BT

Menu

WCRP Oral History Interview Guide and Forms

Writing Centers Research Project

Oral History Interview Guide

For Interviews with Influential Writing Center Administrators
University of Central Arkansas • Center for Writing & Communication

Part One: Instructions for Interviewers

1.1  Purpose of These Interviews

The WCRP oral history project seeks to preserve the memories, perspectives, and expertise of individuals who have made significant contributions to the writing center field. These interviews are archived at the University of Central Arkansas and made available for scholarly research. The goal is not simply to document facts, but to capture the lived experience, values, and wisdom of those who shaped our profession.

1.2  General Best Practices for Oral History

The Oral History Association (OHA) has established principles and best practices that guide ethical oral history work across disciplines. WCRP interviewers are encouraged to review the OHA guidelines in full (available at oralhistory.org), and the following principles should inform every interview conducted for this project.

 

Ethics and the Narrator’s Rights

  • The narrator is not simply a source of data but a participant whose dignity, privacy, and autonomy must be respected throughout the process.
  • Informed consent must be obtained before the interview begins. This means explaining the purpose of the project, how the recording will be used, where it will be archived, and what rights the narrator retains. Use the WCRP Consent Form (included in Part Two of this guide) and ensure the narrator has signed it before recording begins.
  • During the recording itself, begin by stating aloud the narrator’s verbal confirmation of consent (e.g., “Do you consent to be recorded for the Writing Centers Research Project?”). This provides an audible record even if the signed form is later misplaced.
  • Narrators may decline to answer any question at any time. If a subject becomes visibly uncomfortable, offer to pause or stop. Their comfort takes priority over the completeness of the record.
  • Be transparent about your own position. If you are a writing center professional yourself, you bring knowledge and shared vocabulary that can enrich the conversation—but also assumptions that may shape your questions. Practice awareness of that dynamic.

 

Power and Relationship

  • Power operates in every oral history interview. As the interviewer, you shape the questions, control the recording, and will largely determine how the record is used. Take that responsibility seriously.
  • Approach the narrator as a collaborator in creating a historical record, not as a subject being studied. Where possible, give narrators an opportunity to review the transcript and request corrections or clarifications before it is deposited in the archive.
  • Avoid projecting your own interpretation onto the narrator’s experience. Your job is to draw out their perspective, not to have it confirm your own.

 

Listening and Interviewing Technique

  • Practice active listening. Make eye contact, nod, and use brief affirmations to signal engagement without interrupting the narrator’s flow.
  • Do not rush to fill silences. A pause often signals that the narrator is working toward something important. Wait.
  • Follow the narrator’s lead when a story or reflection becomes particularly rich. It is acceptable—and often desirable—to deviate from the prepared question list when something valuable emerges. You can return to unasked questions later.
  • Ask open-ended questions whenever possible. “Can you tell me more about that?” or “What was that experience like for you?” yields richer material than “Did you enjoy that?”
  • Avoid leading questions that suggest a preferred answer. “Would you say that was a frustrating experience?” is leading; “How would you describe that experience?” is not.
  • Speak less than the narrator. As a rough guide, the narrator should account for at least 80 percent of the speaking time.
  • In general, a loosely chronological structure works well for oral history interviews, but do not impose it rigidly. Let the narrator’s memory move as it naturally does and use your questions to gently orient the conversation when needed.

 

Accuracy and Documentation

  • Note names, dates, and titles that may need to be verified later. Oral history narrators sometimes misremember specific years or institutional details, and that is entirely normal. Accuracy can be checked during transcription.
  • After the interview, complete the WCRP Oral History Record and Document Checklist promptly while your memory of the session is fresh.
  • Transcriptions should be verbatim (including false starts, filler words, and self-corrections) or near-verbatim with light editing—follow whatever standard the WCRP coordinator specifies for the project. Consult the WCRP Style Guide for Transcription for detailed guidance.

