Exposition Instructions
Objective: Imagine you are at an interview, networking session, conference, or another similar professional event. You want to share a meaningful message with an audience about a complex concept we discussed in this course that you found especially important or interesting; however, your audience may be unfamiliar with the topic, and you have limited time. In short, you will:1. Pick a topic related to the interconnectedness of mental health/substance abuse and criminal justice
2. Create a visual aid that illustrates and expands upon a concept from the course.
3. Record a 60-90 second video or audio in which you explain the concept.
Detailed guidelines:
1. Pick a topic related to the interconnectedness of mental health/substance abuse and criminal justice
a. Pick a topic that we’ve discussed that you think is especially important, interesting, or possibly related to your career
b. The topic should be focused and specific (not too general).
c. Some examples of good topics might be “the effects of PTSD on the performance of police officers” or “how choosing the appropriate level of care for substance abuse can improve outcomes”. Topics like “PTSD and criminal offenses” or “personality disorders” are probably too general.
d. If you are unsure about a topic, use the Brainstorming Topics for the Exposition discussion board or email the instructor for feedback.
2. Create a visual aid that illustrates and expands upon a concept from the course.
a. What is a visual aid? Imagine an infographic or simple virtual poster that would help you explain and exemplify your concept and message.
i. You may want to include things like: simple definitions, short units of text, graphic organizers (think venn diagrams, flowcharts, cause and effect charts, mind maps, timelines, matrices, etc.), meaningful graphs with summaries
ii. Please do not include: lengthy academic definitions, long blocks of text more than 3 sentences, large collages of photos without purpose
b. What does “expanding” on a concept mean? It could include:
i. Providing additional insights (ex. discussing further implications or significance)
ii. Incorporating additional research
iii. Connecting to real-world applications (ex. additional relevance, examples, professional practices, current events)
iv. Connecting related concepts (ex. discussing related theories or practices, or comparing/contrasting related concepts)
c. Cite your sources where applicable.
d. Please submit your visual aid as a PDF or in an image format (such as jpeg or png). Make sure it is easily readable. See resources for the visual aid below.
3. Record a 60-90 second video or audio in which you explain the concept.
a. Almost like an “elevator pitch”, you have a short amount of time to share your message.
b. Your video/audio should both explain important background about your topic and expand on/make a point about it.
c. You don’t have to cover every piece of information on your visual aid while you speak. Please refer to your visual aid, but don’t simply read it.
d. Quality of information is valued over quantity of information.
e. Technical guidelines:
i. For a video: You should share your screen with your visual aid on it and record your voice over it. You may choose to physically appear in the video via webcam; however, it is not required.
ii. For audio: You should record a very clear and clean audio without background noise that discusses your visual aid.
f. See resources for creating video/audio below.
Recommendations:
– Plan a rough draft of what you want to say before creating your graphic.This will help you keep your visual aid focused and supporting your message, rather than overdesigned and cluttered.
– Write an outline or script of what you’ll say in your video/audio to help you when you record it. This way you’ll be concise and focused.
– Consider using an interesting hook at the beginning of your video/audio or on your visual aid. Maybe start with a question, thought-provoking title, statement, or fact, or an example.
Visual aid resources:
– A few tools that may help you create your visual aid are:
o PowerPoint or Google Slides
o * Canva
o * Adobe Express
o *Please note: Canva and Adobe Express offer graphics and other elements for an additional fee. You are not expected to purchase anything in order to create your visual aid. Doing so is at your own discretion.
– Tips about making an effective visual aid:
o https://www.canva.com/learn/best-infographics/
o An Introduction to Information Design by backspace.com
Video/audio resources:
– A few tools that may help you record your video/audio:
o Webex or Microsoft Teams supplied by GSU (you can enter a “room” yourself and record as you share your screen and speak. (Reminder, you do not have to physically appear in the video, but you may do so if you’d like.)
o Audio: Use any device you are familiar with audio recording capabilities (computer, phone, etc.)
