Discusses problems often encountered in oral history interviews including absence of rules, authority, and training; little comprehension of the deeper meaning of words; and failure to consider the true meaning and purposes of oral interviews. Information is also presented on definition of oral history, approaches to problems,…

Describes a program of advanced instruction which attempts to merge the theory of speech communication and the practice of oral history. Is concerned with how meaning is constructed through conversation between interviewer and interviewee. Includes theoretical and methodological problems inherent in producing oral histories, field research, and…

The application of hermeneutic theory to the study of the oral history interview is proposed in this paper. The first section of the paper indicates why the oral interview is central to the approach of the oral historian; it then defines oral history as a communicative process and suggests an approach to investigating the oral interview that uses…