Hi Susan:
Removal of the entire branch or a portion of the branch in your case often depends on crown form and branch symmetry.
Will removal of the branch make the form of the tree more symmetrical or asymmetrical?
If you partial prune rather than remove the entirebranch, try to make your pruning cuts at a "node" on the branch or twig. A partial pruning cut at a branch/twig "node" will allow for later growth from an extant bud -- no branch/twig buds = no growth potential.
How to Prune: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5368392.pdf
Additionally, do not prune your oak trees from early spring through the end of summer due to the threat of Oak Wilt.