Week 5: Preparing the Interviews

Quick Recap

At this stage, you should have narrowed down your search space and started researching a specific subtopic within Cognitive Neuroscience. We’re now moving into the optional phase of preparing for expert interviews. Also, it is time for milestone 2!

Objectives

By the end of the week you will:

  • Have decided whether you want to interview the expert or not
  • Continue in-depth reading of your subtopic
  • Deliver milestone 2: a draft of the podcast outline

The Experts

We’ve selected a group of experts based on your subtopics. These are researchers currently working in Granada or with a history of collaborations at the UGR.

  • All experts are friendly but very busy, so be mindful of their time.
  • They have agreed to talk to you and are looking forward to your emails.
  • Not all experts are comfortable with being recorded, so be prepared to be flexible with the format.
  • Some subtopics have two experts, others only one. If you have more than one, consider talking to both only if you think that they can offer different perspectives.

Researching Your Expert

Before reaching out, it’s important to understand who your expert is:

  1. Use Google Scholar to research your expert:
    • Read titles and abstracts of their top-cited articles and most recent publications.
    • Check if they have a personal website stating their research interests.
    • Understand their career stage and what that means for your research.
  2. Consider what information the expert can provide:
    • Keep in mind that your research question and their expertise may not completely overlap.
    • Different expert profiles might provide different types of information:
      • A global view on the topic
      • Answers to specific questions
      • Clarification of conflicting findings
      • Methodological nuances
      • Different perspectives you might be missing

Choosing an Interview Format

Consider different formats for the interview:

  • Audio recording
  • Informal chat
  • Real-time Q&A (in person or online)
  • Q&A via email

Be prepared to negotiate the format with the expert based on their preferences and availability.

Reaching Out to the Expert

When contacting the expert there are a few things that you should keep in mind:

  • Be formal until told otherwise.
  • Reach out via email (no need to cc course instructors).
  • Introduce yourselves: Who are you? What are you interested in? What is your proposal?
  • Offer several possibilities regarding the interview format.
  • Try to capture their attention while being respectful of their time.

Preparing for the Interview

Once you’ve scheduled the interview:

  1. Prepare thoroughly:
    • Familiarize yourself with the relevant part of the expert’s field.
    • Send questions in advance if possible, allowing the expert to prepare.
    • If recording, test your equipment beforehand.
    • Decide who will conduct the interview to avoid overwhelming the expert.
  2. During the interview:
    • Be punctual and respectful.
    • Be ready to intake as much information as possible.
    • Ask for clarification if needed, but avoid confrontation.
    • Take notes, even if you’re recording.
    • Stick to the agreed-upon time.
    • Thank the expert and inform them about your plans for the gathered material.

Milestone 2

Draft an episode outline and role assignments by the end of the week. You will be able to submit the assignment as a task on PRADO. We will give you feedback as soon as possible so that you can integrate it and improve it. What does a podcast outline look like, you ask? There is no single correct format,as the outline depends directly on your chosen podcast style. However, there are a several elements that any outline should include:

  1. The structure in sections and/or topics to be covered
  2. Brief notes on the content of each section
  3. The aproximate timestamps of when each section starts
  4. Labels indicating who is going to speak in each section
  5. Elements for listener engagement (e.g., pop-culture examples, direct questions, call-to-action)
  6. Planned transitions between segments
  7. Any sound effects or music cues

And here’s an example Outline for an ~8-minute podcast on “Perceptual Illusions”

Title: “Tricking the Brain: The Fascinating World of Perceptual Illusions”

00:00 - 00:10 | Jingle - Intro music

00:10 - 01:00 | Welcome (Host A) - Fade out of the jingle throughout

  • Welcome listeners
  • Brief explanation of perceptual illusions
  • Tease interesting examples to come

01:00 - 03:00 | Visual Illusions (Host B) - Subtle background music

  • Explain how visual illusions work
  • Signal two famous examples (Rabbit-Duck illusion, Rubin’s vase). “I’m sure you have seen”
  • Transition: “But it’s not just our eyes that can be fooled…”

03:00 - 05:00 | Auditory Illusions (Host A)

  • Introduction to auditory illusions
  • Showcase the McGurk effect with listeners mentally visualizing the mouth movements (play audio example)
  • Explain the science behind it

05:00 - 07:00 | Interview Inset (Host B & Guest Expert) - Subtle background music

  • Briefly introduce guest neuroscientist: “We got the opportunity to talk with…”
  • Q1: Why did our brains evolve to be susceptible to illusions?
  • Q2: Are some people more prone to experiencing illusions than others?

07:00 - 08:00 | Outside the Lab (Host A) - Sound effects

  • Illusions around us:
    • Art and design
    • Films

08:00 - 08:30 | Outtro

  • Concluding message: “What we perceive with our senses, is not necessarily there…”
  • Thank listeners
  • Outro song

Sound Effects/Music:

  • Intro jingle: Stock music
  • Subtle background music during segments: Stock music
  • Sound effects: Stock audio
  • Outro song: There, there by Radiohead

Next Steps

After conducting your interview(s), you’ll need to synthesize the information you’ve gathered with your existing research. It is important to note that not all the information maybe necessary in the final product. The interview(s) will help shape your podcast episode and ensure you’re presenting a well-rounded, informed perspective on your chosen topic.

Remember, the goal is not just to collect information and paste it in the audio file, but to use this opportunity to gain deeper insights into your subject area and potentially uncover new angles for your podcast.