MULTIMODAL WRITING ANALYSIS PRESENTATION
Length: 8-10 minutes
Format: Powerpoint, Google Slides, or a Prezi.
Due date: Throughout the semester. You will sign up to present during class.
What multimodal writing sample do I select?
You’re going to talk about a blog, a podcast, or a social media campaign. It should be a sample you are familiar with because you have engaged with it in the past or because you examined it after selecting it for this assignment. We cannot have repeats, so when you sign up, make sure that others haven’t already signed up to present about that particular blog, podcast or social media campaign.
How much of the sample should I use?
The time you spend introducing us to the sample before you analyze it should be 2-3 minutes. For blogs, you may want to show us a couple posts and summarize what they talk about or read a few segments. For podcasts, you can play a section that you think exemplifies their style. For social media campaigns, you can show us examples of posts that you think best represent their campaign’s approach.
NOTE: Please make sure that what you choose is not particularly violent or sexually explicit.
How do I analyze the sample?
The first step is to tell us which of these three purposes you see the sample as fulfilling and why:
Once you have established the sample’s purpose, select three of the following elements and apply them to why you think this is a particularly effective/enjoyable/successful blog, podcast or social media campaign:
Design: How does the look of the sample help it achieve its purpose? Here you can look at prominent colors, fonts, logos, alignment, the time period the design elicits—is it retro? Futuristic? Current?—and/or the personality it projects—upbeat, hipster, cool, serious, etc.
Use of Images: What kinds of images do they choose to feature? Are they stills? Are they video? Are they designed pieces like infographics, maps, and charts? Do they seem professionally taken? Do they have more of an amateur look? What mood do the images project? How prominent are they on the page? What is the ratio of images to words?
Sound: What role does sound play in the sample? If they use voices, what kind of personality do these voices project—Friendly? Angry? Authoritative? Serious? Highly-Educated? Warm?—If they use music, what role does the music play? How often does it appear? What kind of music is it and how does it affect the experience of listening to this sample? If they use background sounds, how do they integrate them and what do they add to the sample’s impact?
Hyperlinking: When the sample links to other pieces, how does it present those pieces? Is the linking done to critique other pieces? To provide more support for their own ideas? To strengthen their own ethos? How often does the sample link to other pieces? Does the amount of linking seem appropriate to their main purpose?
Engagement with the Audience: How does the sample engage with the audience directly? If it’s on social media, do they retweet/like/respond/comment? Is their tone of response celebratory? Friendly? Hostile? Are they open to conversation? For non-social media platforms, do they address their audience directly? If so, how? What is their approach to making the audience feel like they are part of the conversations they are having and/or the stories they are sharing?
Story: Does the sample use storytelling in order to get its points across? How does the story introduce its characters? Does it work as a short anecdote or is it more of a full-fledged account of events? Is the narrative compelling? Does the story seek to make audiences feel an emotional connection, to create suspense, to teach a message?
Affect: How does the sample get the audience to feel emotionally connected to the events/characters/stories/situations it features? What emotion does the sample elicit and what strategies do they use to transmit that emotion to the audience?
Use of Credible Sources: Does the sample bring in outside sources in order to make its arguments? Do they show those sources to be credible? If so, how? Do they hyperlink the sources? Do they cite them at the end? How do they use the sources in order to build their ethos and make their arguments seem more believable?
How many details about the multimodal writing sample should I provide?
You should start your presentation with information about the sample. Name, link, a short description of what their main goals and style are, how long it’s been available, information about the main people involved in producing this sample. Don’t go into great detail, just give us enough to get interested and then launch into your analysis.
How much is the documentary presentation worth?
10 points
How will the presentation be evaluated?
I realize that for some of you speaking in public can be an unsettling experience but I want to give you the chance to bring your voice to the class and to share with us a blog/podcast/social media campaign you enjoy. I don’t want you to feel nervous about the presentation, so the assignment is pass/fail. If you present and you follow the requirements above, you will receive full credit. I will email you if you fail, but as long as you follow the instructions, you will pass.
What if I still have questions?
Come to office hours, email me, talk to me before or after class.