1.3  Preparing for the Interview

The questions in Part Three of this guide are designed to apply across a wide range of subjects. However, a successful oral history interview requires more than a generic list. Before the interview, you should:

  • Read key publications by or about the interview subject. Familiarize yourself with their most significant articles, book chapters, or books. If they are known for a particular position statement, theoretical contribution, or programmatic innovation, you should understand it well enough to ask informed follow-up questions.
  • Research the institutions where they worked and the writing centers they directed or founded. Understanding the institutional context (the size of the school, its mission, the era in which the center was established) will help you ask more specific and meaningful questions.
  • Learn about the professional organizations, conferences, and listservs they participated in. Key organizations include the National Writing Centers Association (NWCA, now IWCA), regional affiliates such as the East Central Writing Centers Association and the Midwest Writing Centers Association, and national conferences such as 4C’s, IWCA, NCTE, NCPTW, etc.
  • Review any prior interviews, conference presentations, or biographical information about the subject. The WCRP archive and published collections such as The Writing Center Director’s Resource Book are good starting points.
  • Prepare subject-specific questions in addition to the standard questions in Part Three. The standard questions provide a solid foundation, but the most valuable interviews arise when the interviewer can follow up intelligently on details specific to that person’s career.
  • Contact the subject in advance to confirm logistics, obtain signed consent (see the WCRP Consent Form in Part Two), and give them a general sense of the topics to be covered. You do not need to provide the exact questions ahead of time, but a broad outline helps subjects come prepared to reflect.

1.4  Conducting the Interview

  • Select a quiet location free from background noise. Sounds that may be unnoticeable during conversation will be magnified in the recording. Avoid rooms near high-traffic areas, HVAC units, or open windows facing the street.
  • Test your recording equipment before the subject arrives. Do a brief test recording at the interview location and play it back to verify audio quality and catch any background noise. See Part Three of this guide for detailed recording instructions.
  • Begin the recording by stating aloud the date, location, subject’s name, and your own name (e.g., “This is an oral history interview conducted on [date] at [location]. The narrator is [name] and the interviewer is [name].”).
  • Confirm verbal consent on the recording, even if you have a signed form in hand.
  • Aim for a recording of at least 45 minutes to one hour. Longer is generally better as long as the subject remains engaged.
  • At the close of the interview, invite the subject to add anything they feel has been overlooked. Some of the most important material surfaces in response to this open invitation.
  • After stopping the recording, note any off-the-record comments or context the narrator provides, and follow up in writing if clarification is needed.

1.5  After the Interview

  • Label and back up your audio files immediately. Use the file naming convention specified by the WCRP coordinator (e.g., LastName_FirstName_YYYY-MM-DD.mp3).
  • Complete the WCRP Oral History Record and Document Checklist and submit it along with the audio file and signed consent form.
  • Submit materials for transcription following WCRP procedures. Contact Carey Smitherman Clark at cclark@uca.edu with any questions.

Part Two: Recording Instructions

WCRP interviews should be recorded digitally so that audio files can be easily stored, shared, and archived. Earlier WCRP interviews were captured on cassette tape; going forward, all interviews should be recorded as digital audio files. The following instructions walk you through the recommended process.

2.1  Recommended Software: Audacity

Audacity is the recommended recording software for WCRP oral history interviews. It is free, open-source, and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It has been widely adopted by oral history programs at universities and archives across the country, including Penn State’s Special Collections, the CUNY Graduate Center, and many others. It requires no prior audio experience to use for basic recording.

 

  • Download: Go to audacityteam.org and click the Download button for your operating system (Windows or Mac). Follow the installation prompts. The software is free; you do not need to create an account or purchase anything.

