AMES 40: Nomads from central Asia to the Middle East

Course: AMES40: Nomads from central Asia to the Middle East
Instructor: Prof. Ken Bauer
Multimedia Research Project Assignment

DESCRIPTION
The Multimedia Research Project is a film-based argument, with a hypothesis supported by evidence. It integrates our in-class discussions and builds on close reading of articles and lectures as well as the search for and analysis of multimedia sources on indigenous knowledge and development. You will research any relevant topic of your choice and create a multimedia project.

OBJECTIVES
The goal of this project is to increase the clarity of your rhetorical skills and flexibility using images, words, film, audio, etc. The hope is that students will gain literacy in multiple media as they sharpen their understanding of how arguments are constructed. As a result of this project, you will:

• learn to do research with primary sources, including popular sources and peer-reviewed scholarship;
• use multimedia resources to compose an argument, create effective transitions between ideas, and develop your voice;
• add a set of multimedia skills to your toolkit for engaging the world beyond Dartmouth;
• consider critically your sources, assumptions, and ethics.

RESOURCES
You should also consult Jones Media Center tech specialists whenever necessary.
To schedule equipment, email: jones.media.center@dartmouth.edu
To schedule time with RWIT tutors, email students.dartmouth.edu/rwit/
Dartmouth has many additional resources to help you as you are building this research project – please take advantage of these resources as well as office hours for consultations with the instructor.

AUDIENCE
This project is pitched for an audience potentially larger and less specialized than the instructor (though he will still end up grading it). Hopefully your research project will find a broader audience and, potentially, engage with communities of scholars and net-izens across the globe. Keeping in mind that this film will be publicly available, students are required to work consciously in achieving clarity, straightforwardness, and concision in their arguments. Further, students will be expected to create and communicate with respect using appropriate materials. Guidance on respectful use of the Internet and media tools can be found at Dartmouth Information Technology Policy:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/comp/about/policies/general/itpolicy.html.

REQUIREMENTS
The research project is sequenced and will be completed in stages, described below.
1. You will meet with the instructor on April 25 or 26 to discuss your proposed
research project.
2. You will participate in one iMovie training session at Jones Media Center (April 22) in which you’ll learn video-making techniques. You can also learn about iMovie at
www.apple.com/imovie. There are also numerous Internet tutorials available through
www.YouTube.com, etc. We will have work sessions at the Jones Media Center on 5/3, 5/10, 5/15, 5/22.
during class on {4 check in sessions}
3. You will submit a RESEARCH PROPOSAL on …
4. You will submit a TREATMENT PLAN for your research project, due …. will
provide a form that will help you complete the treatment plan. Treat this as a “pitch”.
5. You will participate in a library research session at the library on 5/1. You will
compile an annotated bibliography that includes at least 8 peer-reviewed journal
articles and two books in your bibliography, due 5/22. Your other sources can
include popular media, social media, video, etc. For each bibliographic item, write an
annotation explaining the resource and how it will support your thesis.
6. You will upload your film to the Jones Media Center by 9 am on May 30. Since film is
a public medium, we will screen our films in class at the end of the term, on May 31.
At the screenings, the filmmakers will not only to present their own films but also
assess their peers’ work.
7. To your professor, you will submit on a Final Reflection due June 2 on your
filmmaking experience. In this commentary, you will address the following:
a. Problems you encountered
b. Solutions you found
c. Resources you used
d. Thoughts about your process and product.

TECHNICAL GUIDELINES FOR MULTIMEDIA RESEARCH PROJECT
Students will use iMovie or similarly accessible software as an editing program for this
assignment. Editing stations and portable hard drives are available for use through coordination with the Jones Media Center. The instructor will arrange to make DV tapes available from Jones for the taping and storage of projects. Students will present their multimedia research project to their peers at the end of the term.
Running Time: (including credits) 6 minutes, 4 minutes minimum

Images: Use any appropriate images from digital archives. You must credit all image sources at the end of your film. You are encouraged to use your own photos if relevant.

Audio: Any kind (voiceover, song, music, sound effects). Remember the time limit when you choose audio. You are encouraged to compose your own music. You must credit all audio sources at the end of your film.

Video: 4 minutes maximum. Use video advisedly. It does not correlate with a better film or better grade. Remember that editing footage takes much longer than acquiring it. Keep it simple and appropriate.
Credit and Permissions: Cite all of the sources – quotes, images, videos, or audio recording – that you use in the credits. Credit everything and everyone. For educational use (such as showing to the class), you do not need to get written permission. But if you plan post your film on a web site or screen it at a public (non-educational) event, YOU HAVE TO GET WRITTEN PERMISSIONS TO USE OTHERS’ MATERIALS BEFOREHAND.
Final Submission: Save as a **Full Quality Quick-Time** file. Upload the project in the
“Multimodal Research Project” folder on the server space allotted to our class, which Jones Media Center will provide.

ASSESSMENT
This project will be assessed based on quality of research, organization, content, narrative, video and audio editing, graphics, and production quality, among other criteria. The detailed evaluation rubric will be available to students via Blackboard.

AMES 7

Course: AMES 7 – Environment and Development in China
Instructor: Ken Bauer
Assignment: Multimodal Research Project

Description
The Multimedia Research Project is a multimodal essay, with a hypothesis and an overall argument supported by evidence. It integrates our in-class discussions and builds on close reading of articles and lectures as well as the search for and analysis of multimedia sources on China’s environment and development. You will research a topic and create a multimedia project (see Possible Research Topics below for ideas). The research project will provide you with an opportunity to critically engage and analyze an environment and/or development issue in contemporary China.

