English 200: Composition II — Writing Through Sound: Cultural Conversations in the Podcast Era
This will be an in person course that will further study of rhetorical, conceptual, and stylistic demands of writing; instruction develops the writing and research skills covered in Composition I. Students will enhance those skills through the study and creation of podcasts. Students will explore how storytelling and expression operate in the audio medium. By analyzing professional podcasts and experimenting with their own, students will consider how argument, tone, and structure shift when writing for the ear rather than the page.
Likely Major assignments include three original podcasts (two of which are collaborative with a minimum 750-word transcript of key highlights each), three reflective essays (500 words each–showcasing their research and production process), and a final presentation . Throughout the semester, students will engage in peer workshops, rhetorical analysis, and critical listening to refine both their writing and their sound design.
Tentative Readings:
Chikkatur A, Lawrence DT, Moten C. How to Podcast. Public Humanities. 2025;1:e51. doi:10.1017/pub.2024.63
Isayama, Hajime. Attack on Titan. Vol. 22, Kodansha Comics, 2017.
Oslawski-Lopez, J., & Kordsmeier, G. (2021). “Being Able to Listen Makes Me Feel More Engaged”: Best Practices for Using Podcasts as Readings. Teaching Sociology, 49(4), 335-347. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X211017197 (Original work published 2021).
Tobin SJ, Guadagno RE. Why people listen: Motivations and outcomes of podcast listening. PLoS One. 2022 Apr 6;17(4):e0265806. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265806. PMID: 35385493; PMCID: PMC8985929.
Various podcasts