Final Post: Looking Back

My podcast, I am happy with it for the most part.  There is always room for improvement but for my first attempt I am pleased with how it turned out.

If I had the opportunity to go back and do things from the start, I would probably begin to decide to record my audio at least three days in advance and spend more time doing the editing.  Editing takes time and to get the best results (I think) adequate time should be spent on this area.

Here is another bit of advice that I would offer anyone who's in the beginning stage of this course.  Be sure to spend some time in advance getting familiar with the recording software that you have decided to use for your recording.  I used Garage Band and even though I was familiar with the software prior to taking this course I still needed to review a few tutorials on YouTube.  

I hope this helps, and I wish everyone the best.

Unmasking The Flash Mob

Hello everyone,

Wow!  This was a challenging task but its finally done.

So, my podcast focuses on flash mobs.

Now, you have the opportunity to listen and learn more about this very popular phenomenon.

Here are a few of the questions that I discussed in the audio:

What has been the specific formula that has contributed to flash mob marketing success?

What methods if used improperly will cause this spontaneous act of gaining publicity to plummet into dismal failure?

And finally, what is it about these flash mob performances that attracts us?

That's it, check it out and I hope you enjoy it.

My Structure

The explanation for my story structure above is as follows:

1) First dash is my opening remarks.

2) The second dash gives my personal opinion on the topic.

3) The third dash explains my opinion further.

4) The exclamation gives and example of my opinion.

5) The large "U" shape is where I fill in data, facts, quotes, to support my views.

My story structure is some what similar to the podcast that I am emulating but it varies in various places in my podcast, perhaps due to my inexperience.

I counted 30 citations in the "Icon for Access" of 99% Invisible episode.

Google Scholar vs. Library Databases

To be perfectly honest I do not have a preference between Google Scholar and the Library Databases, I believe they both have their place.  I like Google Scholar because it gives a broad base of various scholarly works to peruse and decide upon.  However the Library Databases allows an individual to dig deeper into a specific topic. 

Here is an example of how I used these two tools in combination with each other.  I first went to Google Scholar and the topic that I was researching was “flash mops.”  I began to search in Google Scholar and I saw a broad section of sources that appealed to me.  I saved the titled that I found relevant to my topic. Then when I felt that I had a cross-section of sources related to my search keyword(s), I then went to the Library Databases and began to search the specific titles that I had gathered from Google Scholar.   By this point I was reviewing the abstracts for each title source in much more details.  If something seems to be bang on based on what I was trying to find with my research then I downloaded it or made arrangement to pick it up at the library.  I would also take the time to make notes from the abstract of any terms, ideas or concepts that I was not familiar with to do further research if necessary.

The key differences between these research methods from my experience are as follows.

Google Scholar covers a larger cross-section of information with any search word or term.  It did not matter what word or phrase I used, in more cases than not you I found results from my search.

On the other hand the Library Databases required very specific search word(s) or phrases or more often than not the result would either be no results at all or very unrelated results based on the topic.

As I have said in the beginning of this article I do not have a bias between one or the other.  What I would say is that it depends on what stage of your research you are currently in.  If you are at the early stages and you just want to test the waters to see the various scholarly works that might be available then go with Google Scholar to begin with.  However if you have a good grasp on your topic and you have a good knowledge of what you are looking for then go to the Library Databases first.   

Topic Selection Process

The pitch exercise helped in solidifying my decision on what my podcast topic should be in the following three ways.

Firstly, it allowed my research selections to be focused on reliant sources that would support the claims and assertions that I made in my pitch and subsequently what I would eventually make in my podcast.

Secondly, as I progressed, I found myself being more purposefully critical by narrowing my focus down to 2 to 3 key areas (associated with my topic) that I can reasonable discuss in fifteen minutes.

And finally, the pitch development also gave me the opportunity to search the archived podcasts of the show that I will be emulating.  From this process I gained insight into the storytelling style, the pace and other topical questions that the show's audience might want answered.

The pitch preparing exercise was fun and I appreciated the possibility it gave me to creatively 'think outside of the box'.  I found myself much more conscious of the audience in which I was writing for than I typically would be.  I asked questions such as, "what would the audience find very interesting about the topic?" Or, "what would they find dull and uninteresting?"  The topic that I have chosen is, "flash mobs" for the CBC podcast entitled, Under The Influence.

