This document provides guidance for conducting oral history interviews and protecting human participants. It discusses what an IRB is and how it reviews research studies. A human participant is defined as a living individual from whom a researcher obtains data through interaction such as interviews. When conducting interviews, researchers should be aware of potential risks to participants such as legal, moral, psychological, and economic risks. Researchers should also take steps to protect participants' confidentiality such as using pseudonyms and conducting interviews in public places. Proper interviewing techniques include being polite, asking permission to record, explaining the research purpose, and following an interview guide while allowing for spontaneity.

1. Oral Histories: What you need to know before going into the field…Andy Newman, ITF, Brooklyn Collegeanewman@gc.cuny.edu

2. What is the IRB?An IRB (Institutional Review Board for human participants) is a group of at least five individuals with varying backgrounds to promote complete and adequate review of research studies. An IRB conducts the initial and annual reviews of a research study.

3. What is a human participant?A human participant is a living individual about whom a researcher obtains data through intervention or interaction (interviews) with the individual, or through identifiable private information (data with identifiers).

4. What/who is at “risk” in interviews?Research participants may be exposed to physical, psychological social and economic risks.What types of risk could come up in your research projects?

5. What/who is at “risk” in interviews?Legal risks? (immigration status, criminal records, etc.)

6. What/who is at “risk” in interviews?Legal risks? (immigration status, criminal records, etc.)Moral/ethical risk? (embarrassment, psychological discomfort, etc.)

7. What/who is at “risk” in interviews?You may be at risk! These individuals are strangers, so:Be wary of accepting invitations to visit participants at home (go in groups of two or more.)Arrange interviews in public places (coffee shops are always a good bet.)

8. Protecting your research participants: key termsAnonymity means the researcher has no record of the identity of the participants. Confidentiality means the researcher knows the identity of the participants but will keep the participants' identity and all identifying characteristics confidential.

9. Guarding confidentiality on a web-based projectUse pseudonyms for your research subjects.Use pseudonyms for living people who your research subject describes.EXCEPTION: public figures (i.e. politicians and celebrities can be named.) DO include biographical details.DON’T name names or use information that could compromise your participants’ privacy.

10. Interviewing 101Be polite and gracious (these people are volunteering their time to help you with your class project!).Be appreciative in your words and actions.Don’t forget: you are representing Brooklyn College (and MHC!) to the community in this situation.

11. Interviewing 101Ask permission to record, photograph, and video (Do not secretly record or otherwise deceive your research participants!)Be open about what you are researching, what you want to know, and why you are doing the project. You should have nothing to hide from your participants.

12. Interviewing 101DO arrive prepared with a list of questions.DON’T be afraid to be spontaneous or let interviews digress. The best answers are often to the questions you didn’t know you should ask!Ask for examples and details. Don’t assume you know the history (even if you think you do): always get their stories on how it was for them.

13. Created with materials from:http://web.gc.cuny.edu/orup/humansubjects.html