INTRODUCTION
This Instructors’ Manual has been written to accompany the ninth edition of Audio Production
Worktext: Concepts, Techniques, and Equipment (Focal Press 2019) by Samuel J. Sauls, and
Craig A. Stark. It contains various suggestions for teaching an audio production or radio
production course, using the book. Every institution and every instructor is different however,
and the best way to teach the course is to gear it to the particular resources of the college and
strengths and desires of the instructor. Some instructors, for example, may want to spend a great
deal of class time going over the examples on the textbook’s website, and others may feel that
the students should explore them on their own, while others may totally ignore them. People who
have not taught before may find the Sample Course Syllabus very helpful, yet those who have
been teaching for a long time will want to use the tried-and-true syllabus that has already worked
for them. Nothing in this Instructors’ Manual is mandatory, but it does reflect teaching ideas of
the authors—and hopefully, it will be a help to those using the textbook in the classroom setting.
The sample Course Syllabus is based on a 15-week schedule (plus a final exam), but also
includes suggestions for using the material contained in it in different time frames. The Lesson
Plans delineate what to cover each week, but can also be adapted to other time frames. Study
Questions are intended to be given to students to aid their understanding. Test Questions are in
true/false and short-answer formats and supplement the questions that are in the text and on the
website. The Web Resources are provided for instructor and student use.
SAMPLE COURSE SYLLABUS
Note: This sample course syllabus is designed for a 15-week semester, plus a final exam.
However, if your semester (quarter or trimester) is different, you can easily adapt the material to
fit your schedule. For example, if you operate on a 14-week schedule, go through one chapter on
the first day of class and another on the day of the midterm. If your semester is 18 weeks, you
Audio Production Syllabus
Date
Instructor: Your name Office: Your Office Location
Contact information: Email, Twitter, etc. Phone: Your Phone Number
Office Hours: Your office hours Other Pertinent Information
Course Description: This three (or four) -credit course examines the theory and practice of
audio production and broadcast operations, including sound and broadcast wave theory, console
operation, microphone techniques, commercial production, digital editing and on-air procedures,
Course Goals: Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
2. Plan and execute audio projects
4. Operate audio equipment and apply audio aesthetics and techniques to the art and craft of
audio production
6. Articulate projected trends in audio technology and techniques based on recent
developments in the medium
Class Meetings: List time and place of classes
Required Text: Audio Production Worktext: Concepts, Techniques, and Equipment, ninth
edition, Samuel J. Sauls & Craig A. Stark (Focal Press, 2019).
Other Course Requirements: Students will be expected to supply their own flash sticks,
memory cards, and/or other storage mediums for production projects. Students will also be
expected to have online access.
Methodology Statement: The structure of the course is lecture/lab/discussion. Although
classes vary, in general they will begin with a review of the assigned chapter that includes going
Course Notes: Course content/scheduling is subject to change; all changes will be announced
in class. Regular class attendance is the student’s responsibility. In general, there is no provision
for late or makeup work. Exceptions or accommodations will be made for makeup work only for
unavoidable and documented emergencies, such as a serious illness, a death in the family, or an
approved university field trip. Students who have missed an exam or project because of one of
the reasons listed here may be given an alternative exam or special project at the discretion of the
any damage that may occur to such equipment during the completion of an assignment.
Students must keep in mind that they will be evaluated on technical quality (level modulation,
stereo balance, file format compatibility, etc.), which may cause a loss of points if the quality
does not meet course and/or department standards.
The instructor will be available for individual help throughout the term. This course should
If you feel lost during the course, ask the instructor for help. I hope you enjoy the class and
have fun with it!
Evaluation Criteria: Your final grade will be based on examinations, several production
projects, and class participation equaling 400 points, as detailed in this section. At the end of the
semester, these grades will be added up to determine each student’s course grade. In all
At the end of the semester, students will be given a short-answer final exam covering all
the chapters that have been assigned since the midterm.
Class Projects—up to 100 points
During most labs, students will be assigned to complete one project described in detail in
the textbook chapter assigned for the class. These will be graded on quality, technique,
students in the group will receive the same grade. The other 25 points will be individual, with the
possibility of each student getting a different number of points. This grade will be based on
instructor observation and written self-reports from each student.
