Script
Writing Guidelines
Script writing forms an essential
part of all multimedia project and helps us in outlining the structure and
content of those projects.
Script writing is NOT programming or even
"authoring" in a software engineering sense. Thus it is somewhat
independent of any programming language. However it requires knowledge of all
aspects of programming issues for its correctness.
In a few words, script writing
can be thought of as a complete specification of all media elements and
interactivity in an explicit way so that the programmer knows exactly what to
implement.
For the CIMEL project, we may assume that we will be
using Flash as the multimedia application and Java for displaying code
fragments. Thus it is okay, if we refer to specific terms pertinent to those
applications while writing script.
Here are a few script-writing
guidelines for the CIMEL project:
- Every chapter must start with the prerequisites (if
applicable), a list of topics, and list of exercises covered in that
chapter. Each list item will in turn be a link to the corresponding
loadable movies of flash.
- Divide the script into as many small screens as
possible. Each of these screens will then be programmed as a loadable
movie in flash.
- Each screen should be numbered in multiples of 10.
So, the first screen of any chapter will have a screen number of 10, the
second screen as 20 and likewise.
- You can use the template
as designed by Harriet Jaffe and Soma Roy for writing your script. The
template allows easy identification of voice-over, graphics, displayed
text, directions, and feedback messages. While specifying voice-over in
the script, you might have to be explicit about the expert whose
voice-over is implied.
- Script writing should be detailed and explicit and
must follow all use case scenarios.
- Use enthusiastic conversational
tone and active voice sentences, wherever possible. The student should
always feel that the experts do really care about him or her.
Take a look at
this attached snippet of script
as prepared by David Goldfeder with suggested improvements from Glenn
D. Blank for some effective dialog writing examples.
- Every four or five screens must be followed by some
kind of exercises.
- The exercises could be any of the following types:
a)
Research based
b)
Constructive
-
drag
and drop
c)
True / False
d)
Multiple
choice question and answers
e)
Choose
the correct answer
- All exercise
questions must be followed by feedback, for both correct and incorrect
responses. In the case of a wrong answer, the system should provide a
hint that will help the learner figure out the correct answer. In the case of a right answer, feedback
should explain more about why it’s the correct answer. It’s important for feedback to
elaborate on the question, going beyond it a bit.
- Once in a while allow for “show me” sessions in the
script. The Show Me sessions could be a live collaborative interface with
the experts or a pre-recorded
show me session for the most obvious questions that a student may have
at any point of their learning session. This will make the learning
process interesting.
- Once in a
while, allow the student to have explicit
user-controlled interaction. For example, give the user the ability to
click on something to learn more about it. This kind of interactivity
allows the user to participate in the learning process instead of
passively watching the material presented.
- Every chapter / topic must end with “end
of chapter quizzes”. At this point, remind the student that the
answers to these quizzes will be graded.
- The persona plays an important role in script design.
Let the students or instructors choose the faces they want for the
personae in the beginning of the registration process. Design the
script so that there are interactions between each of the personae. Some
of the standard persona could be: instructor,
teaching
assistant, librarian, student, and other
students. The whole purpose is to make the learning process as
interactive as possible and thereby to convey the basic idea that there is
someone who cares about the student and is always available to help him or
her to learn.
- Text-based
script and audio script addresses two different sensors of a person – eye
and ear. In case of audio script, conversational writing needs to sound
natural and the best way to see if your copy passes the test is to
actually read it out loud. Audio scripts allow you to inject personality
into programs. Because the narrator is an actual person, you can use
inclusive terms like “we” or “our,” creating the illusion that the
narrator is viewing the program along with the user. This makes the
program less sterile and helps puts the user at ease. In case the student
is expected to do some action, use terms like “you” or address him by his
login name.
- Care should
however be taken so that the voice-over matches with the choice of faces for
the persona. For example: when a user chooses a male persona, a male
voice-over must be played.
- The script should have distinction between narration
text and voice-over text (displayed text), wherever applicable. For
example, in case of display of code fragments, the script should identify
it as voice-over text and NOT as narration text.
- Script writing is an iterative process. Never expect
to perfect it in only the first or second go. The idea is to address all
the thinking and planning part during script writing process so that the
other technicalities can be taken care of during actual programming. Get
your script evaluated by another member of the CIMEL team and finally by
the PI who is responsible for the content of the script.
- If a particular screen requires student’s attention
to a particular point on the screen, it should be explicit in script
writing. See Example.
This example makes a button “hot” in that it stands out when it is
expected to be clicked next.
- This item is in alternative to item no. 18.
When a user is required to perform an action, make sure the onscreen
instructional text stands out. When writing an audio script, this display
text usually repeats a section of audio; if possible, try to vary it
slightly.
Voice-Over: The Exit button is on the right.
Click it to close the program.
Text: Click the Exit
button now.
You might also like to refer to the following websites:
1.
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/browardteennews/SNB
Forms/Crew Day/scriptwriting.htm
2.
http://snapshot.matter.org.uk/storyboard/storyboard_guide.htm
3.
http://home.earthlink.net/~atomic_rom/scripts.htm
for some general script-writing issues.
Page created:
6/05/01