Draft Workshop: Unit 3 Project Audio

11/29/12

Name: 

Compose a retrospective outline of the VoiceThread’s audio component. You may want to give you partner the images you plan to use so that s/he can follow along. Your outline should be fairly short... certainly not more than half a page long.

After you compose the outline, evaluate the draft’s organization. Is the draft appropriately weighted toward analysis of the image itself? Does the argument proceed in a logical manner? Does the author relate each section to the thesis statement clearly and directly? Note any sections that seem inconsistent, extraneous, or under-developed.

In addition to those questions, compose at least three questions that you would like your partner to answer about your draft:

1. 

2. 

3. 

Draft Workshop: Unit 3 Project Script

11/27/12

Name:

1. Does the author’s introduction follow one of the templates for effective introductions we discussed in class (refer to your notes if you have to)? If not, suggest specific strategies (such as an anecdote mentioned later in the draft or some other detail) the author might use to craft a more effective introduction.

2. The assignment notes that the VoiceThread should contain a sustained analysis of the artwork’s formal qualities. In other words, the largest part of the draft should be devoted to analyzing the piece of art directly, rather than the contextual information the author connects it to. Does the draft meet this requirement? 

3. Evaluate the author’s thesis statement. Does it do all three things that we noted a strong thesis statement should do? 

4. 

5. 

Turning in Unit 2 Work

As you did at the end of Unit 1, please send me a link to the following files:

All Unit 2 Feeder Assignments

Unit 2 Brainstorming / Pre-Writing (October 11)

Radiolab Homework Assignment (October 23)

Lucy Podcast Group Discussion (October 23)

Unit 2 Data Sheet Workshop (October 25)

Model Podcast Discussion (November 1)

Draft Workshop: Podcast Script (November 1)

Draft Workshop: Results & Discussion Script (November 6)

Draft Workshop: Podcast Audio (November 8)

Draft Workshop: Unit 2 Project (November 13)

PLEASE double check that all documents are shared with my correct email address and all assignments are clearly labeled with your name and the date of the assignment.

Posting Your Podcast to Your Blog

GarageBand

At the top of your screen, click “Share” and then “Export song to disk.” 

Make sure the box next to “Compress” is checked, and change “AAC Encoder” to “mp3 Encoder.” 

Change “High Quality” to “Good Quality.” Click Export and choose a location for your file.

Audacity (Windows)

Click this link for an explanation of how to install the MP3 codec: 

http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Lame_Installation#Windows_Instructions

Once you have the codec installed, open your podcast in Audacity and go to File > Export. Choose a location and a name for your file, then where it says “Format” choose “MP3 files” and click Save. The first time you export an mp3 you may need to locate the mp3 codec you installed above. 

This is a little more complicated! But if you run into problems you can rely on me and your group members.

Audacity (Mac)

Download this file and save it to your computer in a place you’ll remember (I suggest Applications / Audacity). Don’t actually open the file, just download it:

Codec

Next, open your podcast in Audacity and go to File > Export. Choose a location and a name for your file, then where it says “Format” choose “MP3 files” and click Save. The first time you export an mp3 you will need to locate the mp3 codec you installed above. 

This is a little more complicated! But if you run into problems you can rely on me and your group members.

Posting Your Podcast to the blog

Now you should have an mp3 file of your podcast somewhere on your computer. From here, follow the instructions in this screencast to post your podcast to your blog:

Example VoiceThread

http://uncquartet.blogspot.com/2010/12/bruegel-protest-through-death.html

Draft Workshop: Unit 2 Project

Make your own draft workshop

Since many of you are at different stages of the drafting process, today you will compose all of the questions for your workshop. You can either compose new questions entirely or you can copy and paste questions from previous workshops. Please include at least 3 questions.

11/13/12

Name: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Francis Bacon: Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion

Podcast Audio Workshop

Listen to your partner's podcast at least once without stopping, then answer the following questions in the Google Doc where that person kept his or her script.

11/8/12

Name: 

1. Describe the author's implementation of the middle style. Is it a higher or lower take on the middle style? Does the author come off as a credible scientist? What aspects of the podcast contribute most to the author's voice? Be as specific as possible.

2. Do you zone out or become disoriented at any point in the podcast? At what point does the author lose your attention? Does s/he read too slowly or too quickly? Is the recording clear and easy to understand?