 

Setting Up Audacity for Recording

  • Open Audacity. You will see a toolbar at the top and a gray waveform area below it.
  • Click “Audio Setup” (or check the Device Toolbar) to confirm that your microphone is selected as the recording device. If you are using your computer’s built-in microphone, it will likely appear as “Built-in Microphone” or similar. If you have plugged in an external microphone, select it from the dropdown.
  • Set the recording channel to Mono (1 channel) for a standard interview. Stereo is unnecessary for voice recording and produces larger files.
  • Do a test recording of 30 seconds or so before the interview begins. Speak at normal volume and watch the waveform on the screen. Ideally, the waveform peaks should reach roughly the middle of the track without hitting the top edge (which indicates distortion). If the recording is too quiet, move the microphone closer or raise the input volume in Audacity’s mixer. If it is too loud and clipping, lower the input volume or move the microphone slightly farther away.

 

Recording the Interview

  • When you are ready to begin, press the red Record button (circle icon). Audacity will begin recording immediately and you will see a waveform being drawn in real time.
  • State the interview identification information aloud at the start of the recording: date, location, narrator’s name, and your name.
  • Record continuously. Do not stop and restart the recording during the interview unless there is a technical problem. It is much easier to edit out unwanted sections afterward than to stitch together multiple files.
  • When the interview is complete, press the Stop button (square icon).

 

Saving and Exporting the File

  • Do not save the Audacity project file (.aup3) as your final archive file. This format can only be opened in Audacity. Instead, export the recording as an MP3 file, which is universally accessible and compact enough for easy sharing and storage.
  • To export: go to File → Export Audio. Choose MP3 as the file format. Set the quality to 128 kbps or higher for speech recordings. Name the file using the WCRP naming convention (e.g., Simpson_Jeanne_2001-04-15.mp3) and save it to a location you will remember.
  • Back up the file immediately to a second location (an external drive, cloud storage, or email to the WCRP coordinator). Do not rely on a single copy.

 

2.2  Recording In-Person Interviews

  • Position the microphone or recording device between you and the narrator, equidistant from both speakers if possible. For a laptop, place it on the table between you with Audacity open and the microphone facing the narrator.
  • Avoid placing the microphone near papers, fabric, or other surfaces that can rustle. Turn off fans, air conditioning units, or other appliances that produce background noise if possible.
  • Ask the narrator to speak at a normal conversational volume. Shouting or leaning very close to the microphone both cause distortion.
  • An inexpensive external USB microphone (widely available for $20–40) will produce noticeably better audio quality than a laptop’s built-in microphone and is worth the investment for in-person interviews.

 

2.3  Recording Remote Interviews (Zoom or Phone)

If an in-person interview is not possible, remote recording is an acceptable alternative. Zoom is the most convenient option for remote interviews.

  • To record a Zoom interview: start the meeting, click Record, and choose Record to this Computer. Zoom will save an audio file (and video, if desired) to your computer when the meeting ends.
  • For better audio quality, enable the option to record each participant’s audio as a separate track: go to Zoom Settings → Recording → check “Record a separate audio file for each participant.” This makes it easier to edit audio problems on one speaker’s track without affecting the other.
  • Ask the narrator to use headphones and to be in a quiet room, just as you would for an in-person interview.
  • If recording by phone is the only option, use the speakerphone with Audacity open on your computer and the microphone pointed toward the phone. Audio quality will be lower but may still be usable.

2.4  File Format and Submission

  • Submit all interview recordings as MP3 files at 128 kbps or higher.
  • File name format: LastName_FirstName_YYYY-MM-DD.mp3 (e.g., Simpson_Jeanne_2001-04-15.mp3).
  • Submit the audio file, the signed WCRP Consent Form, and the completed WCRP Oral History Record and Document Checklist to the WCRP coordinator. Email Carey Smitherman Clark at cclark@uca.edu for submission.

 

Part Three: WCRP Consent Form

The form below (next page) should be printed or downloaded as a pdf, completed, and signed before the interview is recorded. Provide one copy to the narrator and return one signed copy to the WCRP coordinator along with the audio file and completed Oral History Record and Document Checklist.

