by Marit MacArthur and Augusta Funk

Performative Speech Reflection & Analysis

Brief reflection on and analysis of a recorded sample of performative speech, 90-120 seconds, from stand-up comedy, film, radio, television, political speech, etc.

Sample is chosen by the student and approved by the instructors. Must include a link to the recording, the integration of shorter clips from the recording, and sound visualization using Drift, and some analysis of Voxit measures.

PART 1, due by midnight on 10/5 on the Canvas Discussion board:

Post links to three samples of performative speech that you might use, and briefly answer these questions about each one. The samples should be recordings you have a strong reaction to; they do not have to be recordings you love, but choose wisely—you will spend a lot of time listening to and thinking about the sample you choose!

  1. How did you come upon this recording?
  2. What interests you about it, in terms of the speaker, the content, the context (where the performance was delivered, when, and why), the audience, and so on?
  3. Briefly summarize the content of the recording—what the speaker says.
  4. What are your impressions about the speaker’s voice, as they use it in the recording? Please describe the voice as specifically as you can.
  5. Which recording do you most want to analyze? Do you need help deciding among them?

Word count: 250-500 words.

We will comment on and (likely) approve the recordings ASAP.

PART 2, due by midnight on 10/26:

  1. Provide some background about the sample: who is speaking? Where? When? Why? To what audience? Where did you find the recording and how did you hear about it?
  2. Provide a brief, objective summary of the content of the recording—what the speaker is saying. Avoid quoting more than a few words.
  3. Then narrate your impressions of the recording you’ve chosen, in terms of your listening intuitions about pitch and timing and intensity patterns and anything else that stands out to you as listen to it. Please impressionistically describe the voice saying 3-4 specific phrases or words as precisely as you can. How does the way the speaker uses their voice and silence influence your understanding of the words?

Word count: ~500-750 words

4. Formulate a series of precise, testable hypotheses about what you think the Gentle and Drift and Voxit analysis will show about the recording, in terms of at least four Voxit measures, WPM, and any other pitch and timing and intensity patterns you’re interested in.

Word count: ~50-100 words

We will comment on, and may suggest refinements to your hypothesis for approval, ASAP.

PART 3, due by the start of class on 11/18

  1. Run the sample recording through Gentle and Drift.
  2. Share results: Summarize all of the Voxit data, including a table.
  3. Analyze and discuss the results of your analysis of your performative speech sample. Were your hypotheses confirmed? Why or why not? Be sure to Include some screenshots of pitch contours from Drift.
  4. Write a brief conclusion. What did you learn from this experiment that you might apply to future research?

Word count: 1,000~1,500 words.

EVALUATION RUBRIC

"A" assignments will do all of the following things successfully (+), with no more than two areas that might be improved or be done more consistently (✔).

"B" assignments will do all of the following things well, with a no more than three areas to improve or do more consistently (✔) and/or one area not done successfully (-).

"C" assignments will do most of the following things with multiple areas to improve and one or two areas that are not done successfully (-), or will fail to do one or two of the things completely while doing others very successfully.

"D" assignments will do some of the following things adequately, but will have multiple areas that require substantial improvement (often in more than one area), or will fail to do specific things that typically result in a "D".

"F" assignments will do some things adequately or even successfully, but the number of areas that are not done or need major improvement will outnumber those positive aspects.

__ Part 1 includes three samples of the appropriate length.

__ Part I answers all the questions satisfactorily.

__ Part 2 provides adequate background about the recording.

__ Part 2 provides a thoughtful narration of the writer’s impressions of the sample recording, phrase by phrase, with close attention and potential insight toward a testable hypothesis.

__ Part 2 clearly presents a series of precise, testable hypotheses about the sample recording that consider at least four Voxit measures, WPM, and any other pitch and timing and intensity patterns the writer is interested in.

__ Part 3 clearly presents the Voxit data in a table.

__ Part 3 clearly and thoroughly summarizes the results.

__ Part 3 clearly and thoroughly analyzes the results.

__ Part 3 uses screenshots of pitch contours from Drift to illustrate the results.

__ Part 3 is clearly written, in focused, coherent paragraphs with specific topic sentences and smooth, logical transitions.

__ All three parts are carefully proofread and free of typos and grammatical errors. (Proofread aloud!)

Self-Recording Reflection & Analysis

Two self-recordings by each student reading the short text, “As a lost dog,” and a brief reflection on and analysis of each recording

Part 1: Due by 2 pm on 9/30

  1. Silently read through the text a few times. Write a brief, objective summary of it as best you can, after reading it silently a few times. Don’t do any research; only use a dictionary if needed.

Word count: 200-300 words

2. Then record yourself reading the text in a quiet environment (a closet is ideal), using Audacity on your laptop, or an app on your phone. However you record yourself, you must be able to download the recording on to your laptop and, if necessary, convert it into an MP3 or a WAV file for analysis.

Part 2: Due by 2 pm on 10/21

  1. Listen to the recording of yourself, ideally with headphones, in a quiet environment.
  2. Reflect on your voice and how you use it reading the text. What do you notice about your voice in the way you read particular phrases; in answering this question, consider what you learned from Eliza Jane Schneider about the voice.
  3. How does your voice sound to you recorded, versus the way it sounds inside your head? Is there anything you particularly like, dislike or simply notice about your voice and the way you use it, in this recording and in general? About the way you read the text?
  4. How did recording yourself reading the text, and then listening to it, affect your understanding of the text, if it did?
  5. When you record yourself reading it again, what will you try to change, if anything?

Word count: 250-500 words.

