Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about the Oral History Documentation Guide, the five-level evidence labeling system, narrator consent, preservation standards, and community protocols.

About the Framework

Working with Narrators: Consent and Rights

Evidence Labels in Practice

Indigenous, Tribal, and Community Protocols

Sensitive Materials and Access

Preservation and the Archive

Using the Guide in Different Situations

Public Communication and Education

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Frequently Asked Questions

About the Framework

What is the Thronateeska Historical Continuity Project?

What is the five-level evidence labeling system?

Why do we need labels at all? Isn't this just adding bureaucracy to family stories?

How is this different from professional genealogy standards?

Can a claim's label change over time?

What's the difference between Level 3 (Oral Testimony) and Level 4 (Working Hypothesis)?

Working with Narrators: Consent and Rights

Can a narrator change their mind after the interview?

What if a narrator dies before the project is complete?

Can a narrator use a pseudonym?

What is "rolling consent," in practice?

Does the project own the recording, or does the narrator?

Evidence Labels in Practice

Do DNA results count as "Documented"?

What if a record says one thing and the narrator says another?

Can family Bibles, photographs, and home documents count as documentary evidence?

When should a claim be Level 5 (Unresolved)?

Indigenous, Tribal, and Community Protocols

Can the project document Indigenous oral history without a tribal nation's direct involvement?

How does the framework apply to Afro-Indigenous histories where federal recognition doesn't apply?

What if we don't know whether material is sacred or restricted?

Sensitive Materials and Access

What counts as "sensitive"?

Can material be made public after the narrator dies?

Preservation and the Archive

What is the 3-2-1 rule, and why does it matter?

Can we use AI transcription tools?

What file formats should we save in?

Using the Guide in Different Situations

I'm one person doing family genealogy. Do I need all of this?

Can a classroom teacher use the guide for a student project?

We don't have funding. What's the minimum responsible practice?

Public Communication and Education

How should evidence labels appear in an exhibit or website?

Can the project comment on tribal enrollment cases?

What if a journalist wants to quote a narrator?

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