FINAL:

Group Short Documentary

All Components Due Tuesday, April 22 by 11:59pm

COMPONENTS:
I. VIDEO - 5 to 10 minutes long
This will be uploaded to YouTube by due date/time and aired in class.
II. INTRODUCTORY SPEECH - 1 to 2 minutes long
One team member will be responsible for presenting a speech in class introducing the video.
III. REFLECTION PAPER (WITH WORKS CITED SHEET) One per group.
Emailed to glidden103@gmail.com by due date/time.
1 to 2 pages long
Double-spaced
MLA headings, pagination
MLA works cited sheet citing all informatory sources used to create video
REQUIRED SOURCES: At least 2 scholarly, peer-reviewed sources to support your argument.

PROMPT:
You and your team will create a very short, creative documentary intended to inform or persuade an audience
of your peers using the communication, research, and organizational skills you have obtained in class this
semester.

In addition to the documentary, one team member will also be responsible for presenting a speech introducing
the topic of the video.

Finally, to complete the project, your team must also turn in a reflection paper describing the main idea of your
documentary, why you chose this topic, how you planned and executed your work as a team, and finally a works
cited sheet detailing the sources you used to obtain research for your film.

VIDEO:
This is where your new argumentative and organizational skills will shine. Youve spent so much time on
an individual basis this semester thinking critically and communicating new information in a persuasive manner on
paper. Now, youll be working with a group to use these skills to create a video documentary that informs or
persuades an audience of your peers. The video must be at least five minutes long, but no longer than seven
minutes.
Need inspiration? Do a Google search for student documentaries. Think of the documentaries weve
watched in class. Even think of the commercials weve seen. How are they organized? Think about juxtaposition
and contrast, how youve posed effective arguments in your papers, and everything youve learned ranging from
the logical appeals to creativity.

INTRODUCTORY SPEECH:
On the day your documentary is aired in class, one teammate will be responsible for delivering a one to
two minute speech that introduces it. Though your video should have a thesis/position statement of some kind
already inherent within it (if it is organized well), this speech component is a great way to build on that thesis
statement. This is your opportunity to set your audience up by explaining what the topic is, why this topic is
important, and what you intend for your audience to know or understand by the end of the documentary.
Do not take the speech lightly you should prepare it and organize it the same way you would any of the
papers we have written in class. If you think you can simply come up to the front of class and spout off an
improvised introduction, you are mistaken. Create an outline for yourself. Use notecards to keep yourself
organized. Practice this speech prior to class. I studied theater performance and speech in undergrad, and my
husband teaches COMM 210 Im going to be able to tell if you arent pulling your weight here.

1

REFLECTION PAPER:
In addition to the video and the speech, your team must also turn in a one to two page reflection paper.
The paper should cover most of the following, though you may leave out anything that doesnt apply to you:
-What is your topic? Why did you choose this?
-Who is the audience? How is the topic pertinent to them?
-How did you use the logical appeals while creating the documentary?
-How did you incorporate a thesis or position statement into your documentary?
-How is the information or the argument organized in the documentary?
-How did your team divvy up the workload? Who did what? Why did they take on these roles?
-What challenges did you face putting this entire project together?
-How did you apply the skills you gained as thinkers and communicators this semester while
working on this project?
-WORKS CITED: Your reflection paper must include an MLA works cited sheet that cites at least
two scholarly, peer-reviewed sources that you used while researching for your
documentary.

HOW YOURE GETTING GRADED

Look at the following rubrics to get an idea of how you are being graded. Note the following:

-Going under 5 minutes for your documentary results in an automatic 10 point deduction per minute you
are under.
-Going OVER 10 minutes for your documentary will result in 5 points deducted per minute you are over.
-Going under 1 minute for your speech results in a 10 point grade deduction. Going over 3 minutes will
result in a 5 point deduction per minute.
-Reflection papers under 1 page will result in a 10 point deduction. No deductions if you go over the two
pages, but try not to.
-Missing scholarly, peer-reviewed sources is an automatic 10 point deduction per missing source.

VIDEO NEEDS WORK (0-70%) SATISFACTORY (70-89%) ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE (90-100%)
50% of Total Grade
Creativity & Tech Uses one type of camera Different types of camera shots.
shot. Single shot entire Shots ranging from interviews to
time. Cant understand illustrative shots to graphics.
audio. Absent or Appropriate music. Etc.
ineffective music. Vertical
iPhone. Etc.
Organization Couldnt pinpoint thesis or Topic was clear from the
position statement. beginning and introduced
Struggled to understand creatively. Ending was tight and
what it was about. No resonate. Great juxtaposition of
contrast or juxtaposition interesting anecdotal footage
or its poorly executed. and data. Etc.
Etc.
Communication Clearly not mindful of Obviously mindful of audience.
audience. Does not use Takes care to prove credibility,
appeals to advantage. appeal to emotions, and present
logical information clearly and
at appropriate times.

2

INTRO. SPEECH NEEDS WORK (0-70%) SATISFACTORY (70-89%) ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE (90-100%)
30% of Total Grade
Organization & Could not understand Spoken loudly and clearly. Could
Poise speaker or follow clearly follow information
information presented in presented in speech: this is what
speech. Speaker did not our topic is, this is why we chose
take speech seriously it, and by the time the
(making inappropriate documentary is complete, we
jokes, clearly improvising, hope you will etc. Strong
etc.) Disorganized organization. Clearly prepared.
information.


REF. PAPER NEEDS WORK (0-70%) SATISFACTORY (70-89%) ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE (90-100%)
20% of Total Grade
Content & Did not follow basic Followed directions. No or few
Following directions (MLA, double typing, grammatical, or spelling
Directions space, works cited, etc.) errors. Well-organized with
Disorganized. Obviously explicit introduction, and tight
not proofread (typos, etc.) conclusion.


NOTES: