ix. software.

The software I will be using to create and edit my podcast is 'GarageBand.' It's developed by Apple Inc. , so it comes with the iOS or OS X operating systems.

Deciding which software to use was easy for me, thankfully. Most of the other decisions I've had to make concerning this project so far have not been as easy, but I suppose it's all part of the learning experience. I'm really enjoying this course. Anyway, back to the matter at hand, I'm quite familiar with GarageBand, as I have used it to create audio projects in the past. I did them just for fun and out of curiosity, but I learned the basics of GarageBand in the process. I have never used GarageBand to create a podcast though, but I imagine it will be a lot less difficult than trying to record my subpar singing voice or my amateur guitar playing. All I have to do is talk smoothly and add a few sound effects--perfect!

Ok, I did some cursory research on how to edit a podcast using GarageBand:

This Mac.AppStorm blogpost outlines the basics fairly nicely. I doubt it will be completely easy to understand if you haven't had any prior experience with GarageBand, but the software is really quite easy to use. If you're interested in using GarageBand for this project, I suggest you play with it first to get a feel for the basics, before reading up on the more technical aspects to further your understanding. Well at least that's how I learn with things like these.

I just watched this YouTube tutorial on using GarageBand to put a podcast together. It is very helpful! It addresses everything you'll need to know about manipulating your audio file. It also shows how putting a podcast together requires a lot of planning, resourcefulness, and organization. Even just editing it is very time-consuming, but it looks like fun! [well at least to me anyway.]

I've recorded myself. Looks like I will have to play around with the dynamics of my speaking voice. I don't want to bore my listeners [i.e. Prof. Andraea] to death. But other than that, I'm pretty satisfied with the way I sound. The quality's good enough. I think I have a good enough handle on GarageBand to use it for my podcast project. It will be time-consuming, but not too difficult to work with.

I really look forward to hearing my finished podcast episode.

viii. structure.

I would say my podcast structure contains the elements that are typically found in a story, based on the podcast blogpost that explains story structures. However, they are arranged a little differently, as my diagram evinces. 

Podcast Structure Diagram

My podcast begins with a mini-reflection on why I am telling this particular story, hence the exclamation point [modelled after the element of reflection in Ira Glass' typical story structure]. It then goes into details of what happened, and then into the 'trough' of facts about Nigeria that listeners will need to get a deeper understanding my story. It comes back up into events happening, and then I go into a reflection about why those things happened, and on the disposition of Nigeria at the time [the 1960s]. More events, then more reflection, then a lot of facts about the three main tribes in Nigeria as they were the key actors in the grand scheme of the period I am discussing--the periods before, during, and after the war. And finally, a reflection on everything that transpired in the story I told. My entire podcast episode builds up to that reflection moment at the end, where I explore my research question in light of everything I have mentioned already during the podcast.

From my understanding of that blogpost, there is no fixed structure that everyone must adhere to based on the story they are telling. The whole point of creating a diagram of the structure is for the sake of clarity for the storyteller, and in effect, clarity for the listener. As long as it works out, right?

I counted about 15 different citations in the blogpost, "Icon For Access," by 99percentinvisible.

vii. search strategies.

Google Scholar vs. Library Databases

Honestly speaking, I do not know that I generally prefer one over the other. Sometimes, I prefer using the traditional library databases, and other times I prefer using Google scholar, just because it feels like familiar territory--I mean, Google is the first place I go to whenever I need to find something out--except more "scholarly," in terms of the search results.

It is always good to use them both when carrying out research though. I did some research on the comparison between Google Scholar and library databases, and a found a great study on the differences between the two. The study was based on two questions: 1) whether Google Scholar results are more or less scholarly than the library database results; 2) whether or not Google Scholar's scholarliness varied across disciplines (http://crl.acrl.org/content/70/3/227.full.pdf). They found that, on average, the results found only in Google Scholar were higher [mean = 17.6] than those found only in the library databases. They also found that the Google's Scholar's scholarliness did not vary significantly across disciplines. Furthermore, they found that any search results that came up in both Google Scholar and the traditional library databases were higher [in terms of scholarliness] than average in comparison to results that showed up only in Google Scholar or the library databases. So based on this study, it is definitely good to use both resources when carrying out research. 

I suppose there are no key differences between them except for the ones I have just mentioned based on the study. But one difference I have discovered from personal experience is accessibility. When we carry out research using York University's library database, we can access the resources that often require a paid registration due to the fact that we are York U. students. However, trying to access these same resources directly through Google Scholar may be a little more challenging.

In future, I will continue to rely on both; they are both useful, and there is no harm in using more than one search strategy. 

vi. digging deeper.

Now that I have a refined topic and research question to pursue, I have not taken many steps to begin my research process--at least not anything additional to the research I already conducted in the past. I am still reading one of the books that I plan to reference heavily--Chinua Achebe's There Was A Country--but other than that, I have not taken much action in terms of research for my podcast episode.

