ORAL HISTORY LESSON PLAN

IX. Creating an Oral History Narrative

Creating Working Drafts
Step 1: Saving a new document
This step is VERY IMPORTANT!!! Doing this correctly will mean that you’ll only have to type a few more words.  Doing this incorrectly may mean you’ll have to type everything over again. 

You will make a new file on the computer today so that you’ll have two files in your folder. Open your transcript where you saved it.  Once it’s opened, go to “File” and scroll down to “Save As.”  Save it under a new name by typing your first and last name, then working draft.  For instance, I would save the new document as

Lisa Morehouse, working draft

After you’ve saved, check to make sure there are two documents saved, your original transcript and this new document. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!

Step 2: Cutting and editing
Open the new document [like: Lisa Morehouse working draft] while you’re looking at your highlighted transcript.  Go in and cut any line you don’t have highlighted including all of your questions.  Add any brackets you added to your transcripts and make any proofreading changes you marked. 

When you’ve cut all un-highlighted parts, read through what you have and form the answers into paragraphs by hitting “return” or “enter” when the person starts talking about a new topic.  It’s okay if you have some one-sentence paragraphs. 

Again, save every five minutes.  All of your paragraphs should be flush left (not indented) and there should be one space between each paragraph.  After you’re done, save again and print out one copy.  This is your working draft.

Peer Editing & Revision
Step 3: Get a second opinion (and a third)
Give your working draft of your oral history to another student in class.  Have him/her read it and look for any spelling or punctuation problems.  Also, have him/her tell you if the way you divided your oral history into paragraphs makes sense, or if you should make changes there.  Finally, have him/her tell you if there are any confusing parts which need to be clarified by adding words in brackets.  If there’s time, have another peer do the same editing process.  All of your peers’ comments should be written on your working draft. 

Step 4: Revising (first draft)
Make any more marks you want to on your working draft, and go back to a computer. Open your “working draft” file. Once it’s opened, go to “File” and scroll down to “Save As.”  Save it under a new name (yes, again!) by typing your first and last name, then “first draft.”  For instance, I would save the new document as  Lisa Morehouse, first draft.  After you’ve saved, check to make sure there are three documents saved, your original transcript and your first working draft and first draft. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!

Now you can make the changes your peers suggested in this new file without losing any of your old information.  Make the changes, saving every five minutes.  After you’re done, save again and print out one copy.  This is your first draft.

Step 5: Fact checking
Take  your first draft to your interviewee.  Let him/her read it and check it for accuracy.  You may have heard something wrong, or typed in the wrong date by accident.  Letting your interviewee fact check your first draft will ensure your oral history is correct.

Creating a Final Draft
Step 6: Adult editing
Give the first draft to an adult editor.  The two of you will go over your draft, seeing if you need to change the order, change the paragraph structure, or ask any more follow up questions to make the story really great.  Remind your adult editor that you’re not changing the interviewee’s actual words, just punctuation and spelling.  This will be a conversation that the two of you have about your oral history.  Only after you’ve done this will the adult proof read for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Write all of these changes on your paper copy of your first draft.

Step 7: Revising on the computer (narrative of final draft)
Once again, go back to a computer. Open your first draft file. Once it’s opened, go to “File” and scroll down to “Save As.”  Save it under a new name by typing your first and last name, then “Second Draft.”  For instance, I would save the new document as Lisa Morehouse, Oral History Second Draft..  After you’ve saved, check in your folder and make sure there are four documents saved, your original transcript, your working draft, first draft, and second draft. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!

Now you can make the changes your adult editor suggested in this new file without losing any of your old information.  Make the changes, saving every five minutes.  After you’re done, save again and print out one copy.  This is the narrative part of your first draft of your oral history.

Step 8: Final stages

Fill out the Final Stages worksheet to determine your title, interviewee’s name and place of origin, and description.  Go onto a computer, open your second draft file, and type out the title, etc. from the Final Stages sheet.  When you’re done, you need to format your oral history in the following way:

All of your oral history should be flush left (no indentions) with spaces as indicated above.  Save. 

Print it, and get one more adult edit, this time just to proofread for any final errors. 

Step 9: Final draft
Once the adult has read your oral history, either make any last changes and save as final draft.  Print a final copy and hand me your recording, your edited transcript, and your final oral history.