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Project Audio: Teaching Students How to Produce Their Own Podcasts

By Justin Hicks ,  Laura Winnick and Michael Gonchar

• April 19, 2018

Updated: April 14, 2020

Given the recent rise in podcast popularity, it’s no surprise that audio narratives are making their way into the classroom. They offer an engaging way for teachers to merge project-based learning with digital media analysis and production skills.

That’s why we run our annual Student Podcast Contest, in which we invite students to submit original podcasts, five minutes long or less. The 2020 contest runs from April 9 to May 19.

The mini-unit below walks students through the process of analyzing the techniques that make for good storytelling, interviewing and podcasting. The activities culminate in students producing their own original podcasts.

Note: For those teachers who may be technophobes, please don’t be intimidated by this technology-dependent lesson. Programs for audio editing are intuitive and easy-to-use, especially for many students. If you are a novice to audio recording, you may want to attempt to create your own one-minute podcast as a way to experience firsthand what students will encounter during the process.

Part I: Podcasts and Storytelling

In this section, students analyze the elements and techniques of both podcasting and storytelling, because stories are often at the heart of podcasts. Then, students practice telling a story aloud before moving on to interviewing in Part II.

Warm Up: Elements of Podcasts

Poll the class to see how many students are familiar with podcasts. If any students are, ask them to share their favorites. What did they enjoy about the podcasts they mentioned? What were the subjects? What elements of the podcasts do they remember: the interviews, conversations, music, sound effects or anything else?

Next, while listening to each of these three short podcast excerpts (between one and three minutes), students should take notes using this notetaking sheet (PDF) on both the episode topic (what is being said or discussed) and the production elements (the various aspects of the podcast that create the listening experience).

• Modern Love “ R We D8ting? | With Krysten Ritter ” (Segment: 1:00 - 3:16) • The Daily “ The Right to Bear Arms ” (Segment: 0:00 - 2:36) • Still Processing “ Take a Knee if You Agree ” (Segment: 0:00 - 1:27)

After you listen to all three excerpts, share as a class. What did students notice about the subject matter? What did they notice about the formatting and techniques used within the podcast? How were the three podcast excerpts similar? How were they different?

Mini-Lesson: Podcast Project

So students understand how these activities are building toward a larger goal, explain that the class will be creating original podcasts for this mini-unit. Students can work individually or in small groups. The podcasts must be five minutes or less — and while that might sound like a short amount of time, if students want to produce quality audio it really isn’t.

The podcast topics can be inspired by one of the Learning Network’s 1,000-plus writing prompts . That should give everyone plenty of options, but if students don’t see the exact topic they want to investigate in their podcast, they can come up with their own topics.

Finally, as the Warm Up activity demonstrated, there are many different types of podcasts. Some consist largely of conversations between the hosts; others are based on interviews; still others involve mostly storytelling, nonfiction or fiction. Podcasts serve different purposes too: some try to make you laugh; others aim to keep you in suspense; some want to educate or inform. Students should keep all of these possibilities in mind as they consider what they want their original podcast to be like.

Activity: Elements of Storytelling

Storytelling is a key ingredient in many podcasts, so we’re going to spend time in Part I introducing students to the art of telling an interesting story. Working in pairs or small groups, students should briefly discuss and take notes using this handout (PDF) about the elements and techniques of effective storytelling. The questions below can help start the discussion:

Think about stories your parents, family or friends have told you — or that you heard on the radio or somewhere else. What are the elements and techniques of great storytelling? How can stories we hear, but can’t see, be sometimes even more powerful than stories dramatized or documented on TV or in film?

Then they should listen to one or more of these short audio stories in their groups (and follow along with the transcript, if available). As they listen, students should continue taking notes on the same handout on what elements and techniques of storytelling are being used.

• “When the Civil War Ended, She Was My Age” from StoryCorps • “ The Coal Miner ” from The World According to Sound • “Seeking an End to Cycles of Abuse” from Radio Rookies

When you regroup as a class, ask students: What elements and techniques did you notice? Which ones do you think are the most essential to good storytelling? The class can compare its list with the elements of good storytelling included in this handout (PDF) and then add any elements or information the students think is missing.

Activity: Telling a Story

Next, as an in class activity or homework, ask students to look over the Learning Network’s list of over 1,000 prompts . (If this list feels too big, we have various shorter versions for personal writing and argument writing , along with a stream of our most recent prompts .) Have them circle or highlight topics that interest them and that they might want to talk about or explore further in a podcast. They can select as many topics as they want, but should aim for at least five.

For example, here are a few topics students might select:

• Do You Know About Your Family’s History? • What Was Your Most Precious Childhood Possession? • What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced? • Are You Distracted by Your Phone?

