Audio Assignment: This I Believe Essay

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 heartwarming 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. The Criteria for Our Class: These Trump/Replace some of the NPR ones. 1. Must begin with the This I Believe Intro 2. Someone needs to introduce you with a little bio just like the essays weve listened to. 3. You need to tell a story of 4 (min)-7(max) minutesyou will get docked points for being even seconds over or under. 4. You need to CREATE a soundtrack that fits your story. 5. Your story needs to include both a narrative (a personal story) and some type of philosophical reflection. 6. You need to turn in a written copy of your story as well.

Assignment 2: This I Believe Essay ____ Sprezzatura (20 points)

Voice sounds natural, not like its being read. You sound like you know what youre talking about. Your voice isnt monotone but rises and falls with the plot of the story. Voice is well-paced.

____ Sublimity (20 points)

Nothing is distractingmusic, voice mistakes, etc. Voice: dont do a fake radio/tv voice, work with what you have but it needs to be clean. You might have to record it numerous times. Story catches the listeners attention. The story should be interesting and develop your ethosyou should come off as likeable or at least listenable. Has a good control of images and overall the reader gets caught up in a world of words.

____ Story Quality (25 points)

Should contain a combo of anecdote (story with sequence of events) as well as reflection (some kind ofso what? Although this shouldnt punch the reader in the face. Be subtle.) Story isnt genericyou speak in specifics. Passes the scattegories test. Story has characters. Story has the quality of accessibilityit is identifiable as well as specific. Story shows, rather than tells. Story itself is well paceduses more details in the more important parts.

____Music (15 points)

Music fits the storyrises and falls with the plot elements and doesnt distract. Music is well-mixed. Not too loud or soft.

____Requirements (5 points)
All elements are present: o Must begin with the This I Believe Intro o Someone needs to introduce you with a little bio just like the essays weve listened to. o You need to tell a story of 4 (min)-7(max) minutesyou will get docked points for being even seconds over or under. o You need to CREATE a soundtrack that fits your story. o Your story needs to include both a narrative (a personal story) and some type of philosophical reflection. o Written copy turned in as well.

____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 make both these explanations

______Total (100 points)