Session 3- Audio and Video Recording

In your research, you may need to record an interview or an observation using either audio or video. There are two freely available and well known programs for this; however, please remember that there are many more that may suit your needs better.

Audacity- This is an audio recorder that can be used to record live audio if you connect a microphone to your computer, but it can also convert audio to a digital format if you choose to record your audio onto tapes. We will also be using a digital audio recorder that we can download directly to the computer. Be sure you export these recordings as a format that works with the transcription software (ExpressScribe) we will be using. wav and mp3 are safe for both windows and macs, but there are others.

MovieMaker- When recording video, will need to download it to your computer in order to save and analyze it. You may also want to edit it first, and this is what MovieMaker is good for. You can cut needless portions or add intros to portions to make them easier to find. This program is also helpful if you are planning to present your research. You can make a creative video using clips from your video and incorporating your voice, titles and transitions. This is basically a free version of Apple's iMovie, so if you are more familiar with Macintosh, the skills learned in iMovie are easily translated to MovieMaker. Be sure to save your movie in a format that is compatible with the transcription software we will be using (Transana). avi, mov (Mac) and wmv (Windows) are safe formats, but there are others. In addition, take a look at this website for tips on shooting quality video.

During this class, we will take sample videos (using a digital video camera- please bring your own (with a firewire cord or reserve from classroom services) and record sample audio (with Audacity and a digitial audio recorder- please bring your own (with a firewire cord or reserve from classroom services) so that we can practice using Audacity and MovieMaker and so that in the next class we can use this sample to practice transcribing. Please be sure to bring a flashdrive or external hard drive to class for this session so that you may save your files, since lab computers are wiped every night. Or, you can work directly on your laptop, in which case, please be sure to download Audacity and MovieMaker (both free) before class.

Assignment 3- In order to prepare for the next session, which is on taking the audio and video that you recorded and transcribing the information so that you can analyze it, please visit this website and watch all "Screencasts." These give an overview of the software Transana.