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Ask a relative: questions for finding family history stories
Questions to askThere is no set formula for conducting a genealogy research interview with a relative (be guided by the age of the person, and the period they lived through). The questions you ask may differ from one person to another, or you may ask a number of relatives the exact same question in order to get as many opinions or perceptions of an event or person as possible. The list below contains some fairly general lines of enquiry which you might find useful as a starting point for finding family history stories and developing them. (I've deliberately omitted question marks.) You will also want to ask your own questions about issues (or people) specifically affecting your family,
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Benefits of recording equipmentKeeping track of your interview may be difficult if you are taking written notes. Unless you use shorthand competently, you'll find it impossible to write down everything you're told, and even then, it can be hard to keep the interview flowing when you have to concentrate on your note taking skills. One of the biggest dangers is that you'll miss or fail to write down an aside, or off the cuff comment that could lead to a vital clue. Recording your interview (and making a few written notes as well) is a much better option. You won't miss that all-important clue; you can be more attentive to the thread of the conversation; and, vitally, you can look at your relative and spot or follow-up any non-verbal signals. The latter are often tell-tale signs that are worth remembering or noting in writing, or even following up with a carefully worded question. Another reason for choosing to record is that it gives you the chance to make eye-contact with your relative. If you are writing things down, you can't maintain that level of involvement. This could make finding family history details awkward for you both. The recording equipment you use doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. You should be able to buy an old-fashioned cassette recorder very cheaply, but make sure you get a supply of cassettes because they are fast becoming rare. Or choose a more up to date digital recorder. Check the maximum recording time with these. Some are less than 30 minutes, which won't be much good to you. There are also simple gadgets you can attach to your phone socket to record telephone interviews to a cassette or digital recorder. In some countries it is illegal to record a telephone call without telling the other party. In other countries it is legal provided the recording is not played to a third party without consent. Safest option is simply to tell your relative up front if you are going to record the interview. |
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