College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to offer new cross-disciplinary humanities seminar on topics of interest to current graduate students beginning in Spring 2023. The first seminar will be taught by Professor Bob Cargill.

The humanities is comprised of multiple disciplines and sub-disciplines, each requiring years of specialized training. Unfortunately, among the many research methodologies taught to graduate students, dealing with the popular media hasn’t traditionally been among them. And yet, speaking to the media, from newspaper reporters, to television interviews, to appearing on documentaries as experts, is an increasingly important part of scholarship, both for communicating one’s research to the world, to fundraising, to getting a job.

The ability to write clearly and speak to the public effectively is increasingly important in our media-driven world. This course teaches students how to “do” publicly-engaged scholarship effectively. The course will introduce students to the concept of public scholarship in general, providing a behind-the-scenes glance into a side of the academy that most successful professional scholars have learned to master when promoting their research.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will learn the difference between public and critical/peer-review scholarship.
2. Students will practice writing for a public audience and learn the difference between technical writing and popular writing.
3. Students will discover the difference between delivering a professional conference paper and a public lecture.
4. Students will learn how to communicate with journalists, give an interview, and give popular journalists what they are looking for without misrepresenting and/or sensationalizing the finds.
5. Students will gain a behind-the-camera look at the process of creating television documentaries, from concept to completion, and will learn how to give a sit-down “talking head” television interview.
6. Students will be given an introduction to social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blogging) and learn how they can be used to promote their research,
7. Students will learn how to develop a personal brand and use it to assist with self-marketing, finding a job, and fundraising.
8. Students will obtain the basic skills needed to produce simple videos, including scriptwriting, filming, sound, lighting, editing, and publishing to popular platforms (e.g., for YouTube).
9. Students will learn best practices for sitting for an online (e.g., Zoom) job interview.