From their list, students should choose one question to tell a story about, as a way to practice storytelling. To prepare, they should first write down their ideas as a rough draft or outline.

Then, they should practice telling their story to a partner. As partners listen, they should keep track of which elements and techniques of effective storytelling are being used (perhaps using the same handout ), and provide feedback to one another after listening.

Have the class share how the storytelling activity went. Did students incorporate the elements and techniques of effective storytelling discussed in class? If there’s time, invite a few students to present their stories to the rest of the class.

Part II: Podcasts and Interviewing

Students should now be at least a little familiar with the elements that make for good podcasts and storytelling. What’s next? Analyzing and practicing effective interviewing techniques, another ingredient central to many podcasts.

Warm Up: One-Minute Interviews

From the list they already highlighted, ask students to choose a prompt they could pose as a podcast interview question. Tell students they are going to practice taking on the role of interviewer and interviewee, and they will have one minute to conduct an interview. Interviews should take up the entire minute, so if there is extra time, interviewers should be ready to ask follow-up questions.

Set the timer to one minute and have students interview a partner. When time is up, have partners switch roles for the next minute.

After both interviews are completed, discuss the activity as a class. How did the one-minute interviews go? Did the interviewee speak for the entire time? Did the interviewer ask any follow-up questions? What kinds of follow-up questions worked well? Students should take notes using this handout (PDF).

Mini-Lesson

As a class, watch this Radio Rookies video (above) about a particular type of interview — the vox pop, or on-the-street, interview. Students should continue adding notes on interview techniques. After the video, do a quick share.

Activity: Elements of an Interview

Vox pops are just one kind of interview. Often interviews are prepared, meaning the interviewee has time to think about the questions in advance (as opposed to the vox pop) and the interview includes multiple questions and takes place in a more formal, or at least quiet, setting.

In their small groups, students should listen to the three brief audio clips below and take notes on the same handout.

Invisibilia: Episode 1: Dark Thoughts (Segment: 0:00 - 2:40) The Daily: Fired Over an Instagram Post (Segment: 0:00 - 3:45) StoryCorps: Gregory Bess and April Gibson (Segment: 0:00 - 2:36)

For “The Daily” episode, students might notice that the interview questions are sometimes edited out — so the listener just hears the interviewee’s responses. Students might even guess what the missing questions were.

Then regroup as a class. What interviewing techniques did you hear? Which ones do you think are the most essential to good interviewing? Which techniques might be most helpful to you in making your podcasts? Make sure you discuss the difference between open-ended questions (which require more thought) and closed-ended questions (which elicit a simple one-word answer), and how the first kind makes for better interviews.

Mini-Lesson: Using a Smartphone to Record

Until now, we‘ve focused on the nontechnical aspects of podcasting, but to move forward we’ll need to make sure the class knows how to use recording devices. If you have fancy microphones or microcassette recorders, you can skip this next part. But if your students will be using their smartphones as personal recording devices, then make sure everyone is familiar with these basics:

• First, smartphones will need to have a sound recording app. On Android, students can download a free voice recording app like “RecForge II” or “ Audio Recorder .” For iPhones, in the extras folder, find the “Voice Memos” app. • Make sure students know where the microphone is on their phones. • Ask students to spread out and find a reasonably quiet space. • To begin recording, start by pressing the “Record” button or a red square. To finish, press the same button again. • Make sure to position the microphone about six inches away from the side of your subject’s mouth. • Check your audio, preferably with a pair of headphones. It should be free of background sound and loud enough to hear, but not so loud that it crackles. Record for 10 seconds and then play it back; adjust microphone position based on volume. • After you finish, make sure to enter a title for the recording and save it. • To get the file to your computer so you can edit it later on, use AirDrop, Bluetooth transfer, email or Google Drive upload.

Activity: Recording an Interview

Students are now ready to make their first recording. Working with their previous partners, students should record an interview, trying to get at least three minutes of recording. They can use the same questions they used during the one-minute interviews, or they can choose new questions from the prompt list. Remind them to use the best practices for interviewing and recording discussed earlier, including asking open-ended follow-up questions.

After they finish recording their interviews, they should make sure their sound files are good quality and saved.

As an alternative activity or homework assignment, students can conduct a series of vox pop interviews in an unstructured setting within the school, such as during recess, at lunchtime or in the hallways.

Debrief the interview activity with students. How did the interviews go? Did they create quality sound recordings? Did they learn any useful strategies before they begin making their podcasts?

Part III: Podcast Editing

Students can tell stories, they can interview and be interviewed, and they can record sound. Now it’s time to learn how to edit audio. By the end of this part of the mini-unit, students produce a practice one-minute podcast.

