• UK: Oral History Society
• US: Oral History Association

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Dr Joe Cain
UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies