Should I Use A Video Or An Audio Recording Device When Conducting Oral Interviews For Research Projects?

Video or audio recording devices used in oral interviews provide different results for researchers and one may be more appropriate than the other in given circumstances. Many people being interviewed may be more comfortable with a small audio recording device placed on a table in front of them, than having to sit across from a large video camera. You will want to ensure that your subject is comfortable enough to candidly answer questions, so if video cameras make them uneasy, then this will detract from the quality of the interview. It is also best if the person being interviewed can give frank, open responses and using a simply audio device may help make the atmosphere feel more natural and informal.

In some cases, using a video recording device can be very helpful. For example, when conducting group interviews, it is far easier to identify people by looking at a video recording than by listening only to voices as recorded with an audio recorder. Also, in many cases it can be very revealing to look for body language and facial expressions when the person being interviewed is asked a question. For historians, video recordings allow them to 'read between the lines' by analysing not only the actual answer to a questions, but how that answer was given.

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