Ask students to listen to their recordings from the previous day using headphones. While they listen, they should write an outline of the recording, like this transcript from the Invisibilia podcast they already listened to. Since their outlines won’t be published, students don’t need to write down everything word for word and they can use plenty of ellipses or shorthand notes. These outlines will be helpful during the editing process. You may need to model for students how to make a very rough transcript or outline efficiently.

Students will use these sound recordings to practice using editing software.

Mini Lesson: Editing Software

Editing software is the tool that will help students turn their sound files into professional-sounding podcasts. With it, they can delete sections of audio, move audio segments around and stitch them together, and add additional sounds. They’ll need to practice using this software before moving forward with the podcast project. Depending on how many computers you have, students might work alone or in pairs.

Note: Classes using Apple computers can use GarageBand, a free audio editing software. Other examples of free online audio editing software that can be used on Windows or Google devices include Audacity , Soundtrap (free for 14 days, then premium) and Beautiful Audio Editor . For each of these applications, there are tutorial videos available online. We recommend teachers become familiar with how to use basic features before diving into the editing process with students.

Here are some of the basics of audio editing you should go over with students:

1. Students will need sound files to edit. They can upload them from their recording devices, they can upload audio files from online or they can use the editing software to record new sound files. 2. The “cut” or “split” tool enables students to splice one audio segment into two or more segments. 3. The “delete” tool enables students to get rid of any audio segments they don’t want. 4. The dragging and moving function allows students to reposition audio segments where they want them. Typically students will use the mouse as a cursor to drag and move content. 5. The timeline ruler or grid is the tool that measures the audio. Students use the timeline to assemble various audio segments into one project. 6. Tracks are layers of sound. Podcasts often have multiple tracks of audio playing simultaneously, such as music or sound effects played over spoken word. Students can align the various tracks using the timeline. 7. Volume can be adjusted in each audio segment. Students can also add effects, such as fade in or fade out. 8. “Save” and “Export” are important functions. Students must remember to save their work, and they will most likely want to export their project when they are done.

Activity: One-Minute Podcasts

The best way for students to get practice using these tools is for them to play with them in a low-stakes way — thus, we suggest the one-minute podcast assignment. Students should take their three-minute recorded interviews and turn them into one-minute audio stories. They may want to cut out the actual interview questions; they may splice out parts of answers or move around sections; they may add additional narration or sound effects.

We recommend this assignment as a timed activity — perhaps only one class period. Since it’s not the final project, the goal isn’t to produce a stellar podcast. Instead, it’s to make sure students become comfortable with the editing software.

Save time to debrief with students about using the editing software. How did it go? Where did they stumble? What did they learn? If there’s time, you can play a few of the one-minute podcasts for the class.

For homework, you can instruct students to look over the prompt list one more time to select their final podcast topic.

Part IV: Producing a Podcast

We’ve reached the final chapter of this mini-unit. Students are ready to come up with a topic, create a plan and produce their very own original podcasts.

Warm Up: Topic Brainstorm

If students already selected their podcast topics for homework, have them share during the Warm Up. If not, have them return to the prompt list to choose the one question they want to address in their podcast. If students will be working with partners, they should do this brainstorm as a team. If they don’t see a topic that interests them, they can come up with an original idea.

Mini-Lesson: Planning a Podcast

Just like writers do before starting an essay, podcast producers typically make an outline or plan before they start recording and editing. They brainstorm how they want to turn their topic into an audio story. What components will they need: spoken stories, interviews, narration?

Before students get started producing their own podcasts, model how to plan a podcast from an initial question. You can use the beginning of Episode 538 from “This American Life” (Segment 0:00 - 4:20) and its transcript . While the class listens together, reveal a rough outline of the components that make up this segment.

Narrator introduces a situation: A middle school student refuses to take off a hat in the classroom. Vox pop interview clips, interspersed with narration: Various teachers share how they might handle this situation. Music fades in ... Narrator introduces the larger topic of school discipline and the main question the podcast will address: Are school and teacher discipline policies working? Is there a better way? Music fades in ...

After listening, discuss: What is the question this episode focuses on? What components do the producers use during this segment? How can a rough outline like this one help them plan their podcasts?

Project Workshop Step 1: Planning a Podcast

Students should fill out their own podcast planning form (PDF), beginning with their focus question. The form also asks students to think about narration, storytelling and interviewing. On the second page, students design a rough outline.

Project Workshop Step 2: Gathering Audio Source Material

Once they have a plan, students need to go out and record their narration, stories and interviews. Some of this may take place during class time. Some of it may not.

They should also gather any additional sound files they will want to use. Be sure to remind students to use non-copyrighted sound effects or music, though there are some limited fair use exceptions when they can legally use copyrighted work (such as when they are critiquing a song or reporting on a film). Students can find royalty-free music and sound effects like those on Bensound and Freesound , or they can create their own beats or melodies using their audio editing software.

Project Workshop Step 3: Editing and Publishing

Once they have all their needed sound files, the last step is to use audio editing software to pull the pieces together into a final podcast, five minutes long or less. Please be forewarned: Editing can be a time-consuming process.

When the podcasts are ready, you can upload them to one of many hosting sites. SoundCloud offers free podcast hosting and so do Buzzsprout , Podomatic and Spreaker , with limitations. Here’s an example of how one teacher shares her students’ podcast projects with the world.

Podcast Celebration

After all this hard work, we hope students can celebrate what they’ve accomplished. Perhaps you want to have a podcast listening party, where you spend a class period listening to all the projects. You can even invite parents or guests. Or, if time is short, you can let groups of students listen to each other’s podcasts using headphones. Either way, you may want to give students a chance to offer feedback on one another’s work.

Additional Resources for Teachers

Resources Around the Web for Teaching Podcasting and Listening Skills

NPR | Starting Your Podcast: A Guide For Students

NPR | Teaching Podcasting: A Curriculum Guide for Educators

KQED’s Podcasting With Youth Radio

Radio Rookies

Tools for Podcasting

Learning Network Lesson Plans On Podcasting and Listening Skills

Experimenting With Sound and Story: Teaching and Learning With ‘The Daily’ Podcast

Active Listening: Using Times Videos, Podcasts and Articles to Practice a Key Skill

Laura Winnick teaches English at the Urban Assembly Maker Academy , a public high school in Manhattan, where she brings in podcast pedagogy as a creative, research-based summative assessment.

Justin Hicks attends New York University’s graduate school for journalism and produces freelance audio stories. Every Saturday, he produces a podcast with middle and high school students in Harlem where students report, edit and mix their very own audio stories.

A Simple Process and Template for Student Podcasting

Maybe you’ve heard the saying that whoever is talking is the person learning. Or, the teacher should do less talking in the classroom than the students. Both of those sayings have truth to them. With that in mind, let’s see if there are benefits to student-generated podcasts.

How Does Podcasting Benefit Students?

Through discussion, discourse, and debate, students can gain a deeper understanding of content and language and grammar skills. Research indicates that students who create podcasts show improved language, speaking, and grammar knowledge. They are also more confident in using academic vocabulary in context. The podcast creation process incorporates high student engagement, which increases the likelihood that it may also positively impact student achievement. And using student-generated podcasts can be a strategy for learning in early elementary up through college. Be sure to check out this Research for Student-Created Podcasts Wakelet collection for specific and deeper study.

A Simple Podcasting Process

That all may sound good. But many teachers feel that having students create podcasts will have a high learning curve; it could end up more like herding cats. No worries! We’ve got you taken care of with a template for you to use and a drop-dead simple process. Let’s take all the technical mumbo jumbo out of it! To make it easy to go through, we’ll share the who, what, when, where, and how you and your students can take learning to the next level with podcasting.

Step 1: Establish Criteria and Define Roles

Remember the KISS – Keep It Super Simple (or something like that). Keep the process as simple as possible– at least initially. As the students become more comfortable and skilled, then you can add more expectations. Fortunately, or unfortunately, there is no “one right process” to go by for a great podcast. I recommend checking out the following rubrics for ideas on defining the roles and teamwork necessary for each group. Having the rubrics will also help your students self assess (and peer assess) between group meeting times with you. A few rubrics to check out for ideas include:

• University of Wisconsin – Stout Podcast Rubric – A very robust rubric. You may need to scale it back initially, but this rubric highlights important parts of the process.
• University of Missouri Podcast Rubric – This is a slightly older rubric; however, you will find that many of the sections are still very relevant and usable.
• ReadWriteThink Podcast Rubric – This rubric is most relevant for a high school English or science class as it refers to a podcast addressing a thesis argument.
• Pacific Lutheran University Podcast Rubric – This one is nice in that it fits on one page, but addresses pretty much everything. Depending on the age of your students, you may want to tweak some of the wording.
• University of Northern Iowa Podcast Rubric – Though unclear as to the author, this rubric does an excellent job of identifying the different details and criteria for creating a podcast. Consider using this one when identifying roles and steps in the process. Older students will do well with this, but it’s too complicated for younger learners.
• Kathy Schrock’s Podcast Rubrics – Kathy has compiled six different rubrics for you to consider. Click on the link given and then scroll to the Multimedia and Apps Rubrics section. ​

Step 2: Explore and Choose Tools for Podcasting

If your students have cell phones, then they all can record audio. But they may need to check to see that their apps can save and share the files in an MP3 format. Or you may be using school-issued devices such as Chromebooks or iPads. Below are a few of the tools and apps you might consider during your planning and producing stages.

