HALBERT EN 101-035 FALL 2019

PROFILE PODCAST
Due by 11:59pm on November 10, 2019
Worth 20% of total class grade
Approx. 1000-1500 words

ASSIGNMENT:
In the profile unit, you’ll use storytelling, inquiry, and firsthand experience to produce a
profile podcast with a partner. You will be profiling an inanimate object on campus or in
Tuscaloosa, similar to the Everything is Alive podcast. To develop this assignment, you will be
responsible for producing the following: 1) a list of exploratory questions about your object,
2) documented research in the form of field observation notes and outside sources, 3) a
write up of the rhetorical aims for your podcast and the strategies you will use to reach them,
4) a podcast script, and 5) a final podcast.

Your podcast should:

• Tell a story about a specific inanimate object at UA/in Tuscaloosa
• Develop a connection between the object and the people in the community
• Provide specific details about the object that display engagement with research and
field observation
• Make use of soundwriting techniques (music, sound effects, audio recording) to
develop a profile with a specific tone
• Effectively use transitions to guide the listener through the profile
• Be accompanied by a transcript for accessibility purposes

AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE:

Your initial audience for this podcast will be me and your classmates. Then, you’ll be revising
the podcast for publication on your ePortfolio website with the potential for a larger audience
outside your class.

Just as the memoir was a chance to expand the world of your audience by telling your story,
the profile podcast is a chance to do something similar with the story of something else.

FORMAT:
Your script should follow MLA format—it should be typed, double-spaced, 12-pt Times New
Roman font or other similar font, standard 1” or 1.25” margins. You should include in-text
citations and a works cited page if you find the need to reference any outside ideas or
language. Your podcast will need to be in MP3 format.
HALBERT EN 101-035 FALL 2019

WHAT TO EXPECT:

During our next class period, we will be taking a walk around campus so that you can
get inspired by all of the interesting objects around you!

Once you have identified an object on which to base your profile, you will spend
some time developing exploratory questions about it with your partner. Think about
what you want to know about the object, its history, its connection to the community,
and its “life story” so to speak. When you have your questions, you’ll begin doing
some research as well as a field observation of the object.

After you’ve gathered more information, you and your partner will identify the
rhetorical aims of your podcast. Who is your audience? What do you want that
audience to know? Additionally, you and your partner will work together to outline
some rhetorical strategies you can use to achieve your aims.

The next steps will be to develop a script and then record and edit your podcast.
Don’t stress about either of these steps right now! We’ll work collaboratively to
decide what your script should look like, and I’ll be giving you some in class writing
time to develop it. We’ll also spend a class period in the Sanford Media Center
learning everything you’ll need to know about how to make your podcast and what
techniques are available for you to reach your rhetorical aims.

Finally, you’ll turn in your podcast, and we’ll have a listening party in class the day
after they are due. Yay!

You will be satisfying the written component of this assignment with your exploratory
questions, your research and field observation notes, the write up of your rhetorical
aims and strategies, and your script. But remember, composing with sound is
composing, and even if I were not asking you to write anything down, you would still
be doing valid, valuable work.
HALBERT EN 101-035 FALL 2019

ASSIGNMENT BREAKDOWN

Requirement Due Points Available

Exploratory Questions Tuesday, October 17th 25

Field Observation &

Tuesday, October 22nd 25
Research Notes

Rhetorical Aims & Strategies

Thursday, October 25th 25
Write-up

Podcast Script Draft Sunday, November 3rd 25

Final Podcast Sunday, November 10th 100

Total Points Available 200