HWC Digital Media Consulting

Wiki art by Taylor Savage

 

 

 

 

Taylor Savage (2011).  Student project in the PWR 2 course on mass media.

Digital Media Consulting

What is Digital Media Consulting?  The Hume Writing Center provides digital media consulting to help undergraduate and graduate students build stronger and effective arguments in digital media such as:

  • slideware (PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi)
  • video projects (YouTube videos, text animation)
  • websites and blogs
  • audio essays/podcasts
  • digital photography
  • posters and ads

What kind of help do we provide?  Digital Media Consultants (DMCs) at the Hume Writing Center help students analyze the persuasive quality of visual communication and improve the presentation of digital arguments by working with undergraduate and graduate students on all stages of their projects from storyboards to the revision of "roughs."  Digital media consultations provide feedback on the "rhetoric" or the persuasiveness of the digital work--helping students explore the "what" and "why" of the project, rather than the "how" of technical production.  Technical help with software and hardware can be found in Meyer Multimedia Studio (see link below).

There are three general types of feedback we provide to help students improve multimedia argument during the drafting process and revision stage of their project:

Two students working on a storyboard for CS2C.1. CONCEPT PLANNING AND COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES:  DMCs can assist students with preparing digital media projects by providing general strategies on planning and working collaboratively, brainstorming ideas, drawing storyboards, and providing feedback on storyboard concepts.

2. DIGITAL PERSUASION:  In traditional writing, persuasive delivery is shaped by the context of genre and audience. Digital arguments follow similar rhetorical rules, but are complicated by the multiple modes that transform how we experience (and engage) the argument.  Digital Media Consultants work with students to help them develop and improve the persuasive quality of the digital argument shaped by mode, genre, and audience. Students can talk to DMCs about a range of concerns including:

  • focus and flow of argument
  • unity and direction through visual design
  • engagement with audience(s)
  • rhetorical effectiveness and relevance

3. VISUAL AND MULTIMEDIA ANALYSIS:  DMCs can help students analyze and incorporate visuals and multimedia arguments into their essays.

How do I make an appointment?

 
Students can arrange to meet with a digital media consultant themselves by making an online appointment with one of our six consultants (see right column).  Read through the bio to identify a consultant whose area of specialty matches your needs.  Then click on our appointment icon.  Currently, no drop-in consultations are available.
  

The Writing Center can also set you up with an appointment with a digital media consultant.  Please email us with a range of preferred dates and times.  For faculty or administrators interested in digital media workshops, please visit our faculty page for how to submit a request.  You can also email us with questions about digital media workshops that we can arrange for classrooms or organizations.

Digital Media Consultants

Find out who we are and read our bios.

Technology Help

Find out where to go for help with using image, audio, video editing applications as well as view tutorials for story boarding, image compositing, music composing, and more.

Speaking Help

Speaking Center and the Oral Communication Tutors:  Students who are presenting their multimedia projects can receive additional help with Oral Communication Tutors at the Speaking Center.  The Speaking Center is located in Meyer Library, Suite 123.  Presentation coaching appointments with trained student consulting staff can be made online by visiting: http://sututor.stanford.edu.  For more information about presentation coaching and the oral communication services, please visit this link to the Oral Presentation Program.

Copyright

Please visit Stanford’s website on “Copyright and Fair Use” for Stanford’s position on the use of copyrighted material in videos, PowerPoint slides, or image compositing as well as discussions, blogs, and articles on the topic: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/.