Objectives
The goal of this project is to increase the clarity of your writing skills in expression, coherence, and elegance while building rhetorical flexibility in the use of images, words, film, audio, etc. The hope is that students will gain literacy in multimedia as they sharpen their understanding of how arguments are constructed. As a result of this project, you will:

• learn to do research with primary sources, including popular sources and peer-reviewed scholarship;
• practice collaborative creativity as you comment upon, constructively support, and build each others’ projects through group exercises and in-class workshops;
• use multimedia resources to support an argument, create effective transitions between ideas, and develop your voice.
• add a set of multimedia skills to your toolkit for engaging the world beyond Dartmouth.
• consider critically the sources, assumptions, ethics of their arguments.

Resources
In order to learn how to make a film, you will participate during class time in several workshops. A technology specialist will train you in using images and audio in iMovie at the Jones Media Center. Ariel Murphy ’12 has been assigned to be a RWIT student
mentor for this course; she will be a great resource in terms of helping you with this multimodal research project. You should also consult Jones Media Center tech specialists whenever necessary.
To schedule equipment use, visit this website:
dartmouth.edu/library/mediactr/equipment/
To schedule an appointment time with RWIT tutors, visit this website:
students.dartmouth.edu/rwit/appointments/undergraduate-sessions
Jones Media Center Video Project tutorials:
sites.dartmouth.edu/mediaprojects/resources/
Jones Media Center Quick Reference tutorials:
dartmouth.edu/library/mediactr/tutorials.html
Dartmouth has many additional resources to help you as you are building this research project – please take advantage of these resources as well as office hours for consultations with the instructor.

Audience
This project is pitched for an audience potentially larger and less specialized than the instructor (though he will still end up grading it). Hopefully your research project will find a broader audience and, potentially, engage with communities of scholars and netizens across the globe. Keeping in mind that this film will be publicly available, students are required to work consciously in achieving clarity, straightforwardness, and concision in their arguments. Further, students will be expected to create and communicate with respect using appropriate materials. Guidance on respectful use of the Internet and media tools can be found at Dartmouth Information Technology Policy:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/comp/about/policies/general/itpolicy.html.

Requirements
The research project (40% COURSE GRADE) is sequenced and will be completed in stages, described below.
1. INSTRUCTOR CONSULTATION on April 18 to discuss your proposed research
project.
2. You will participate in one iMovie TRAINING SESSION at Jones Media Center (April
25), in which you’ll learn video-making techniques. You can also learn about iMovie
at www.apple.com/imovie. There are also numerous Internet tutorials available
through www.YouTube.com, etc.
3. You will submit a TREATMENT PLAN (500 words) for your research project, due
April 28. The instructor will provide a form for the treatment plan (5% of the research
project grade).
4. You will present a PITCH to your peers on May 2. Imagine you are the director and
have just 5 minutes to present your proposal to a potential producer. Your pitch will
outline your purpose, visual & audio content, and overall structure and argument.
Use a working title for your film.
5. You will participate in iMOVIE WORK SESSIONS during class on the following
dates: 5/2, 5/12, 5/19.
6. Since film is a public medium, we have a PUBLIC SCREENING of your films in class
at the end of the term (5/23 + 5/26). At the screenings, the filmmakers will not only to
present their own films but also assess their peers’ work.
7. You will submit on a FINAL COMMENTARY (500 words) on your filmmaking
experience (5% of final project grade). In this commentary, you will address the
following:
a. Problems you encountered
b. Solutions you found
c. Resources you used
d. Thoughts about your process and product.
The instructor will provide a form for the final reflection (due June 2).

Technical Guidelines for Multimedia Research Project
Students will use iMovie or similarly accessible software as an editing program for this
assignment. Editing stations and portable hard drives are available for use through coordination with the Jones Media Center. The instructor will arrange to make DV tapes available from Jones for the taping and storage of projects. Students will present their multimedia research project to their peers at the end of the term.
Running Time: (including credits) 6 minutes maximum, 4 minutes minimum (NO EXCEPTIONS)
Images: Use any appropriate images from digital archives. You must credit all image sources at the end of your film. You are encouraged to use your own photos if relevant.

Audio: Any kind – voiceover, song, music, sound effects. Remember the overall time limit when you choose audio. You are encouraged to compose your own music. You must credit all audio sources at the end of your film.

Video: 4 minutes maximum. Use video advisedly. Using more video does not correlate with a better film or better grade. Remember that editing footage takes much longer than acquiring it. Keep it simple and appropriate.

Credit and Permissions: In your film’s credits cite all sources – quotes, images, videos, or audio recording – that you have used. See the following website for guidelines on crediting media sources: How to Cite Media

For educational uses – such as showing your film to the class – you do not need to get written permission for the use of others’ original material. But if you plan post your film on a web site or screen it at a public (non-educational) event, YOU HAVE TO GET WRITTEN PERMISSION BEFOREHAND TO USE OTHERS’ MATERIALS. However, you are permitted to post your film to YouTube or other sites as long as: (1) you make it clear that the film is to be used FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY; and (2) YOU PROVIDE CITATIONS FOR ALL SOURCE MATERIAL.

Final Submission: Save your film as a Full Quality Quick-Time file. Upload the project in the “Multimodal Research Project” folder on the server space allotted to our class, which Jones Media Center will provide.

Example of Final Project