Designing an Oral History Project

Notes on Interviewing

Tape Label (example)

Field Notes (example)

Tape Index (example) (pdf)

Transcriber's Guidelines

Budget, Equipment, Materials for an Oral History Project

Equipment Currently Used by the SOHP

Transcript (example) (pdf)

Technical guidelines for Tape Recorded Interviews

Ten Tips for Interviewers

Selected Bibliography and Web Resources




SOHP Home > How To > SOHP Guide > Budgeting an Oral History Project

Budgeting an Oral History Project

The materials, equipment, and personnel needed to complete an oral history project vary widely depending on the purpose, location, scope, and duration of the project. What follows is a list of possible expenses. Not all projects incur all of these expenses; some projects will require more funding. The dollar figures listed below are based on figures used by the SOHP as of March 2000.


Personnel
Paid Interviewers: $200 - $500/interview depending on experience

Transcription: An experienced transcriber will transcribe one hour of tape in approximately 5-6 hours. Expect to pay an experienced transcriber between $12 and $15 per hour.

Editing: If the interviewer and/or interviewee will be correcting the transcript and the transcriber will also enter these corrections and produce a final copy, allow for one hour of editing (at the same rate of pay of transcribing) for each hour of tape.


Equipment
An established oral history project usually requires the purchase of at least one high-quality tape recorder.

Access to word processing software and a printer is necessary for transcription.

If the project entails a great deal of transcribing, a transcribing machine speeds the process significantly.


Basic Supplies
Tapes: $2.75/each
Note: As a general rule, allow two tapes per interview. Funds permitting, budget for an additional two tapes per interview to make back-up copies and copies for the interviewee.





The Southern Oral History Program
(a component of the UNC Center for the Study of the American South)
CB#9127, 406 Hamilton Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-9127
(919) 962-0455
info@sohp.org