PODCAST
Podcast
Length: 3-5 minutes
Format: MP3 file uploaded to Soundcloud.
Point value:
30 points
What should be the purpose of the podcast?
The podcast should have one of the following three aims when dealing with a topic of your choice:
1. To inform: You want to tell us about a topic that people don’t know enough about. It can be something you are an expert in or something you want to learn more about and research for this project. The choices are endless. Possible examples include a historical event, a scientific discovery, an activist movement, the work or life of an artist or political figure, an analysis of a show/film/album/play/art movement, the history of a particular technology/food/cultural norm/group, and so on.
2. To persuade: You want to convince us of something. You can change our mind or get us to more deeply agree with you about a particular issue. You can also get us to take an action by showing us why it is important, if not urgent, to do so. For changing our minds, you can look at issues that are contested in the national conversation, such as gun control, women’s and queer people’s rights, the effects of racism and classism, immigration, etc. For actions to be taken, you want to choose the action you have in mind and then figure out what you need to argue in order to invite others to take it. Examples of possible actions are voting, recycling, cutting down on screen time, donating money or time to a particular cause, etc.
3. To emotionally move the audience: For this option, you want to get the audience to feel something. You may want to make their eyes water or get them to laugh or to feel angry at a particular injustice you are describing. Stories are usually the surest way to get at someone’s emotions. Because this is not a creative writing course, I ask that you do not write something that is solely fiction or poetry for this assignment. You can, however, use memoir/creative non-fiction to move your audience or present a topic of your choice in a way that gets people to laugh/cry/feel angry as they listen to your podcast.
What should the podcast be about?
You’ll want to pick one topic that works well through sound. While one could certainly create a good podcast about Frida Kahlo’s paintings, the visual arts are not necessarily the most natural fit for a podcast. If you were to instead analyze Frida, Julie Taymor’s 2002 film about her life, you’d be able to feature sound clips from the film in order to create a more compelling listening experience.
One of the joys of listening to podcasts is the blend of sounds, music, voices, and clips that the genre can provide for us. While one of the podcast assignment requirements is for you to act as our host and use narration to explain the subject, you’ll need to choose a topic that allows you to bring in additional sounds and/or voices into the listening experience.
Unlike the blog post series where you needed to select a topic you could photograph locally, you are not geographically bound as you select your topic for the podcast. You can interview people in person (that will give you better sound) or over the phone (landlines are better for sound in that case). You can also feature clips recorded by others, and so on.
Above all else, you want to select a topic that you are curious about and that you think you can make compelling by using your voice and other sounds recorded by you or by others.
Do I need to cite outside sources?
If you choose to inform or to persuade as your purpose for your podcast, outside sources will be key to your argument. Depending on what you select when it comes to moving your audience, you may be fine without them. If your sources are also available as podcast or video, you should use sound clips. If your sources are only available in print, you can read what they wrote/said as part of your narration.
How do I cite sources?
Since people will hear this project, you don’t need to use a particular citation style, but you will need to verbally introduce each source. For example, you want to say, “Here’s director Jennie Livingston discussing Paris is Burning on NPR…” or “As Patricia Aufderheide argues in Documentary Film…” In other words, make sure to verbally tell us what we’re about to hear.
Do I need a Works Cited page?
Yes, you will add your MLA Works Cited page to the podcast’s description on Soundcloud. You can use direct quotes and you can paraphrase.
How am I going to edit, record, and post my podcast?
We will learn how to use Audacity (a free sound editing software) to record and edit sound. However, if you have access to and already know how to use a different software, such as GarageBand or Pro Tools, you are welcome to use that one instead. You can use Audacity (or the software of your choice) to record with your computers’ built-in mics. The recording will be of higher quality if you use a MacBook Pro to record, so if one is available to you, please use it. If you have access to mics that you can plug into your computer, the quality will be even higher.
