Educators and Students

Sound Recording Analysis Worksheet

Step 1. Pre-listening
A.   

Whose voices will you hear on this recording?

 
B.  

What is the date of this recording?

 
C.  

Where was this recording made?

 
Step 2. Listening
A.   Type of sound recording (check one):

____ Policy speech
____ Congressional testimony
____ News report
____ Interview
____ Entertainment broadcast
____ Press conference
____ Convention proceedings
____ Campaign speech
____ Arguments before a court
____ Panel discussion
____ Other

 
B.  

Unique physical qualities of the recording

____ Music
____ Live broadcast
____ Narrated
____ Special sound effects
____ Background sound

 
C.  

What is the tone or mood of this recording?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

 
Step 3. Post-listening (or repeated listening)

A.

  

List three things in this sound recording that you think are important:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________________

 
B.  

Why do you think the original broadcast was made and for what audience?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

 
C.  

What evidence in the recording helps you to know why it was made?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

 
D.  

List two things this sound recording tells you about life in the United States at the time it was made:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________________

 
E.   Write a question to the broadcaster that is left unanswered by this sound recording.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
F.   What information do you gain about this event that would not be conveyed by a written transcript? Be specific.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Designed and developed by the
Education Staff, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408.

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001
Telephone: 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272