3. Describe how the author has implemented post-production techniques such as the addition of music, sound effects, etc. Do these help you to understand the content of the podcast or do they distract you from it?

4. Has the author done everything required for both the Introduction and Methods and Materials sections? Is this information clearly highlighted? Does the author do a good job of explaining the experiment without summarizing the results? Does the podcast sound too much or not enough like a proper scientific research report? What changes might the author make in order to enhance his or her credibility or come off as more approachable? 

Now, read these questions and then listen to the podcast again, thinking about how you will answer each question. If you need to listen again, rewind and listen to part of the podcast again. When you're done, answer these questions:

1. How does the author attempt to grab the reader's attention? Do you think the reader will be "hooked" within 10-15 seconds? Can the author's attention-getter be described as one of the more or less effective introductions we talked about? Explain your answer.

2. At what point does the author transition from the Introduction section to the Methods and Materials section? Describe how this transition takes place and how the author signals to the reader that s/he should be listening for a new idea. Identify any other transitions that are unclear or confusing. 

3. Is the hypothesis highlighted clearly? Can the author be absolutely sure that even a casual listener will understand the experiment's hypothesis? How does the author highlight this information? How might it be highlighted more clearly?

After you have answered all of these questions in the Google Doc, take 5 minutes to converse with your author, explaining both your answers to the questions as well as any more general or specific comments that didn't come up in your written feedback. Also, feel free to share any tips for using the recording software that the author might find helpful.

Draft Workshop: Results & Discussion Script

11/6/12

Name: 

1. How has the author summarized the data that she or he collected in the experiment? Does this summary feel like an onslaught of numbers? Is it disorienting, or do can you process them all as the author is explaining them? How might he or she deal with this material more clearly?

2. Does the author restate clearly the original hypothesis and how the data proved or disproved that hypothesis? How could this information be better highlighted so that the listener will be sure not to miss it?

3. How does the podcast end? Is the ending effective? Why or why not?

4. How might the author interject another voice in a way that would make the podcast both clearer and more interesting?

5. What parts of the podcast do you think will be essential to highlight with music, sound effects, etc.? In other words, what are the most important transitional moments in the podcast? Does the author indicate how s/he will deal with these effectively? Suggest ways in which the use of music and sound effects might be improved.

Podcast Script Workshop 1

1. How does the author attempt to grab the reader's attention? Does the author follow one of the strategies for effective introductions that we talked about in class? It will be helpful to think not just about what the author is saying--i.e. the words s/he is using them--but HOW s/he says them. Will there be music? Sound effects? Will these methods work? If we assume that a potential listener is going to give us 10 seconds of devoted attention before making up his or her mind about whether to listen, do you think this author will have grabbed the listener by that time? Why or why not?

2. When we listened to the RadioLab podcast we talked a lot about the ratio of scripted vs. unscripted content. What do you think that ratio will be in your partner's podcast? Do you think that ratio is appropriate given the tenets of the middle style? How might the author work in more unscripted content? How might the author integrate different voices, sounds, and other effects that might add dynamism to the finished product?

3. How does the author explain the experiment in the Methods and Materials section? How does the author deal with the problem of representing quantitative data orally? Do you think the listener will be able to understand precisely how the experiment works? Do you think the listener could repeated the experiment precisely him or herself? Suggest ways in which the author might make this Methods and Materials section clearer.

4. The draft should contain at least two main sections: Introduction and Methods and Materials. How does the author signals the transition between those two sections (or any others the podcast might include)? Do you think these transitions will be effective? Why or why not?

5. How has the author attempted to establish and maintain his or her scientific credibility? There is a fine line between being accessible and losing one's credibility; where does the author's voice and content reside on this line? If the author were to shoot for a slightly "higher" take on the middle style, how might the script change? Conversely, how would it change if the author were to go "lower?" 

Model Podcast Discussion

Listen to the following podcast:

http://uncquartet.blogspot.com/2010/11/charlottes-feeder-22.html

As you listen, think about your answers to the following questions:

What signals the listener that the author is beginning a new section or introducing a new idea? 

How does the author deal with the problem of representing charts, graphs, etc. in the audio format? Do you think she is successful?

Evaluate the author’s introduction and hypothesis statement. Are they effective? Why or why not?

How has the author used music and sound effects to make the podcast clearer? Are there any sections that might have used these tools more effectively?

Does the author achieve an appropriate level of scientific credibility? Why or why not?