The Context & Purpose
Throughout the semester, you've pursued a research topic that interests you and is related to Clemson in some way. You've rhetorically analyzed, found sources about, and proposed this topic, which leads you to our final step: delivering your argument via an 8 to 10-minute video essay.
Why a video essay? Also throughout the semester, we've acknowledged that our world doesn't communicate solely through text. In our media-saturated world, writing looks like images and sounds in addition to text. Thus, to be able to communicate effectively at this moment in time, we need to understand the logics of both text and digital media and to become proficient composers in multiple modes. This final assignment will give you an opportunity to develop these skills.
Keep in mind that the goal of this video essay is not to argue a definitive point. Rather, the goal is to help your viewers better understand the issue you're presenting. Never lose sight of this purpose. Below, you'll find our next steps leading to the final video: a storyboard, script (draft 1), and a final presentation.
Step 1: Writing the Script
Before producing your video with multimodal elements, you'll first write your researched argument, incorporating at least 10 credible sources. Keep in mind that this argument must address the following sections (in any order that makes sense to you):
- Introduction: How will you hook your audience? What's your main claim and rationale? Why is this thesis important?
- Context: What background information does your audience need to know to fully understand your thesis?
- Support: What evidence can you incorporate that strengthens and extends your main points?
- Opposing views: Who doesn't support your views? What's their reasoning? Can you concede to any of their points?
- Counterarguments: How will you respond to these opposing views? What additional support can you incorporate in this response?
- Conclusion: So what?
Keep your video style and audience in mind! This will determine how you write, what words you'll choose, and how you'll organize your argument.
Completion points: 10
Step 2: Storyboarding
During Week 13, you'll adapt your script into a storyboard via Google Slides. The goal of this step is to figure out how you'll bring your script to life by strategically incorporating images, music, and other effects. Storyboarding may require you to rethink your script, adapt language to better suit the style and format of your video, and step outside of your comfort zone. Stay open minded and adaptable!
If you haven't already, you MUST find homes for all 10 sources in your video.
Completion points: 10
Step 3: Demo Your Work
During Week 14, you'll demo at least 2 minutes of your video for peers in class. Try to shoot original footage, gather found resources online in ethical ways, and familiarize yourself with editing software.
Step 4: Presenting to Your Peers
During the final two weeks of class, you will have 15 minutes to present your argument and screen your video in its entirety. This will be a celebration of your hard work throughout the semester!
To accompany your video, you will create a SHORT survey via a Google Form for your peers to offer their feedback on your work. Write 3-5 statements and provide the following options as possible responses: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree. Examples of feedback statements could be, "My thesis statement was easy to identify." "My visuals were not distracting." This type of feedback is crucial since you'll have an opportunity to tweak your video before submitting it at the end of the semester.
Points: 30
Requirements
Your researched video essay is worth 300 points. Ultimately, it must
- Be 8-10 minutes long (please do not exceed this limit)
- Contain an identifiable thesis statement that addresses an arguable topic related to Clemson University.
- Include an introduction that establishes your ethos and contextualizes your argument.
- Make references to at least 10 credible sources.
- Offer support for the thesis statement.
- Address opposing views in respectful, knowledgable, and fair ways.
- Cite sources both in-context and at the end with a credits page. (The format needs to be accessible to an internet audience.)
- Strategically incorporate visuals that resonate with the script and do not distract viewers from your message.
- Include mood-setting background music that helps transition viewers from section to section.
- Add sound effects when necessary.
- Include an error-free, word-for-word transcript of your narration.
- Have an accompanying Dear Reader letter that details the production process and your main takeaways from the project.
Credits:
Created with images by Alexander Andrews - "rebuild" • Artem Sapegin - "White developer’s laptop" • Matt Popovich - "Storyboard reference copies used on set during the filming of The Empire Strikes Back in 1979. The original storyboards were created by artist Joe Johnston." • You X Ventures - "untitled image" • Alex Litvin - "Projector rays" • Hello I'm Nik 🇬🇧 - "So many cool things sitting in my office, I’ve started putting them together to make awesome desk layouts. I’d forgotten I had a Casio watch, an orange Casio watch! I love taking photos of desk layouts, including the watch gives this shot a lovely bit of colour."