How to make a podcast

1. Plan and practise your content before recording

Just like any other kind of assessment, audio-based assessments need to meet assessed task requirements and marking criteria.

• Check the instructions carefully before you start, and focus on what and how much content you need to cover, before concerning yourself with any technical aspects of the podcast.
• Plan your structure but avoid writing a full script. It is better to plan your content as an outline or storyboard so that you can speak more naturally when recording.
• Practise using the technology. For a smoother recording experience, try out different settings and make a test recording with your chosen hardware and software so that you know how it works in advance.

2. Trim and edit your content

For a professional sounding podcast, trim any unnecessary content before you submit. Most podcasts could benefit from at least trimming the start and end of the recording, but you may also need to trim any pauses, coughing, or retakes, etc.

Podcasts typically include background and transition music and may also include other audio elements. The more audio elements you include, the more planning and editing time you will need, so you will need to leave plenty of time for editing.

3. Listen to your entire podcast before submitting

After you have finalised the recording and editing, listen to your entire podcast from start to finish one last time before you upload your submission. It is not uncommon for unexpected errors or mistakes to slip through if you do not do a final check.

The final check is not about perfectionism. It is about checking for glaring errors which might affect your grade.

4. Start AND SUBMIT as early as possible

Media files can easily take a lot longer to plan, record, and upload than other types of assessments, especially if you are unfamiliar with the software or encounter any technical issues.

Make sure that you schedule plenty of time for each step of the process. In particular, make sure that you submit early so that you have plenty of time to upload your submission file (or reupload it if things go wrong).