Interviewing relatives to learn more about your family history

Interviewing your relatives is a great way to trace your family history.Here are five things to consider when preparing your family interview:

1. Asking the right questions. Knowing what you want to achieve during the discussion keeps your interview focused. So write down a list of questions before you go. The goal here is to make sure you’re flexible and allow your relative to lead the conversation. Allowing them to remember the past on their own will be more beneficial than just asking questions.

2. Bring along a video or audio recorder. Taking some sort of recording device will allow you to relax and keep better track of the conversations that take place. It’s always a good idea to ask if recording your interviewee is okay. Video recording is much better, and if they will agree to it I recommend using a video first. This gives you the true expressions and emotions of the individual being recorded. It gives the existing generations and the ones yet to come a glimpse of the past.

3. Use photographs and documents to help your family members recall events. Often photographs can help to jog memories and have a dramatic effect on the stories that the interviewee remembers. If there’s a lull in the conversation, producing a photo album is an excellent way to reestablish the flow. Since our technology today allows you to scan photos and everything else, you can print off a bunch of copies and keep the originals safe.

4. Recognize and respect the feelings of the interviewee Even though you may want to get all the information now, don’t push the issue if a relative isn’t forthcoming about certain information or they are becoming tired. Sometimes people find that they are not in the right frame of mind to talk about the past, or they may want to stop and consider before revealing certain pieces of information. If you notice this happening, just ask for an interview on another date or ask a different family member.You don’t want to cause any ill feeling.

5. Show some gratitude. Be courteous and thank them for having you. If they enjoy your discoveries, let them know you will keep them informed of your family history research. Most will say yes, and the easiest way to keep everyone informed is by learning to create your family tree online. My recommendation is to set up a free account on Mundia.com. You will be able to collaborate with other family members about your family tree and any information someone remembers can be added later. They can also upload photos, add documents, or even give a little input to help further some of the stories.

If you ever thought that history was a boring subject then tracing your family history will quickly change your mind!