• Voice Recorder – https://online-voice-recorder.com
• Audio Joiner – https://audio-joiner.com
• GarageBand – for Mac and PC
• Audacity – https://www.audacityteam.org
• Anchor app – for iOS and Android
• Pixabay – Free Music – https://pixabay.com/music
• Pixabay Special Effect Sounds – https://pixabay.com/sound-effects
• Free Music Archive – https://freemusicarchive.org
• Free Sound – https://freesound.org

Step 3: Determine the Pacing and Process

Having students create podcasts is a great learning strategy, but it is best implemented once you understand your students and how they work. Decide on how many class sessions they will have to produce the podcast. You will also need to determine if the students are to work on the podcast outside of class or if they will record during class time. Initially, review the rubric that you will be using with your students, go over the process for recording, and outline the pacing of the project.

TIP: Podcast Recording Environment

It might be that students can only work on the podcast while in your class. If this is the case, it might be necessary to allow students to step out into the halls to record or to visit the library to record briefly. You may have the benefit of being in a larger room so that groups can spread out. If your school encourages “bring your own device” (BYOD), students may find that they can easily record on their phones outside of class and use class time to piece it together and post it.

Unless you are trying to compete in a student podcast competition (such as the Annual New York Times Student Podcast Competition or NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge ), realize that perfection may be nice, but is not realistic. It’s okay if there is background noise, as long as the student speakers can still be heard. Make the learning fun. Be creative with where students can record and with your expectations of what is acceptable.

Step 4: Practice Podcasting as a Class

While some tasks work well for individuals, podcasting is definitely not one of them. With project-based learning, students are more successful when they have clearly defined roles, working together to accomplish the task.

You may want to initially have just one large group, the whole class, as you create the first podcast or two. This will allow everyone to get familiar with the process and expectations. It will also allow students to explore the different roles, how they interact, and understand how each role is critical for the project’s success. Yes, initially, it will be teacher-assigned, but you are working towards having students take ownership of the grouping and even the roles over time.

Step 5: Group Students for the Podcasting Project

Once the process is understood, at least in theory, break students into groups, assign roles, and, initially have them all work on the same podcast. Consider grouping students as you would for other assignments in which each group has a good mix of academic levels. There should be the same roles within groups, and it will be important to scaffold the grouping process over time.

Steps 6 and 7: Assign Podcast Topics and Start Recording

Initially, you may consider having students work on the same topic as they learn the process. Yes, that means that if you have six groups, you will have six podcasts on the same information. Each group may address it in their way, but they will all be using the same information. For example, they may podcast about chapter three of their textbook or chapter five of the class novel. Having the students listen to the other groups’ final projections will spark some ideas on how they can enhance their next podcast.

Once student groups have a podcast or two under their belt, start varying the topic or perhaps have student groups each record an episode related to a subtopic of a broader topic. This allows students to become experts on sections of information. These podcasts can end up replacing your lecture or enhancing it, giving students ownership in their learning. Though each group will be creating a podcast for a particular portion of the content, they are all accountable for all the information. This means they should both understand it and be able to apply it in different situations. (This is similar to the Jigsaw approach in teaching.)

Step 8: Check in Regularly

Just like you attend regularly-scheduled staff and faculty meetings, it will be helpful to schedule regular, though short, meetings with each group. This will give students the opportunity to report on their progress, challenges, solutions, and next steps in their process. As such, you will be mentoring them on how to manage themselves and other group members. The goal is for students to be successful and accountable for their learning. As you have students add to the podcasts, you can begin using them as a review for quizzes and exams. This will hold students accountable to make sure they have all the needed information in their episode(s).

Step 9: Publish the Podcasts with a Template

For simplicity’s sake, here is a Google Slide template to use for publishing your podcasts. Google Slides isn’t considered the typical method of publishing/hosting podcasts. But it does offer a bit more security over who has access to the podcasts. Once a student group has completed their podcast, have them upload it as an MP3 file into their Google Drive and share it. They should then copy the link to the file and add it to the appropriate slide in the template along with the title, episode number (if used), description, and show notes.

TIP: Publishing the Google Slide Deck

If the podcast’s content is intended for a real audience outside the classroom, consider publishing the slide deck. This will make it much easier for everyone to access it in presentation mode and listen. To publish the slide deck, click on FILE –> Publish To The Web. Leave the defaults so that the slide deck does NOT advance on its own; this will allow your listeners to click on the appropriate links to go to the intended slides. View the published template here so you can see how a published podcast slide deck appears. If your podcasts are only to be accessed from within your school’s domain, be sure to click on the Published Content and Settings link and then tick the box for your school’s domain.

Step 10: Review and Revise the Process

After your podcasting project, take time to review and reflect with your students. Assess the number of class sessions used for the project. Was it enough time, too much, too little? What about the tools used? Did they work well? How could the process be improved moving forward?

Pass the Mic

So, I’m now passing the mic to you. How will you do podcasting in your classroom? What are some ideas you have for implementing student-generated podcasts? If you’ve already had students create podcasts, what is one tip you would share with others who are thinking about doing the same? Leave your comment below so you can be heard loud and clear! You can also take a look at other posts on podcasting here .

Dr. Bruce Ellis

Bruce specializes in leadership development and working with districts to tailor onsite professional development workshops. Bruce earned his Ed.D. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Supervision in Secondary and Higher Education and his M.S. in Learning Technology/Information Systems at Texas A&M University-Commerce. He earned his B.S. in Elementary Education at Dallas Baptist University.

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The link to the published slide deck template won’t open. Could you please provide me with a link so I can view what you have created, please?

Click on the link in the Step 9 paragraph. That will take you directly to the Google Slide deck that I used. Also, the published link is now working so you can see it in “published mode.”

Hello, I would like to translate your Simple Podcasting Process Infographic in French for educational purposes. I work for public school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I thought I had sent you an email in November but can’t find your positive response. Thanks, Annie Dumay

Thanks for asking, Annie. Yep, feel free to translate and share with a link back here for the original. Enjoy!

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Assignment Packages

• Video Projects

Podcast Projects

• Graphic Design Projects
• TimelineJS Assignment Package
• Source Evaluation Assignment Package

The following package of materials provides everything you need to get started designing your own podcast project and implement into your class. There is a mix of resources addressed to instructors, as well as links to student-facing resources, that are also linked on other pages of this guide. To discuss customizing these materials for your own assignment, contact Amanda McCollom ( [email protected] ).

For Instructors

Canvas module.

Go to Canvas Commons and search “Library Resources for Multimedia Projects”; download and import into your Canvas course. This module contains separate pages for video projects, podcast projects, and graphic design projects. If your project is only audio-based, you can un-publish the other two pages. If your students can choose what they create, leave all pages published. Feel free to rename the module and customize content as needed.

• Instructor's Guide for Podcast Assignments Tips for instructors to build a podcast assignment into their course; includes learning objectives, information about tools, and a sample timeline for the assignment.
• E110 Podcast Assignment and Rubric E110 Podcast assignment designed by Nici Bragg, Postdoctoral Researcher in Writing Pedagogy.
• Science Communication Teaching Resources Includes suggestions of science podcast for students to review.
• Audio and Podcast Rubric Detailed sample rubric for podcast projects from Georgetown University

For Students

• Podcasting Tips and Examples
• Podcast Planning Worksheet [Google Doc] You will be required to make a copy of the google doc.
• Audacity video tutorial This 20 minute tutorial replicates a typical Audacity class taught in the Student Multimedia Design Center.
• Audacity (2.1.1)
• Garageband (10.2.0)
• << Previous: Video Projects
• Next: Graphic Design Projects >>
• Last Updated: Aug 3, 2023 2:12 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.udel.edu/assignmentpackages

Going Digital | Creating a Podcast Assignment

• Designing the Assignment
• Digital Intensive SLOs
• Additional Resources

The Basics #

What is a podcast assignment .

A podcast is a produced audio recording of a monologue, interview, or conversation focused on a specific topic.

Why might you want to create a podcast assignment?

• An option for creating AI-resistant assignments
• If replacing presentations, frees up class time for other things 
• Gives students options to demonstrate proficiency (UDL) 
• Help with classroom engagement & anxiety reduction​
• Gives students experience with digital tools 
• Step towards designating a class DI 

What kind of assignments can this replace? 

• Essays 
• Research Projects 
• Journals 
• In-Class Presentations 
• Group Projects

Designing the Assignment #

1. decide on goals and scale .

If you are creating a podcasting assignment, you likely are hoping the students will develop some technical proficiency. But perhaps your main goal is to give students an alternative method to demonstrate understanding of the course content. Both are valid goals, and being clear about how much priority you assign to each one will help in designing the assignment (and ultimately your grading criteria).

If you are creating this assignment to be a final project or other large assignment, you may want to break it down into smaller parts with due dates for each (much like a research paper). Some possible steps are:

• Topic selection 
• Source selection 
• Draft script/outline/interview questions 
• Final podcast

Smaller projects, such as weekly mini-podcasts replacing a journaling assignment, may need fewer steps and shorter timelines, but don’t expect high production quality! Recording and editing a podcast takes time.

2. Recommend resources

Some students may already have tools they prefer, while others will have no prior experience with these tools. Unless you have a specific reason, there’s not need to require use of a certain tool for recording or editing, but it’s a good idea to offer your students some options. Below are a few we suggest.

Recording Tools

No amount of post-production editing can beat recording high-quality audio from the start! Often a computer microphone or standard earbuds will do just fine, but encourage your students to make a test recording using the equipment they intend to use. This way they can identify whether their current equipment will be sufficient for the project before making a long recording that they have to throw out for poor quality.