Class Participation—up to 25 points
This grade will include attendance, the extent to which each student participates in class,
Decide on major production ideas
Week 4
Chapter 3: Digital Audio Production
Form groups for major productions
Week 5
Week 9
Chapter 7: Monitor Speakers and Studio Accessories
Finish recording and editing plans for major productions
Week 10
Chapter 8: Signal Processing and Audio Processors
Week 14
Present major productions
Hand in self-reports on the production process
Week 15
Chapter 12: Internet Radio and Other Distribution Platforms
SAMPLE LESSON PLANS
General Considerations
The sample lesson plans are designed for 15-week schedules (plus a final exam) to match
the Course Syllabus. But as with the syllabus, they can be easily altered to fit other
circumstances. Most of the classes have the same pattern, so here are some general
considerations for each type of activity suggested within the lesson plans:
1. Play online examples. To access these examples, visit the textbook website and click
on the appropriate chapter. These examples are designed to enable students to understand
concepts that can benefit from being heard or seen in movement, as opposed to being read
2. Go through the online quizzes. Each online chapter allows students to take a quiz on
the chapter. This is the same quiz that is in the book itself, but it is in an interactive form.
3. Assign the chapter for the next week. It is a good idea to introduce chapter material to
students before they read it so that they know what they are expected to learn. You can hand
4. Give a quiz on the chapter that counts as part of the grade. The test questions given in
5. Undertake class project. At the end of each chapter, there are several suggested student
projects related to that chapter. Most of these will take one to two hours. Although suggestions
6. Work on major production. This will be a group production that will be more involved
than the class projects. Students will work on it every week and each group will present its
production at the end of the semester. The Lesson Plans include suggestions for times when
students should have finished certain preproduction materials so that they will be finished by
the end of the semester. It is a good idea for the instructor to meet briefly with each group
● A news or sports program geared to a particular day
● A radio drama
● The design and execution of a website for a radio station
● The recording of a band
● Recording a soundtrack for a video or film production
Put students in groups of five or six and have them do Project 1 of Chapter 1 (“Undertake
production planning for a 15-minute interview show”).
Have students do Project 2 (“Assess your skills”), but don’t collect the papers.
Introduce the major production assignment, giving students some ideas of what they
might do and hearing some of their ideas. In order to inspire ideas, look at some of the web sites
Give a quiz on Chapter 4.
Hand back Project 1 of Chapter 3 and discuss any general problems that students had and
play some of the best ones.
Have students do Project 1, 2, 3, or 4 of Chapter 4.
Have students meet in their major production groups and tell them that next week you
that feature audio mixers. Particularly look at different features that are available.
Give a quiz on Chapter 5.
Hand back Project 2 of Chapter 4 and discuss any general problems that students had and
play a few examples of the best ones.
Have students do Project 1 of Chapter 5 (“Learn to operate an audio console”).
Hand back Project 1 of Chapter 5 and discuss any general problems that students had and
play a few examples of the best ones.
Have students do Project 1, 2, or 3 of Chapter 6.
Put together a master schedule of when the various major production groups will be
recording and editing.
Using the website, visit some of the sites in the web section under “Audio Equipment”
that feature speakers, headphones, connectors, and other accessories. Look particularly at
different features that are available.
Go through the website quiz questions on Chapter 7.
Assign Chapter 8, using the Study Questions.
available.
Go through the website quiz questions on Chapter 8.
Assign Chapter 9, using the Study Questions.
Give a quiz on Chapter 8.
Hand back Project 1 of Chapter 7 and discuss any general problems that students had and
Give a quiz on Chapter 9.
Hand back Project 1 of Chapter 8 and discuss any general problems that students had and
play some of the best ones.
Have students do Project 2 of Chapter 9 (“Record a five-minute radio interview show in
which you are the interviewer”).
Have students do Project 2 of Chapter 10 (“Record atmosphere sound, room tone, and
walla walla”).
Have major production groups record and edit their programs, based on the master
schedule. Remind groups that they will be presenting their programs in two weeks and that their
self-reports about the production process will be due on that day.
Make sure all major productions will be ready to present next week. Have groups do last
minute polishing.
Week 14—Production Presentations
Hand back quiz on Chapter 11.
Hand back Project 1 of Chapter 11, discuss any general problems that students had, and
Have students do Project 1, 2, or 3 of Chapter 12.
Critique the major productions and let each group know the number of points they
received.
Hand back the graded self-reports.
Do a review for the final on Chapters 7–12. One way to do this review is to go through