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Guide to Podcasting: Introduction to Podcasting

General guidance on podcasting

In this Guide

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This guide is an introduction to podcasting with hints and tips on how to produce a podcast using your laptop or PC.

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Update information

Last updated:

Lindsey Caffin:, April 2020

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Introduction

This guide is intended to assist users who wish to create online content in the form of a podcast.  Creating a podcast is simple, fast and easy using everyday technology such as laptops, phones or tablets.  The emphasis is on  what you have at hand to produce outputs but will refer a few features that you might find handy for other projects.

Image of podcast earphones

Who is this guide for?

This guide is primarily for academics, students, librarians or support staff, in fact anyone who wants to produce a podcast.  It acknowledges the current COVID-19 crisis since most individuals will have limited or no access to any of the professional audio or visual equipment usually available to them.  The emphasis is therefore what you can do from your current location with the tools you have at hand.

Why Should I Podcast?

Why podcast?

Academic Podcasting enables the creator to:

  • Explore topics to aid research
  • Reach a wider audience 
  • Encourage engagement
  • Impart experiences

Is it Video? Is it Audio? What is a Podcast?

What is a Podcast?

Historically podcasts were audio broadcasts, produced for the Internet or radio which could be downloaded to devices such as MP3 players.  Most podcasts were episodic and/or focused on a particular topic.  An accompanying RSS feed ensured the latest episode was always available to the end user.

Later developments included streaming services and apps that enabled podcasts to be downloaded to phones, laptops or tablets, In 2005, Apple added podcasts to iTunes.

Nowadays podcasts content consists of  audio, video, or  a mixture of both.  You can find a host of podcast on the School of Advanced Study YouTube channel, including the IALS PhD Masterclass Podcast Series.

Blogging? Vlogging? Podcasting? What's the Difference?

 

Blogs

Written records of thoughts and opinions accessed via an Internet website.  

Vlogs

Recorded thoughts and opinions accessed via the Internet.  Uses audio and video in their creation, hence the term Vlog.   Vlogs are hosted on a website or 3rd-party video sites such as Youtube or Vimeo

Podcasts

Discursive recordings on topics or subjects; usually episodic in content with one or more presenters.  Uses audio and video although originally audio only.

Subject determines suitability for a podcast. For example you might want to document your experiences studying for an LLM in London in a regular blog post , but reserve short discussions with other students highlighting their experiences of study for an audio/video podcast series.

List of IALS Podcasts

IALS has produced a number of podcast.  All are avaiiable from the School of Advanced Study Youtube channel and the IALS website.  

IALS Podcast Series

 School of Advance Study Podcasts

These can be found on the School's website categorized by subject or Institute.