The types of scholarly sources I am looking for are ones that speak to Nigeria during the civil war. I need sources that will give me an idea of what the climate of the country was like before the war, and will give me perspective on the national and ethnic identities of Nigeria's three main ethnic groups--the Hausas, Yorubas, and Igbos--before, during, and immediately after the war. To tie my ideas down to particular fields of study, three keywords come immediately to mind: African Studies, History, and British Colonialism. 

Scholarly sources I have found already are mainly the books I will be referencing: Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie, which uses fictional characters to explore the grim details of the Biafran War (from its onset, to the war itself, and the climate after the war); There Was A Country by Achebe, which is his personal history of the war. I will definitely also be buying Biafra Story by Frederick Forsyth and read that in preparation for my podcast episode. I found a couple of lengthy sources that give a lot of insight on the cold facts of the war--that is, background knowledge on the general milieu in the country, key events that took place, the actions of those in political power, the coups, and so on. These sources are academically written, and are consulted often by people trying to gain more knowledge on the civil war. I am not sure about whether or not they are peer-reviewed, but this could spark a conversation on my part about the distribution of knowledge, on who makes the decisions about what knowledge is significant, and what knowledge is being excluded through this process. There are many people in Nigeria who carry a lot more knowledge about their history than peer-reviewed articles in this part of the world do. I am still yet to meet with my professor for advice, direction, and/or suggestions for scholarly sources to visit, but this will happen shortly as I need to begin work on my draft podcast transcript very soon.

As for popular sources, Wikipedia was my immediate go-to. It helped me refresh my memory on Nigeria, its geography, its anthropology, and so on. I also visited some blogs that aim to educate readers about Nigeria, which helped me focus my research ideas. Another popular source I found is an article by The Guardian that speaks about Chinua Achebe and things he has said about Baifra's legacy on Nigeria today. Right now, I think I will only need popular sources for tips and ideas on how I will set up my  actual podcast episode. I'll keep listening to Stuff You Missed In History Class for inspiration, of course, and YouTube does not seem like a bad idea as a popular source either. I will visit it for podcast structure ideas, and anything I can find on the Biafran War. 

v. topic refinement.

I found the pitch exercise helpful during the process of trying to figure out a particular way to explore my topic. It pushed me to work through my swirl of ideas, and narrow them down to a particular one. This is important because when it comes to subjects like the one I am covering (the Nigerian civil war), the various issues that are tied into it are often linked so inextricably that it is very easy to digress--war is complicated. But as I wrote draft after draft of my pitch, it helped me work through my ideas until a reasonable approach to my subject began to take shape. However, in terms of refining my topic, I found the Initial Research Plan more helpful. It gave me the extra push I needed to get a sense of what information was available, and forced me to find the right question to navigate through that information with. While working on my Initial Research Plan, I was able to settle on a tight and specific enough question for the podcast assignment. 

I think the pitch exercise will definitely be helpful with other assignments as it forces you to develop a concrete (or seemingly concrete) plan, even when you are not entirely sure. Part of the reason why this is the case is because it is a pitch, and it is intended for an audience outside of yourself; this forces you to look at it from different angles. Therefore, the pitch exercise solidifies the decision-making process of how to tackle a certain topic, and it helps you gain perspective as you have to take a step back from your typical way of viewing things to know how to best sell your idea.

My refined show idea: I will discuss, in my podcast episode, ways in which the collective identity of the Igbos of Eastern Nigeria is still haunted by the Biafran War. 

ii. topic selection.

The podcast show I will emulate for this project is "Stuff You Missed In History Class." I chose this particular podcast show because it covers history. It hones in on details: something school curriculums usually do not because, well, history never really ends, does it. I know I will be very much interested in this--interested enough that I will not be bored stiff and pained while working on my podcast three months down the line. 

The specific historical event that I will cover is the Biafran War (1967 - 1970) and why it still holds such significance today for the identity of the Igbo in Eastern Nigeria. Now, in terms of the elements of the show that I intend to incorporate into my podcast, the very topic of the podcast--Stuff You Missed In History Class--is perfect, even if not in the way it is intended. The whole idea, I believe, is that they discuss the details of historical events that are skimmed, or overlooked altogether in class. Well the Biafran War is not even remotely hinted at in History Classes in Canada or England--the only two countries whose history curriculums I have personal experience of, and can therefore speak about. My point is not that the Biafran War should be taught in history class curriculums in either Canada and England, just that it is an interesting and very significant aspect of history that literally shook the foundations of a country and its people, that I have been doing some reading on it lately, and that I would like to further explore it in my podcast show. It will have to be very focused, of course, as I only have fifteen minutes, but I am still working out the details. This should be an interesting experience; I look forward to its outcome.

The only advice I would humbly give to anyone who is struggling to find a topic is not to look too far beyond yourself. If you feel that you want to take on something completely new, and perhaps even foreign to your usual interests, that is great! However, if you are uncertain, just reflect on the things you genuinely find interesting, then think of ways in which you could build on those things and tie them into the podcast show you gravitate most toward. If you are still unsure, you are probably overthinking it. Just think about something you like, or are genuinely curious about, and find out more on it. All the best!