If students need or want higher-quality equipment, they can use the following resources:

HCC Info Desk Equipment Checkout

The HCC offers microphones and audio recorders for free checkout at the Info Desk on the second floor.

Podcast Studio & Vocal Booth

The HCC has spaces designed for audio recording and editing. The Vocal Booth on the 1st floor is open 24 hours and has a microphone suitable for recording a single subject. The Podcasting Studio on the 4th floor is open during DKC open hours and includes four microphones for larger interviews or group panels.

Editing Tools

SoundTrap is a free browser-based digital audio workstation (DAW) designed for editing podcasts and music. Users can trim, splice, rearrange, and reduce background noise on audio clips.

• Browser-based 
• User-friendly 
• Can create transcript

Audacity is a free downloadable digital audio workstation (DAW) designed for editing podcasts and music.

• Open-source 
• Less user-friendly but more advance features 
• Cannot generate transcript 

3. Offer support

Make sure your students are aware that they have many options for support for digital assignments (they don’t have to always come to you!).

DKC Class Visits

Consider having the Digital Knowledge Center visit your class to introduce tools and best practices for your assignment. This can go a long way in helping your students get off on the right foot. Visits can be tailored to the needs of your class.

DKC Appointments

If students run into issues, they can book appointments with a Digital Knowledge Center consultant to help get them unstuck.

DKC Online Guides

The Digital Knowledge Center maintains online guides on many tools for digital projects, including “Getting Started” best practices for audio, video, graphic design, and website-building projects.

4. Consider Accessibility 

It is important to consider accessibility in any digital project. In the case of audio projects, there are a few easy ways to improve accessibility.

Provide a transcript

Requiring students to provide a transcript of the spoken words in their podcast improves accessibility and can help you in reviewing and grading projects.

If students create auto-generated transcripts (using Soundtrap for example), it is a good idea to ask them to clean up any errors the software has made before submitting.

Minimize background noise

Recording in a quiet environment and avoiding background music improves accessibility and increases the likelihood of accurate automatic transcript generation.

5. Determine Grading Criteria

Many of the grading criteria you might use for a “traditional” project still hold true for a podcasting assignment. One major difference is that podcasts tend to be less formal and more conversational in their language. You can ask for more formal language for your assignment, but be aware that you may be pushing against the podcasting culture that your students may be familiar with.

As with any assignment, a rubric is a great way to define the grading criteria for yourself and your students. Decide what are the most important learning objectives for your assignment, and assign points accordingly in your rubric.

For example, if technical proficiency with podcasting technology is a major part of your objectives, include these as major elements and award more points for successfully accomplishing those objectives. Alternatively, if demonstrating understanding of the material is the main goal, award more points for successfully communicating the content and fewer points for the technical elements.

Below are some guiding questions and a sample rubric for an assignment focusing on content more than technical proficiency.

Content Issues (Major)

• Does the student address the prompt and fulfill the assignment effectively? 
• Does the student think creatively? 
• Does the student clearly state their argument, or thesis? 
• Is the thesis developed over the course of the assignment?
• Does the student provide evidence? 
• Are sources high-quality and support the thesis? 
• Does the podcast show evidence of organization and revision, or does it seem like a first draft/stream of conscience recording? 

Technical Issues (Minor) 

• Can you hear the speaker clearly and distinctly?
• Does the podcast transition cleanly between cuts?
• Are there extraneous background sounds (mouse clicks, paper shuffling, etc.) that could have been edited out?

Example Rubric 

• Thesis and argument: _/40 
• Organization: _/30 
• Introduction and conclusion: _/10
• Technical issues and accessibility: _/10 
• Sources and citations: _/10 

6. Determine Submission Method

There is no “wrong” way to receive assignment submissions, so choose the one that works best for your learning objectives. Below are a few options.

Canvas Assignment

Canvas is a great submission option if you just want to receive the files directly. You can set the assignment submission type to “File Upload,” and students can upload their audio file and supporting documentation all at once.

Alternatively, if you are interested in having your students think about their work as having life outside of your class, embedding podcasts in a blog post is a great option. This gives students the experience of creating a unified page for the podcast and its supporting materials, similar to many professional podcasts.

Example Professional Podcast Episode Post: 99 Percent Invisible

Example Student Podcast Post

Digital Intensive SLOs #

Each Digital Intensive proposal is considered by the DI committee on a case-by-case basis, so there is no “guaranteed” method to acquire the designation. But below are few examples that may help a podcasting assignment address the DI Student Learning Objectives.

