1. Oral History Project: Searching Background Information & Citing Secondary Sources Jorge Riquelme Melanie Chu

2. Capturing Stories: An Oral History Guide (1999)

3. When an elder dies, a library is lost West African proverb

4. Oral history is based on documents that are spoken One of the most fascinating aspects of oral histories is their capacity to capture subjective feelings, motivations for life choices, and personal interpretations of history The stories and memories that you collect are valuable not necessarily because they represent historical facts, but because they embody human truths—a particular way of looking at the world. (The Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide)

5. Oral history is not merely a haphazard conversation that is recorded on tape. It is the creation of a constructed historical narrative based on an individual’s recollections of a lifetime. Oral history can yield fascinating and very complex stories, but your success is largely dependent on how well you prepare for your interview.

6. Conducting background research is a crucial component to the process of oral history. The more knowledgeable you are about the person’s history, the more effective you will be as an interviewer.

7. Your Background Research Must Include the Following: 1. Statistical Sources: A statistical profile of the stock and flow of the immigrant population of your choice. 2. Historical Sources: A brief narrative of past events which are relevant to contextualize the specific history of the immigrant population of your choice. Include pertinent information about the countries of origin and destination. 3. Scholarly Sources: A review of at least five scholarly sources that discuss the immigrant population of your choice. 4. Media Sources: A summary of at least three newspaper articles related to the of the immigrant population of your choice.