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Podcast Review
Directions
You will write a critical review of a history podcast. You can choose from the following podcasts on iTunes.
You will write a 600-word review that incorporates content from the podcast and relevant historical content from the textbook or some other secondary source. Your review should expose the reader to important issues raised in the podcast. If you fail to adhere to the guidelines, you will receive a zero on your review. The review is worth twenty-five (25) points and 10 percent of your final grade.
Questions for the Review
The following questions have been included to guide your writing. They should not appear in the text of the review i.e. do not type them into the body of the review. And you cannot merely answer the questions in chronological order.
· What historical content does the podcast discuss?
· What specific theme in the podcast do you wish to analyze in detail?
· How does the podcast grab and hold the attention of the listener?
· Is the listener’s world view challenged and /or expanded by the podcast? Explain.
· Does the podcast expose the listener to issues, social, political and/or moral that you think are important?
· What is the context of the issue presented in the podcast? What history must the listener know so that they can better understand the context? Provide specific details.
· Who should listen to the podcast and who should not listen to it?
Policy on Late Papers
I do not accept late papers. If you fail to submit the paper by the due date, then you will receive a paper grade of zero (0).
General Guidelines
1. You must use one-inch margins all around. Do not use larger margins. Exaggerated margins give papers an awkward appearance. More importantly they do not compensate for brief or incomplete ideas.
2. You must use a cover sheet that provides the paper title, your name, Montclair State University, and date. Begin typing your paper one-inch from the top of the second page. All tabs should equal a half-inch. The cover sheet does not count as a page of text.
3. You are required to use Times New Roman, size 12. If you are unable to meet the minimum length do not resort to using size 14, 16 or larger fonts. Large fonts give papers a comical appearance.
4. You must write at least 600 words of narrative text.
5. Make sure you double-space your paper. Single and 1.5 spacing give a crowded appearance.
6. Proofread your work with care. Spelling errors will weaken your grade significantly. Do not rely on spell checkers since they are of limited value. Spell checkers cannot distinguish between homonyms like wood and would.
7. Avoid using contractions. Instead of writing “don’t” and “won’t” write out the words so that they read “do not” and “will not.”
8. Avoid using “I think,” “I believe,” “we,” “you” and other forms of the personal in your essay.
9. You are also responsible for grammatical errors. Poor grammar weakens your message. Some common errors are subject-verb agreement, incorrect use of irregular verbs, and run-on sentences. You can find more information on this topic in A Pocket Guide to Writing in Historyby Mary Lynn Rampolla andThe Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
10. Avoid using slang and profanity in your papers. Unless you are quoting directly profanity does nothing else but turn off the reader.
11. Instead of writing “back in the day” try something like “in the past” or “during the 1920s.”
12. Write in the active and not passive voice. Instead of overusing is, are, and were try to write in a different manner. Here are two examples:
a. Instead of “He was always trying to find work and he went to new areas where he could find it” use “Constantly searching for work, he traveled to new areas to find high-paying jobs.”
b. Instead of “My first visit to Miami will always be remembered by me” use “I will always remember my first visit to Miami.”
13. Avoid long quotes. Instead of using an entire paragraph incorporate sentence length (or shorter) quotes into the text of your essay. The latter method will facilitate analysis. Make sure you correctly cite the author of the quotes.
14. If you decide to use outside sources you must cite them using accepted footnote models. Please see the Chicago Manual of Style for citation rules.
15. Use clear and precise sentences for your thesis statement and the beginning of each paragraph. This will make it easier for your reader to follow your ideas.
16. Do not plagiarize the work of others. For further details on what constitutes plagiarism see the AHA website at www.historians.org.
17. Prepare a detailed outline. Instead of relying solely on your memory use an outline. Outlines make it easier to organize your ideas.