Audio Assignment 10% Due: 2.

6
1 Skills
Compose, record, and edit audio to create a story consisting of rhetorically effective voice,
music, and sound effects.
2 Goals
In a 2-3 minutes of audio, compose a This I Believe Essay that will serve to introduce the
beliefs you hold about life and how that relates to the topic of your documentary.
3 Requirements
The following invitation is from NPRs website (http://thisibelieve.org/guidelines/):

We invite you to contribute to this project by writing and submitting your own statement
of personal belief. We understand how challenging this isit requires such intimacy that
no one else can do it for you. To guide you through this process, we offer these suggestions:

Tell a story
Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life.
Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think of your own
experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that no one else does. Your
story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenchingit can even be funnybut it should be
real . Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping
of your beliefs.
Be brief
Your statement should be between 350 and 500 words. Thats about three minutes when
read aloud at your natural pace.
Name your belief
If you cant name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief. Also, rather
than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief, because three minutes is a very
short time.
Be positive
Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not what you
dont believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial we. Make your essay about you; speak in the
first person.
Be personal
Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend you
read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until
you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak. For
this project, we are also guided by the original This I Believe series and the producers invitation
to those who wrote essays in the 1950s. Their advice holds up well and we are abiding by
it. Please consider it carefully in writing your piece. In introducing the original series, host
Edward R. Murrow said, Never has the need for personal philosophies of this kind been so
urgent. We would argue that the need is as great now as it was 50 years ago. We are eager
for your contribution.

Our class requirements take precedence over the NPR requirements:
1. The audio begins with the This I Believe Intro.
2. Someone else introduces you with a short biography just like in the sample essays
weve listened to.
3. The story is 2-3 minutes. Even a few seconds below two minutes or over three minutes
will reduce your grade.
4. You create a soundtrack that fits your story.
5. Your story includes both a narrative (a personal story) and some type of philosophical
reflection.
6. Submit a written copy of your story as well.
7. You will submit the audio essay draft to SoundCloud for peer review on 2.4.
7. On 2.6 you will submit both the audio essay draft and the revision with the
accompanying peer review worksheet. You will also submit a 1-2 page cover letter. All
audio will be uploaded to SoundCloud. You will then provide a link to the audio and the
written portions of the assignment on the Carmen Dropbox.
4 Grading Criteria
____Vocal Style (40 points)
Voice sounds natural, not like youre reading.
You sound like you know what youre talking about.
Your voice isnt monotone but uses the appropriate intonation (rise and fall) to
indicate the plot of the story.
Your voice is well-paced, not rushed or slow.
Your voice doesnt sound fake or like a radio/tv voice. Work with what you have, but
it should be easy to understand, crisp, and engaging.
Nothing is distracting music, vocal mistakes, etc.
_____Story Quality (25 points)
The story contains a combination of anecdote (story with a sequence of events) as
well as a subtle reflection (the so what? of the story).
The story isnt generic you speak in specifics.
Story has characters
Story has the quality of accessibilityit is identifiable as well as specific.
The story shows rather than tells.
The story is well-paced: it uses more details in the most important parts.
The story should be interesting and develop your ethos you should be likeable or
at least listenable.
_____Music (15 points)
Music matches the story: it rises and falls with the plot and doesnt distract from the
story.
Music is well-mixed: its neither too soft nor too loud.
_____Cover Letter (15 points)
Explains the choices you made to create your essay. Explains how you fulfill the
assignments criteria. Uses the language that has been introduced in class to explain.
_____Assignment Requirements (5 points)
Assignment includes all of requirements listed above.
_____Total (100 points)
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