Format: Powerpoint, Google Slides, or a Prezi.
Due date: Throughout the semester. You will sign up to present during class.
What multimodal writing sample do I select?
You’re going to talk about a blog, a podcast, or a social media campaign. It should be a sample you are familiar with because you have engaged with it in the past or because you examined it after selecting it for this assignment. We cannot have repeats, so when you sign up, make sure that others haven’t already signed up to present about that particular blog, podcast or social media campaign.
How much of the sample should I use?
The time you spend introducing us to the sample before you analyze it should be 2-3 minutes. For blogs, you may want to show us a couple posts and summarize what they talk about or read a few segments. For podcasts, you can play a section that you think exemplifies their style. For social media campaigns, you can show us examples of posts that you think best represent their campaign’s approach.
NOTE: Please make sure that what you choose is not particularly violent or sexually explicit.
How do I analyze the sample?
The first step is to tell us which of these three purposes you see the sample as fulfilling and why:
- To inform
- To persuade
- To emotionally move the audience
Once you have established the sample’s purpose, select three of the following elements and apply them to why you think this is a particularly effective/enjoyable/successful blog, podcast or social media campaign:
Design: How does the look of the sample help it achieve its purpose? Here you can look at prominent colors, fonts, logos, alignment, the time period the design elicits—is it retro? Futuristic? Current?—and/or the personality it projects—upbeat, hipster, cool, serious, etc.
Use of Images: What kinds of images do they choose to feature? Are they stills? Are they video? Are they designed pieces like infographics, maps, and charts? Do they seem professionally taken? Do they have more of an amateur look? What mood do the images project? How prominent are they on the page? What is the ratio of images to words?
Sound: What role does sound play in the sample? If they use voices, what kind of personality do these voices project—Friendly? Angry? Authoritative? Serious? Highly-Educated? Warm?—If they use music, what role does the music play? How often does it appear? What kind of music is it and how does it affect the experience of listening to this sample? If they use background sounds, how do they integrate them and what do they add to the sample’s impact?
Hyperlinking: When the sample links to other pieces, how does it present those pieces? Is the linking done to critique other pieces? To provide more support for their own ideas? To strengthen their own ethos? How often does the sample link to other pieces? Does the amount of linking seem appropriate to their main purpose?
Engagement with the Audience: How does the sample engage with the audience directly? If it’s on social media, do they retweet/like/respond/comment? Is their tone of response celebratory? Friendly? Hostile? Are they open to conversation? For non-social media platforms, do they address their audience directly? If so, how? What is their approach to making the audience feel like they are part of the conversations they are having and/or the stories they are sharing?
Story: Does the sample use storytelling in order to get its points across? How does the story introduce its characters? Does it work as a short anecdote or is it more of a full-fledged account of events? Is the narrative compelling? Does the story seek to make audiences feel an emotional connection, to create suspense, to teach a message?
Affect: How does the sample get the audience to feel emotionally connected to the events/characters/stories/situations it features? What emotion does the sample elicit and what strategies do they use to transmit that emotion to the audience?
Use of Credible Sources: Does the sample bring in outside sources in order to make its arguments? Do they show those sources to be credible? If so, how? Do they hyperlink the sources? Do they cite them at the end? How do they use the sources in order to build their ethos and make their arguments seem more believable?
How many details about the multimodal writing sample should I provide?
You should start your presentation with information about the sample. Name, link, a short description of what their main goals and style are, how long it’s been available, information about the main people involved in producing this sample. Don’t go into great detail, just give us enough to get interested and then launch into your analysis.
How much is the documentary presentation worth?
10 points
How will the presentation be evaluated?
I realize that for some of you speaking in public can be an unsettling experience but I want to give you the chance to bring your voice to the class and to share with us a blog/podcast/social media campaign you enjoy. I don’t want you to feel nervous about the presentation, so the assignment is pass/fail. If you present and you follow the requirements above, you will receive full credit. I will email you if you fail, but as long as you follow the instructions, you will pass.
What if I still have questions?
Come to office hours, email me, talk to me before or after class.