the what and why
The assignment
From the syllabus: "Inspired by journalist Studs Terkel's classic compendium Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, each of us will be interview someone at least two times over the course of the quarter about their work and its changing relationship to the internet industry. You can interview someone you know, someone you would like to know, or someone whose work seems interesting to you. You will record the interviews and transcribe the most interesting parts. These recordings will form the basis of the midterm and final projects." (Click here to learn more about Studs Terkel.) Assignment timeline Assignment deliverables are in red. Apr 7-9
Apr 9 In class: We will get into groups of 3 and practice interviewing each other to get the hang of building rapport, taking notes, recording, and keeping the conversation going at the same time. Apr 10-17
Apr 21 Due: Select and transcribe one interesting selection from your interview and post it to TED. — In addition, answer this: How does the interview exemplify, challenge, or deepen our understanding of questions and issues we have discussed in class? Apr 23 Due: Read and respond to three excerpts posted by other students. — In your responses, consider: What did you notice reading it from your perspective? What could the interviewer could follow up on? In what other ways could they have interpreted their interview? Apr 28 - May 5 Conduct a follow up interview to dig deeper May 12 Midterm essay due: Write a profile (between 800-1,000 words) of the person you interviewed. Show one example of how their experiences and reflections exemplify claims made in readings. Show at least one example in depth of how their experiences and reflections challenge claims made in class readings. |