All narration recording MUST take place inside to avoid background noise. Try to position yourself at the same distance from the mic during each recording session to avoid too many fluctuations in sound levels. The ideal distance from the mic is to spread your fingers wide and have your thumb touch your lips and your index finger touch the mic. That distance is close enough to allow the mic to capture sound clearly but not so close that your voice will sound distorted. You’ll want to edit the sound to between -20 to -10 decibels as you work on it.
You will post your drafts and your final podcast to SoundCloud. You can make an account at https://soundcloud.com. SoundCloud will lead you through the upload process.
Does the podcast have a soundtrack requirement?
Yes, it does. You’ll want to use music throughout the podcast. Podcasts usually utilize music at the beginning and at the end, but they also feature it in the areas where they want to augment the emotional impact of what is being said. I expect you to follow that format as well. If you use Creative Commons music, you will not risk your podcast being taken down or having ads attached to it. You can find Creative Commons music on these sites: http://www.freesound.org, http://www.jamendo.com/en, and http://ccmixter.org.
Format: MP3 file uploaded to Soundcloud.
Point value:
30 points
What should be the purpose of the podcast?
The podcast should have one of the following three aims when dealing with a topic of your choice:
1. To inform: You want to tell us about a topic that people don’t know enough about. It can be something you are an expert in or something you want to learn more about and research for this project. The choices are endless. Possible examples include a historical event, a scientific discovery, an activist movement, the work or life of an artist or political figure, an analysis of a show/film/album/play/art movement, the history of a particular technology/food/cultural norm/group, and so on.
2. To persuade: You want to convince us of something. You can change our mind or get us to more deeply agree with you about a particular issue. You can also get us to take an action by showing us why it is important, if not urgent, to do so. For changing our minds, you can look at issues that are contested in the national conversation, such as gun control, women’s and queer people’s rights, the effects of racism and classism, immigration, etc. For actions to be taken, you want to choose the action you have in mind and then figure out what you need to argue in order to invite others to take it. Examples of possible actions are voting, recycling, cutting down on screen time, donating money or time to a particular cause, etc.
3. To emotionally move the audience: For this option, you want to get the audience to feel something. You may want to make their eyes water or get them to laugh or to feel angry at a particular injustice you are describing. Stories are usually the surest way to get at someone’s emotions. Because this is not a creative writing course, I ask that you do not write something that is solely fiction or poetry for this assignment. You can, however, use memoir/creative non-fiction to move your audience or present a topic of your choice in a way that gets people to laugh/cry/feel angry as they listen to your podcast.
What should the podcast be about?
You’ll want to pick one topic that works well through sound. While one could certainly create a good podcast about Frida Kahlo’s paintings, the visual arts are not necessarily the most natural fit for a podcast. If you were to instead analyze Frida, Julie Taymor’s 2002 film about her life, you’d be able to feature sound clips from the film in order to create a more compelling listening experience.
One of the joys of listening to podcasts is the blend of sounds, music, voices, and clips that the genre can provide for us. While one of the podcast assignment requirements is for you to act as our host and use narration to explain the subject, you’ll need to choose a topic that allows you to bring in additional sounds and/or voices into the listening experience.
Unlike the blog post series where you needed to select a topic you could photograph locally, you are not geographically bound as you select your topic for the podcast. You can interview people in person (that will give you better sound) or over the phone (landlines are better for sound in that case). You can also feature clips recorded by others, and so on.
Above all else, you want to select a topic that you are curious about and that you think you can make compelling by using your voice and other sounds recorded by you or by others.
Do I need to cite outside sources?
If you choose to inform or to persuade as your purpose for your podcast, outside sources will be key to your argument. Depending on what you select when it comes to moving your audience, you may be fine without them. If your sources are also available as podcast or video, you should use sound clips. If your sources are only available in print, you can read what they wrote/said as part of your narration.
How do I cite sources?
Since people will hear this project, you don’t need to use a particular citation style, but you will need to verbally introduce each source. For example, you want to say, “Here’s director Jennie Livingston discussing Paris is Burning on NPR…” or “As Patricia Aufderheide argues in Documentary Film…” In other words, make sure to verbally tell us what we’re about to hear.
Do I need a Works Cited page?
