HLTA03 Podcast Project 2024

The podcast project has been created to facilitate your ability to communicate technically
challenging academic concepts or public health information. If you’ve never listened to a
podcast, a quick on-line search (or using podcast apps on your cellphone) will help determine
what style of podcast you might want your group to produce. Science Vs
(https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs), Sawbones
(https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/sawbones), and Raw Talk Podcast
(https://www.rawtalkpodcast.com/) are great examples of some of the different styles and
production qualities of podcasts out there.
ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS

• A 10-minute group podcast created on the topic presented in your tutorial section.
• A transcript of the podcast, with references cited in the podcast and contributing team
members listed.
• State the names and role(s) of all team members at the end of the podcast.
• Submission of .mp3 audio file to HLTA03 Quercus Assignment area. This ensures we can
easily listen to and grade your podcast.
• Due date: April 5, 2024 11:59 pm (Toronto time). Only 1 member of the group has to
submit the podcast.
• Late submissions will have a penalty of 10% per day applied to all group members
Team Formation – During tutorial time (Tutorial 4)
You will use the tutorial time to complete your team contract. This work will help you introduce
yourself to your team and start your planning process for the podcast. This work is the “Team
Contract” indicated as part of the Podcast Project in the course syllabus and is worth 2%.
1. You will be introduced to the topic of focus for your podcast during tutorial time. Each TA has
their own interest in a health topic and you will only work on the topic that your TA has
introduced during this tutorial.
2. Complete the Team Contract form that has been provided during Tutorial 4. Be sure to
submit it before you leave your tutorial.
Group Facilitated Podcast Work – Done outside of class time before Tutorial 5
Arrange with team members to meet AT LEAST once between Tutorial 4 and Tutorial 5 to talk
about the podcast project using the prompts provided below. This will help prepare your team
for the work you will be doing together during Tutorial 5.
1. There are opportunities for everyone in your podcast team to contribute to the podcast.
Some may be more interested in research or script writing, some in the recording or production
of the podcast, and some will want to be “the voice(s)” of the podcast. As such, openly discuss

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what job(s) each member in the group would be comfortable doing for the podcast (i.e.,
research, scriptwriting, voice work, technical production, etc.). Be sure the work is equitable
among group members.
3. Discuss an aspect of your tutorial topic that sparked your interest. Find an interesting story
around which your podcast will be created. What is the goal of your podcast? Does your
podcast have a “hook” or focus to keep your audience engaged and listening? How will the
structure of the podcast enhance your storytelling?
4. Your podcast must be informed by current knowledge so as not to spread misinformation.
Find 2-3 review or research articles from trusted sources to support the information in your
podcast. Be prepared to share this information during Tutorial 5.
Podcast Pitch – During tutorial time (Tutorial 5)
You will use tutorial time to create and test your podcast pitch. This work will help to identify
your audience and create an “elevator pitch” for your podcast. This work is the “Podcast Plan”
indicated as part of the Podcast Project in the course syllabus and is worth 3%.
1. Be prepared to talk within your team and with others in your tutorial about the 2-3 review or
research articles your team sourced as suggested above.
2. Complete the Podcast Plan form that has been provided to you during Tutorial 5. Be sure to
submit it before you leave your tutorial.
Group Facilitated Podcast Work – Done outside of class time after Tutorial 5
Your team will no longer be using tutorial time to work on the podcast. All remaining project
work must be scheduled around your class time in order to complete the podcast. Plan on
scheduling weekly meetings with your group to ensure work is being done on this project.
1. Continue to plan how your group will access the resources necessary to produce the podcast.
If you are interviewing specialists in the field, how will you approach them and how will you
ensure you use their time wisely? What does the technical production of the podcast require?
How will you ensure your story will be reaching the target audience and not speaking too far
“above” or “below” their knowledge level?
2. If the podcast includes interviews with “experts”, these not only have to be real interviews
(i.e., you cannot pretend to be an expert) but they must be made aware that you are
interviewing them for a course assignment and anything from their interview may be used in
the podcast. You will also introduce them properly within the podcast itself by including their
titles as well as the institution or organization where they are currently working.
3. Check the “Library Resources” area in the HLTA03 Quercus site. Look for the “Introduction to
Podcasting” link that has been created for our course. Did you know that the UTSC Makerspace

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has podcast equipment and studio space that your team can book? Look for those links in this
area of our Quercus site if you want to explore the use of these tools.
4. Regardless of the style of podcast your group will create, there should be an introductory
section (the intro) before progressing to the main body of the podcast. Don’t forget to include a
brief summary at the end of the podcast to remind your listeners of your main message and
then thank them for listening as you finish the podcast (the outro). Here is a website to refer to
if you’ve never thought about podcast structure before:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/blog/podcast-structure. NOTE that this is a website that sells
podcast services but DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING and check out a list of suggested (free)
tools at the end this document.
5. Any sound effects or music in your podcast should be copyright-free. If you are unsure about
copyright or have questions about finding copyright-free material, ask the Health & Society
librarian Kathryn Barrett for help via the Email link provided in the “Library Resources” area on
the HLTA03 Quercus site.
6. Remember you are required to create a transcript of your podcast, along with references.
Transcripts are a text version of the speech and non-speech audio information that might be
needed to understand the content. You can easily do this by creating a script for your podcast.
Use the CSE citation-sequence style to integrate the references into your podcast transcript and
to create the reference list at the end of the transcript.
Podcast Assignment- Due: April 5, 2024 11:59 pm (Toronto time) to Quercus Assignments
This work is the “Podcast” indicated as part of the Podcast Project in the course syllabus and is
worth 10%.
1. You will create a 10-minute podcast that your group has developed from the topic provided
by your T.A. during tutorial time. This will be submitted as an .mp3 file.
2. You will create a complete transcript of your podcast, which will include all references you
included in your podcast as well as a listing of all group members that worked on the creation
of the podcast. This will be submitted as a .doc or .docx file which can be generated from Word
or Google Docs.
3. Be sure to mention all group members at the end of the podcast, indicating their role in the
creation of this assignment.
4. This assignment is due by 11:59 pm April 5, 2024. Only one member of your team has to
submit the project elements (podcast and transcript). Your podcast will be submitted to
Quercus - DO NOT EMAIL YOUR ASSIGNMENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR T.A. or to other email
accounts.

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Technical Information

• You may be comfortable using the basic audio recording function on your cellphone or
your group might look into more elaborate apps to download (be sure they are free!!!).
Your group might also decide to use software such as Audacity (Windows), GarageBand
(Apple) to really play around. A portion of your grade will be determined by sound
quality, so be sure you’ve allotted enough time in the creation and editing of the
podcast to ensure sound quality is not interfering with the success of your podcast.
• There are several different styles of podcast that you can create for this assignment; you
can interview people for the topic, you can create a documentary-style podcast, or
perhaps an educational podcast aimed at teaching others about the topic. Or, you can
let your artistic side come out and create something along the lines of a radio drama.
To consider in your assignment

• In your podcast, present a complete story about your chosen topic. Is the level of
information discussed on your podcast appropriate to your audience? What message do
you want to send to individuals that might be hearing information about this topic but
do not have the time, skill, or interest to delve deeper into it? If there are aspects about
the topic that you know are being spread as misinformation, how will you ensure your
podcast addresses and corrects this?
• Be sure you are presenting information that is accurate – it is your responsibility to not
be a source of misinformation or disinformation in this field as this can have very serious
consequences to human and population health.