1. Watch & Annotate an Informational Video
Since we’re presenting on narrative this week, let’s watch a few presentations concerning narratives, how they are received, and how they can or should be changed. Choose one of the videos below based on what interests you. Be sure to take a look at their descriptive pages in order to get a sense of who is presenting and how the video is dealing with a certain kind of narrative.
How I’m using biological data to tell better stories — https://www.ted.com/talks/heidi_boisvert_how_i_m_using_biological_data_to_tell_better_stories_and_spark_social_change
How gratitude rewires your brain: https://www.ted.com/talks/christina_costa_how_gratitude_rewires_your_brain
How your personal narrative limits your future: https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_peek_how_your_personal_narrative_limits_your_future
Human nature and the blank slate: https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_pinker_human_nature_and_the_blank_slate
As you watch, make annotations to help you answer these questions:
who is the speaker/scientist/researcher and what other kinds of resarch/work do they do? (if they are a writer or researcher, see if you can find their work)
what are the most important ideas they share in the video?
what is one “quotable” from the video that you think is worth sharing with your classmates, and why? (stop the video and get the quote—for some you can find the transcript)
what is your final takeaway from viewing this video–what will you remember about it?
could you use this video as a starting point for an article or essay of your own?
if not as the basis for your own article, could you use it as some type of support for an idea you have about narrative? if so, how?
You do not have to turn in your annotations–they are for you, to make it easy to write the paragraphs in #2
2. Write 2-3 Paragraphs in Response to the Video
When you’re done watching and annotating, write 2-3 paragraphs to respond to the video (250 word minimum).
You’ll have to give your discussion entry a title–in your title, please include the title of the video you chose to write about. This will help your classmates know who to respond to.
In your response, answer the questions from above, but in paragraph style.
Paragraphs should be coherent, which means each sentence should be focused on developing the same basic idea (usually expressed in a “topic sentence”).
Write with as much detail from the video as you can fit into your sentences while still maintaining readability. Don’t write in generalities (scientific writing, including scicomm writing, is specific and precise).
PLEASE do not use ChatGPT or any AI to write or revise any part of these paragraphs. You’re in a writing class to practice writing, so I would very much appreciate it if you write your own paragraphs.
3. Strengths of the Presenter
What do you regard as particular strong about the presenter’s style? How do they structure their delivery or the presentation itself in order to create curiosity and interest and to deliver the presentation’s strongest idea?
Add another 100 words, minimum that describes something about the presentation that you can work into your own slides or presentational style.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Watch and annotate the video of your choice from the list above (Thursday)
Write 2-3 paragraphs of response (250 words minimum) (Thursday)
The paragraphs must answer the questions from the bulleted list in #1