Yes, you will add your MLA Works Cited page to the podcast’s description on Soundcloud. You can use direct quotes and you can paraphrase.
How am I going to edit, record, and post my podcast?
We will learn how to use Audacity (a free sound editing software) to record and edit sound. However, if you have access to and already know how to use a different software, such as GarageBand or Pro Tools, you are welcome to use that one instead. You can use Audacity (or the software of your choice) to record with your computers’ built-in mics. The recording will be of higher quality if you use a MacBook Pro to record, so if one is available to you, please use it. If you have access to mics that you can plug into your computer, the quality will be even higher.
All narration recording MUST take place inside to avoid background noise. Try to position yourself at the same distance from the mic during each recording session to avoid too many fluctuations in sound levels. The ideal distance from the mic is to spread your fingers wide and have your thumb touch your lips and your index finger touch the mic. That distance is close enough to allow the mic to capture sound clearly but not so close that your voice will sound distorted. You’ll want to edit the sound to between -20 to -10 decibels as you work on it.
You will post your drafts and your final podcast to SoundCloud. You can make an account at https://soundcloud.com. SoundCloud will lead you through the upload process.
Does the podcast have a soundtrack requirement?
Yes, it does. You’ll want to use music throughout the podcast. Podcasts usually utilize music at the beginning and at the end, but they also feature it in the areas where they want to augment the emotional impact of what is being said. I expect you to follow that format as well. If you use Creative Commons music, you will not risk your podcast being taken down or having ads attached to it. You can find Creative Commons music on these sites: http://www.freesound.org, http://www.jamendo.com/en, and http://ccmixter.org.
Podcast Planning Presentation
What will the presentations entail?
You will give a five-minute presentation in class during which you will answer the following questions for us:
What platform should I use for the presentation?
Photoshop, Google Slides or a Prezi.
When will the presentations take place?
Over two class periods on 10/14 and 10/16.
How will the podcast be evaluated?
I will look for a clear sense of purpose, meaning that I can tell what the podcast is trying to do from the start and it does it throughout, and for depth of ideas. Whether your purpose is to inform, to persuade or to move the audience emotionally, I expect you to do it effectively and with nuance and to do it throughout the podcast. If you use sources, you should introduce them properly. I will also evaluate the quality of the podcast in terms of how well the soundtrack, narration, clips, and interviews (if you choose to feature the latter) blend together.
You will give a five-minute presentation in class during which you will answer the following questions for us:
- What topic(s) are you thinking about?
- Is your purpose to inform, to persuade, or to emotionally move the audience?
- If you have more than one topic in mind, what are the pros and cons of each?
- Why have you selected the topic(s) you’re envisioning?
- What sounds do you hope to feature in this podcast?
- What are the difficulties that worry you about this topic?
What platform should I use for the presentation?
Photoshop, Google Slides or a Prezi.
When will the presentations take place?
Over two class periods on 10/14 and 10/16.
How will the podcast be evaluated?
I will look for a clear sense of purpose, meaning that I can tell what the podcast is trying to do from the start and it does it throughout, and for depth of ideas. Whether your purpose is to inform, to persuade or to move the audience emotionally, I expect you to do it effectively and with nuance and to do it throughout the podcast. If you use sources, you should introduce them properly. I will also evaluate the quality of the podcast in terms of how well the soundtrack, narration, clips, and interviews (if you choose to feature the latter) blend together.
Assignment Delivery
Send the final version in the body of an email to [email protected]. The subject of your email should be Podcast, followed by your last name, i.e. Podcast Glass.
Assignment Deadlines
10/14 and 10/16: Podcast Planning Presentation.
10/28 and 10/30: Podcast Draft due for Studio Style Review Session.
11/03 by 11:59pm: Podcast Series Final Draft due.
10/28 and 10/30: Podcast Draft due for Studio Style Review Session.
11/03 by 11:59pm: Podcast Series Final Draft due.
Questions
If you have questions about the podcast assignment, feel free to email me, stop by my office hours, or make an appointment.