In the end after much thinking, questioning, and rethinking; I wrote what I had thought and pitched what I hoped would be engaging for my classmates, my Teaching Assistant and the professor.  Regardless of the final outcome, I had fun and gained valuable insights throughout this process.

My Pitching Sources

There were several ideas that i found on the internet that gave great suggestions on how to present an effective pitch, how ever there were three sources that made enough impact upon me that I chose to implement them.

Here are my selections:

This first source discusses various aspects of pitching an idea. The individual that made the presentation in the video is  Adria Richards, she in known as a Developer Evangelist in the technology industry.  She pitches tech ideas and products as her livelihood.  She covers many aspects about the topic in just over 8 Minutes, but the point that I honed in on was her suggestion on how to engaged the audience from the beginning of the pitch.  The Video is entitled, "How To Pitch an Idea" and you can view it on her Youtube channel.

The second source that I used was found at a blog called feld.com.  This website does not specifically deal with podcast pitches but focuses mostly on entrepreneurs who have an idea that requires funding  and so suggestions are shared on how to pitch these ideas to venture capitalists.  The creator of the site is Brad Feld and the blog submission is entitled. "Don't get sick of telling your story".  He has founded and co-founded 4 venture capital companies and writes avidly for entrepreneurs who seek funding for their startup companies.  What I liked about this site was that it gave various time segments for pitches, (from 15 seconds up to the 30 minutes) and depending on how long the pitch was, it suggested what information should be covered in that amount of time.

The third source I used actually impacted me so much that it caused me to reorganize my entire script.  This video first shows an example of a young lady delivering a pitch to an audience.  By the end of the pitch a woman by the name of Alexa Fischer is cued in, at which time she analyses the pitch and gives some practical advise on how to make the young lady's pitch better.  According to her Youtube Channel and the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), Alexa Fischer is an actress.  She coaches, "normal civilians into major public speakers". quoted from her youtube page.  Here is a link to her video, "Business 101: The Pitfalls of Pitching."

Two key points have been reiterated from the the sources that I have cited above. The first thing is that I must spend a lot of my time figuring out how to engage those who will be listening to the pitch.  The second point is that having an in-depth knowledge of the audience will resolve much of the issues related to preparing and delivering a successful pitch

Choosing a Podcast Topic

I have decided to focus on a podcast topic related to an "Under the Influence" episode.  I am carefully weighing what would be a topical research question that would extend the conversation related to advertising.  I am also considering how I will develop a pitch that my fellow classmates will find interesting.

I decided on a topic akin to "Under the Influence" because I am personally interested and intrigued by marketing and looking behind the curtain, so to speak, at the whole psychology of how products/services are promoted and sold.  I have worked in the field of sales and marketing and I know that many aspects of consumer transactions are done with a deliberate intent to ultimately influence the prospect to make a purchase.  In terms of what way or ways I will emulate the CBC podcast, I am still contemplating that;however for now (as I mentioned earlier) the marketing theme resonates with me so for now that will be the only similarity between the original program and my offering.

If I was to offer any advice to my fellow academic colleagues it would be that along with any suggestions or key points alluded to by Professor Bell, try to pick a topic that is relevant to the audience and mirrors a personal interest you might have.

A Little About Myself

My name is Arron Burnett and I am very excited to begin this course.  My goal is to grow as a writer by further developing my skills as a researcher.  I am currently enrolled in the Social Work program completing the last stages of my second year.

I registered into this course mainly for personal reasons that goes way back to my teenage years.  In my travels, back then It was not unusual to find a pocket size notebook in one of my pockets.  At any given moment that notebook would contain the words of my unspoken thoughts.  I wrote about personal relationships, philosophical thoughts and various insights.  Now that I am older and with much more responsibilities than I had in my adolescent years I do not get the opportunity to write as much as I would like but the interest for writing has never left me.   So when I saw this course I thought it would be a great opportunity to acquire professional methods for research and begin to enhance my personal skills as a writer.

I am taking this course to apply to my general education requirements and to also fulfilled my personal interest in becoming a more polished writer.  I want to apply these skills in my present and future academic studies.

I have not yet been exposed personally to information management softwares such as RefWorks or Zotero, although I look forward to the challenge of becoming aquatinted with these tools.  My hope is that by participating in this course I will gain the required research skills, so whether academically, professionally or personally, all aspects of my writing pursuits will be benefited.