It is a chance to evaluate the interviewee to make sure that his memory is sharp enough to achieve the goals of the project. Furthermore, the interviewer can complete the personal background questionnaire, if used, and examine the interviewee's home for a noise-free room for conducting the taping session. The pre-interview is a time to talk about the general areas of questioning, arrange for the date and time of the first session, and for explaining the release form in detail. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, the pre-interview helps build rapport between the interviewee and interviewer. Let us go over these points one by one.
Memory is central to oral history.
Thus, an interviewee's clear and reliable memory is a must. As we all know, some people's memories are clearer than others. During a pre-interview, you can evaluate your subject's memory by asking just a few specific questions that you have identified from your research. If you are using a personal background questionnaire or data sheet, this is the time to complete it. This will also help build rapport as you show your interviewee that you have already done research about him.