ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED ABOUT BROOMSEDGE CHRONICLES

• Try to find someone, preferably 60 or older, who is a good storyteller, someone who likes to talk about the past and rernembers it in detail.

• The individual needs to sign the release form .

• You and your interviewee need to choose a fairly narrow topic, i.e., "how we used to make mud pies" or "my experience as a bass fisherman for thirty years" or "the day Aunt Ella's horse got away from her," NOT "Aunt Ella's childhood" or "growing up in the 1930s."

• Either take very good notes or use a tape recorder.  If possible, later when you have finished writing the paper, let the interviewee read the paper to make sure he or she actually said what you think.

• After the interview, review and organize your notes.  Then write an organized, detailed essay, not a transcript of the interview.

• Your paper should not be textbook information (which is already preserved) but should describe how your interviewee remembers something, felt about something, and so on.

• Write the paper in your words, not the words of the person you are interviewing, but include a short quote or two.

• Suggested questions to ask your interviewee: Remember to formulate questions using words such as  Who, What, When, Where, Why, How?

• Where did this take place?
• What was the date or approximate date?
• How did you use your senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell)?
• Was there any food or music involved in this?
• How were people dressed?
• What was the weather like?
• What about this do you remember most vividly?
• Was there anything funny, sad, etc. about this?
• What other people were involved in this?  How did they look?  What did they say and do?  How did this affect them?
• How did it make you feel?
• How was this different from other experiences?

You may choose to make up more questions of your own.

• Your BC paper may be accompanied by a photo.

• Make submissions to Dr. Murrey .