Main Page Planning the interview Preparing the interview Conducting the interview Preserving the interview

Always back-up

Make back-up copies or "dubs" or your tapes and store the originals in a safe place. Consider your tapes important archival material.

Write it down

Because audio and video tapes have a limited shelf life, it is a good idea to make a written transcription of the recorded interview. For a word-for-word transcription of the interview, it will usually take an experienced typist two to four hours to transcribe one hour of recorded interview time. Depending upon your needs, it may be more practical to write a summary of each tape and transcribe only the key points or important quotations word-for-word.

TIP: When transcribing an interview, include both the interview questions and the responses to the questions to provide a context for others who may wish to access the information.

Never underestimate

When appropriate, place copies of your interview in a library or archive. Don't underestimate the historical significance of what you have recorded. The information may seem common and insignificant at the moment, but as time passes it will become more and more valuable and unique.