1. The Why and how of interviewing
Good questions
The Why and how of interviewing

2. Oral history project Why are we doing this?
To learn about the watershed
What do we want to learn about the watershed? What are the themes?

3. Guiding the Interview Ask good questions!
Start with some warm up questions such as…

4. Guiding the Interview Open vs. closed questions
Closed questions get very specific, concise information
Did you have a good day?
Do you have homework?
-Open-ended questions begins with
How Why Tell me What Please describe

5. Let’s Practice
Question: Did you grow up in the Altar Valley?

6. Let’s Practice Question: Did you grow up in the Altar Valley?
Open-ended Question: Can you tell me about where you grew up?

7. Let’s Practice Question: Did you grow up in the Altar Valley?
Open-ended Question: Can you tell me about where you grew up?
Question: Did you go to movies at the Matinee Theater?

8. Let’s Practice Question: Did you grow up in the Altar Valley?
Open-ended Question: Can you tell me about where you grew up?
Question: Did you go to movies at the Matinee Theater?
Open-ended Question: Describe your favorite memory about the Matinee Theater – a special date, movie or newsreel?

9. More practice
Use these starters to change the closed question into an open ended question.
Did you work in the Altar Valley community?
Were you involved in any school activities?
Did you ever buy gas at the Hat N’Boots?
Is this house you grew up in still standing?

10. Follow-up questions Very important! Examples of follow-up questions:
Can you say more about that?
What did you think about that? (helps to get at the meaning, the emotion).

11. More practice! Guessing game – I’m a fairy tale character
Ask me questions to reveal my identity.
One special kind of question is the "yes/no" question. These questions can be answered with just one word, "yes," or "no." Every time you ask me one of these questions, I get a point. If I get five points, I win the game.
Another kind of question is the "follow-up" question. A follow-up question asks about something I just said. Every time someone asks a follow-up question, you get a point on the board. Every time you get three points, you can make one guess about who I am.