Part 3: Due by 2 pm on 11/4

  1. Record yourself reading the text again. Do NOT make this recording before 11/1.
  2. Formulate some testable hypotheses about your voice in these two recordings, in terms of at least four Voxit measures, WPM, and any other pitch and timing and intensity patterns you’re interested in. Include speculative comparisons between the two recordings. Will the Voxit measures and WPM prove to be the same? If not, how do you think they will differ? ~50-100 words

We will comment on, and may suggest refinements to your hypothesis for approval, ASAP.

Part 4: Due by midnight on 12/8

  1. Run the first recording sample recording through Gentle and Drift.
  2. Share results: Summarize all of the Voxit data, including a table.
  3. Analyze and discuss the results of your analysis of the two recordings of your voice reading the same text. Were your hypotheses confirmed? Why or why not? Be sure to Include some screenshots of pitch contours from Drift.
  4. Write a brief conclusion. What did you learn from this experiment that you might apply to future research, and to the ways you use your voice in performative contexts? In answering this question, consider what you learned from Eliza Jane Schneider about the voice.

Word count: 1,000~1,500 words.

EVALUATION RUBRIC

"A" assignments will do all of the following things successfully (+), with no more than two areas that might be improved or be done more consistently (✔).

"B" assignments will do all of the following things well, with a no more than three areas to improve or do more consistently (✔) and/or one area not done successfully (-).

"C" assignments will do most of the following things with multiple areas to improve and one or two areas that are not done successfully (-), or will fail to do one or two of the things completely while doing others very successfully.

"D" assignments will do some of the following things adequately, but will have multiple areas that require substantial improvement (often in more than one area), or will fail to do specific things that typically result in a "D".

"F" assignments will do some things adequately or even successfully, but the number of areas that are not done or need major improvement will outnumber those positive aspects.

__ Part 1 provides an adequate attempt to summarize the text.

__ Part I provides a clear recording of the student reading the text, without much if any background noise.

__ Part 2 provides a thoughtful, thorough and detailed response to all of the questions.

__ Part 3 provides a second clear recording of the student reading the text, without much if any background noise.

__ Part 3 clearly presents a series of precise, testable hypotheses about the two self-recordings that consider at least four Voxit measures, WPM, and any other pitch and timing and intensity patterns the writer is interested in.

__ Part 4 clearly presents the Voxit data in a table.

__ Part 4 clearly and thoroughly summarizes the results.

__ Part 4 clearly and thoroughly analyzes the results.

__ Part 4 uses screenshots of pitch contours from Drift to illustrate the results.

__ Part 4 is clearly written, in focused, coherent paragraphs with specific topic sentences and smooth, logical transitions.

__ All four parts are carefully proofread and free of typos and grammatical errors. (Proofread aloud!)

5-7 minute Work-in-Progress Presentation

Brief presentation of key insights, questions and challenges so far from either the Performative Speech Reflection & Analysis, or the Self-Recorded Reflection & Analysis. Slides are not required, but the Presentation must include some sound clips and discussion of using Gentle, Drift and Voxit to analyze the recording in question.

EVALUATION RUBRIC

"A" assignments will do all of the following things successfully (+), with no more than two areas that might be improved or be done more consistently (✔).

"B" assignments will do all of the following things well, with a no more than three areas to improve or do more consistently (✔) and/or one area not done successfully (-).

"C" assignments will do most of the following things with multiple areas to improve and one or two areas that are not done successfully (-), or will fail to do one or two of the things completely while doing others very successfully.

"D" assignments will do some of the following things adequately, but will have multiple areas that require substantial improvement (often in more than one area), or will fail to do specific things that typically result in a "D".

"F" assignments will do some things adequately or even successfully, but the number of areas that are not done or need major improvement will outnumber those positive aspects.

__ Presentation does not last fewer than 4:30 and does not exceed 7 minutes.

__ Presenter does not speak too quickly or too quietly to be heard and understood well.

__ If slides or other visuals are used, presenter does not speed through them so content can’t be understood.

__ If slides are used, they are free of typos and other errors.

__ Presentation clearly conveys some key insights, questions and challenges from the Performative Speech Reflection & Analysis or the Self-Recorded Reflection & Analysis.

__ Presentation includes some sound clips and discussion of using Gentle, Drift and Voxit to analyze the recording in question.

Brief Reflection on EJS performance, Freedom of Speech

Word count: ~500 words

Due at 2 pm on 12/2 as a Canvas Discussion Post:

  1. Provide a brief, objective summary of the content of the performance. Avoid quoting more than a few words.
  2. Offer your detailed impressions of the performance, first in terms of the content, and then in terms of your listening intuitions about pitch and timing and intensity patterns and anything else that stood out to you. How does the way EJS uses her voice and silence influence your understanding of the words? Try to recall and discuss specific phrases and words as much as you can.

EVALUATION RUBRIC

"A" assignments will do all of the following things successfully (+), with no more than two areas that might be improved or be done more consistently (✔).

"B" assignments will do all of the following things well, with a no more than three areas to improve or do more consistently (✔) and/or one area not done successfully (-).

"C" assignments will do most of the following things with multiple areas to improve and one or two areas that are not done successfully (-), or will fail to do one or two of the things completely while doing others very successfully.

"D" assignments will do some of the following things adequately, but will have multiple areas that require substantial improvement (often in more than one area), or will fail to do specific things that typically result in a "D".

"F" assignments will do some things adequately or even successfully, but the number of areas that are not done or need major improvement will outnumber those positive aspects.

__ Reflection provides a brief, objective summary of the content of the performance, with minimal quotations.

__ Reflection offers detailed impressions of the content of the performance.

__ Reflection offers detailed impressions of the vocal aspects of EJS’s performance, with some discussion of specific phrases and words.

__ Reflection is clearly written, in focused, coherent paragraphs with specific topic sentences and smooth, logical transitions.

__ Reflection is carefully proofread and free of typos and grammatical errors. (Proofread aloud!)