Developing a Multimedia Abstract for Online Publication in AURA

Basic Tips for Creating a Personalized Video Multimedia Abstract: Author Video

As you prepare your scholarly work for publication onto Electronic Theses and Dissertations, you might think about ways of ensuring a personal voice on the material. Consider including an “Author Video” with your text file.

Many programs require their graduates to include the defense photo to their dissertation upload. This snapshot of the author and their committee helps enhance the file since viewers have a face to go with the research. The photo also adds a subliminal value of positivity and excitement about the dissertation.

In the same way, the author video contributes a personal stamp to the dissertation, but with added value. With the video, viewers get a chance to hear the author speak personally about reasons for researching and sharing some of the details of the dissertation. The author has a great opportunity to persuade others to enter the field of study and presents themselves as a viable contributor to the field.

The following are items to consider when creating a video. It’s up to you to decide what to include.

Your Purpose

To encourage the viewer to open and read your dissertation
To present an enthusiastic voice/individual to the dissertation

2. First Steps

Reflect back to the early days of your research

- - Why did you select this topic?
  - Where did you get the idea?
  - What energized you about the research?
  - What surprised you?
  - What’s unique about your project?

3. Composing

Write with the audience in mind

What would they be interested in?
What is unique about your dissertation?
What expectations would they have related to language, operative terms, etc.

Organize your material around rhetorical strategies

Summarize your goals of the research
Explain why the research matters
Describe what you did
Define your research methodology
Interpret the findings

Make your words count

This needs to be only 1-3 pages of text
Be concise and provide a synopsis of the dissertation

4. Revising

Read the material for its organization and flow of ideas
Consider the audience values a hierarchy of information: general to specific
Consider sending it to the VWC for free peer feedback

5. The Video

Preparation

Select a quiet environment to tape
Check lighting and ambient sound as needed
Set camera/phone in a place that’s going to give a flattering view of you
Practice with the camera

Rehearsal

Read it aloud several times to ensure its continuity
- - Practice it in front of another and ask for feedback
  - Speak clearly and with a natural but slower pace
Select your outfit for its impact on the viewer

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