WCRP Consent Form

Please complete this form and return a signed copy to the WCRP coordinator before or at the time of the interview. Retain a copy for your records.

 

Writing Centers Research Project

Oral History Interview—Informed Consent and Release Agreement

I, _________________________ (print name), agree to be interviewed by a representative of the Writing Centers Research Project (WCRP) at the University of Central Arkansas for the purpose of documenting the history of writing center theory and practice. I understand that:

 

  • The interview will be audio-recorded and transcribed.
  • The recording and transcript will be archived at the University of Central Arkansas and may be made available to scholars and researchers.
  • My name will be associated with the interview in the archive unless I request anonymity below.
  • I may review the transcript prior to its deposit in the archive and may request the removal or correction of specific portions.
  • I retain the right to withdraw my consent and have the recording and transcript destroyed at any time prior to the deposit of materials in the archive.
  • Participation is entirely voluntary and I may decline to answer any question at any time.

Anonymity request (check if applicable):

☐  I request that my name not be associated with this interview in any publicly accessible materials.

Restrictions on use (describe any restrictions you wish to place on the use of this interview, e.g., embargo period, topics to be closed):

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Narrator signature: ______________________________________   Date: ______________

Narrator printed name: ___________________________________

Narrator address / email: ________________________________

 

Interviewer signature: ___________________________________   Date: ______________

Interviewer printed name: ________________________________

 

Please return completed forms to:

Carey Smitherman Clark, WCRP Coordinator

Center for Writing & Communication, Thompson Hall 109

University of Central Arkansas, 201 S. Donaghey Ave., Conway, AR 72035

cclark@uca.edu

 

Part Four: Interview Questions

The questions below are organized thematically. You need not follow this order rigidly; adapt the sequence as the conversation naturally develops. Questions marked with an italicized bracketed note should be customized based on your pre-interview research about the specific subject.

Background and Path to Writing Center Work

These questions establish biographical context and invite the subject to reflect on how they came to the field. They often yield rich narrative material and should generally open the interview.

  1. To begin, would you tell me a bit about your educational background—where you studied, your field, and your degree path?
  2. Why did you choose to pursue work in your field? Were there particular teachers, mentors, or experiences that shaped that decision?  [Adapt based on subject’s discipline.]
  3. How did you first get involved in writing center work? Was it something you sought out, or did it come to you unexpectedly?
  4. Did you have mentors who guided your early work in writing centers? Who were they, and what did you learn from them?
  5. What was the field of writing center studies like when you entered it? How would you describe the state of the profession at that time?

Directing a Writing Center

These questions explore the practical and intellectual dimensions of the subject’s administrative work.

  1. Can you describe the writing center you directed (or founded), including the institution, the size of the center, and the population it served?  [Adapt if subject directed multiple centers.]
  2. How did you establish or build the center? What were the most significant challenges you faced in its early years?
  3. What kind of institutional support did you receive, and how did that support (or lack of it) shape what you were able to accomplish?
  4. How did you approach tutor training? What did you believe tutors most needed to know, and how did your approach evolve over time?
  5. How did you handle the relationship between the writing center and other units of the institution (the English department, academic affairs, or others)? Was that relationship ever complicated?
  6. What administrative lessons did you learn the hard way—things you wish someone had told you earlier?
  7. Do you have a story from your time directing a center that has stayed with you and that captures something essential about writing center work?

Scholarship and Intellectual Contributions

These questions invite the subject to reflect on their published work and the ideas they have contributed to the field. Adapt them carefully based on your pre-interview reading.

  1. Your work on [specific publication or topic] has been widely cited. Can you tell me about how that piece came to be—what question you were trying to answer and what you found?  [Adapt to subject’s specific scholarship.]
  2. How has your thinking about [key concept or position] evolved over the course of your career?  [Adapt based on subject’s known views.]
  3. What questions do you think the field has not yet answered well? Where do you see the most important gaps in writing center research?
  4. Is there a piece of your own work that you feel has been underread or that deserves more attention than it has received?

Professional Organizations and the Writing Center Community

These questions address the subject’s involvement in building the professional infrastructure of the field. Tailor them based on the subject’s known roles.

  1. What was your involvement with [relevant organization—NWCA, IWCA, regional association, WCenter listserv]? How did that involvement begin?  [Adapt based on subject’s known affiliations.]
  2. What did you believe a national or regional professional organization could accomplish for writing centers that individual practitioners could not accomplish on their own?
  3. What were the most significant challenges you faced in building or sustaining that organizational work?
  4. How did the professional community change over the course of your involvement? What shifts (in priorities, tone, membership, or purpose) do you remember most vividly?
  5. Who else in the field do you think has not received sufficient recognition for their contributions? Are there unsung figures in writing center history that scholars should know more about?

Marginalization, Advocacy, and Institutional Politics

These questions address the systemic challenges writing centers and their directors have faced. They may touch on sensitive professional experiences; follow the subject’s lead.

  1. Writing center directors have often described feeling marginalized within their institutions—professionally, spatially, or financially. Did you experience that, and how did you respond to it?
  2. How did questions of gender, rank, or professional status shape your experience as a writing center administrator?
  3. What strategies did you find effective for advocating for your center’s resources, visibility, or legitimacy?
  4. What advice would you give to a writing center director today who is struggling to be taken seriously by their administration?

Change Over Time and the State of the Field

These questions ask the subject to reflect on the arc of their career and the trajectory of writing center studies.

  1. Looking back across your career, what changes in writing center practice or theory do you consider most significant?
  2. What aspects of writing center work do you think have remained essentially the same, despite changes in technology, pedagogy, and institutional context?
  3. What does the field still need to do? What conversations have not been had, what problems have not been solved?
  4. How has technology—including online tutoring, listservs, and more recently AI tools—changed writing center work, in your view?
  5. If you could go back and do one thing differently in your career, what would it be?

Legacy and Closing Reflections

These questions invite the subject to step back and offer the broader perspective that comes with experience.

  1. What do you hope your contribution to the field will be remembered for?
  2. What does writing center work mean to you at its core? What is the essential thing a writing center does that nothing else does?
  3. Who in the field influenced you most profoundly, and what did they teach you?
  4. Is there anything we have not discussed that you feel is important to say? Something you want on the record?

Writing Centers Research Project • University of Central Arkansas

Center for Writing & Communication • Thompson Hall 109 • Conway, AR 72034

cclark@uca.edu •

 

Writing Centers Research Project

Oral History Record and Document Checklist

Complete one form per interview. Submit with audio file and signed consent form.

Interview Identification

Narrator:  ____________________________   Interviewer:  ____________________________

Date:  ________________________________Location:  ______________________________

Duration:  _____________________________Narrator email:  __________________________

 

Recording and File

Recording method (e.g., Audacity/laptop, Zoom):  ___________  File format:  ______________

Audio file name (LastName_FirstName_YYYY-MM-DD.mp3):  ________________________

Audio quality:   ☐ Excellent   ☐ Good   ☐ Fair   ☐ Poor — notes: ________________________

 

Interview Content Summary

Major topics covered:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Key names mentioned:  ____________________________________________________________________

 

Access and Restrictions

☐ No restrictions     ☐ Narrator requested anonymity     ☐ Embargo until: __________________   

☐ Other (see consent form)

 

Submission Checklist

☐ Consent form signed     ☐ Audio file complete and backed up     ☐ File named per WCRP convention   ☐ Transcript complete ☐ Narrator offered transcript review     ☐ Narrator corrections incorporated   ☐ This checklist complete     ☐ All materials submitted

 

Interviewer Notes

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

 

Interviewer signature: ___________________________________   Date: ______________

Writing Centers Research Project • Center for Writing & Communication • BTThompson Hall 109 • cclark@uca.edu