• Require students to share sources for the claims made in their podcasts
• Use the SIFT Method or other criteria to evaluate source credibility
• Converting a written assignment to a podcasting assignment goes a long to addressing this SLO
• Require a transcript alongside the podcast submission to support accessibility
• Instead of requiring a specific tool to create their podcast, ask students to evaluate several and select the one that best fits their needs
• Instead of submitting an audio file in Canvas, ask students to evaluate different sharing platforms (Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, etc.) and decide for themselves which one to use

These are just a few options – there are countless ways to accomplish the DI objectives. And remember that a single assignment does not need to address every SLO! A podcasting assignment could address some, while other assignments could address others.

Additional Resources #

Liberated learners – podcasting.

A great resource to share with your students! This walks through the podcasting process from start to finish.

DKC Audio Editing Guides

The Digital Knowledge Center maintains getting-started guides, tool recommendations, and repositories of free media resources for various digital project types.

How can we help?

• Faculty & Staff

Podcasting as Instruction

Incorporating podcasting assignments and projects into the classroom provides students another way to connect and engage with the curriculum. It encourages another means of representation and expression and leans into the idea that coursework need not be confined to a restrictive Canvas quiz or assignment format.

To be clear, podcasting is not revolutionary. While the medium may be relatively new, at the heart of every podcast is a story. And storytelling in education is as old as time itself.

What to do first?

We try to approach podcast integration through the lens of backwards design . Ultimately, you start with the end in mind by identifying what students should know and be able to do by the end of your course. Then, you must ponder whether podcasting meets those needs and if a podcast is an appropriate delivery mechanism to meet your instructional goals.

Assessment is one part of this process so think about how you will measure the learning as a result of podcast development. We urge you to consider assessing reflective practices related to the production rather than the quality of production itself. Once your assessment is determined, begin planning lessons that contribute to success of that assessment. Remember, the podcast is not the assessment.

Here is a generalized set of plans that seem to work for our instruction. As a reminder, we typically host four two-hour sessions in our podcasting curriculum. This can be condensed or expanded based on your timeline and assignment needs:

• Start with an introduction activity . It gets students started right away with editing, recording, storytelling, scripting and self-reflection. 
• Develop a plan. Backwards design doesn’t just apply to the curriculum. Ask students to develop a plan – what they envision their podcast will look like, how an audience might respond and who that audience might be. This activity helps students to set project goals and begins to frame how an audience might engage with the content being produced. Plans also help to identify specific stories that could or should be told, as well as how students might go about telling those stories (with their own voice, through someone else’s voice, with a group of voices, etc.). 
• Receive feedback from peers and instructors. It’s important to incorporate feedback into the process as a way to challenge students to critically evaluate the work. There will likely be strategies and practices that students have used that will be revelatory to some and ignite “ah-ha!” moments during the project.
• Iterate . With so many different facets of production – recording, editing, music, transcripts, reflection – there will inevitably be little tweaks here and there that can be made in the final podcast. Lean into this iterative process and challenge students to improve and grow with each production check-in.
• Celebrate. We always devote a good amount of time to celebrate the work being produced in any given cohort. Producing a podcast, even if it’s for a grade, is hard work . We should be proud of that work and have opportunities to celebrate in the success and triumph for ourselves and for our peers. 

How to integrate podcasting into the curriculum?

There are a few things you can do right now to integrate podcasting into your curriculum. In fact, you’re doing one of them right now: develop your own podcast segment or episode . Even completing the initial podcast introduction activity will give you a good idea of the work required to complete a larger production.

Another thing you should consider is how big this podcast assignment will be and how you might scaffold the production with weekly topics and themes. Will you focus on a one-shot activity in class where participants will be introduced to podcasting and given an option to choose it as one delivery mechanism? Or will the assignment span multi-weeks, incorporate collaborative production and development, and require more complex component parts like research and/or interviews? It’s up to you to decide how you might wish to integrate the activity into the course.

In an effort to incorporate universal design into your curriculum, we urge you to consider how podcasting content is consumed by many listeners. 

• Are the podcasts a standalone activity or are they incorporated into larger conversations around writing for the web and engaging listeners with a call to action? You might want to consider pairing the podcast with a writing activity where students create their own blog posts, webpages, or portfolios.
• Will students involve community voices? Consider tasking students with reaching out to community organizers for interviews. The same also applies to local industry leaders and mentors in the field.
• How might someone interact with the podcast if they are deaf or hard of hearing? Make sure to highlight accessible practices such as generating transcripts and making them available online.
• How is metadata being used in the assignment? What implications for citation, attribution, preservation, scholarly impact or utility might be incorporated into classroom discussion?

As one example of podcasting instruction, take a look at the instructional arc that former podcast workshop participant and IWP instructor Julian Barr develop for a Geography 272 class. Podcasts developed in this class are also available online .

Where to go for support?

The UW Libraries is happy to help support you in your teaching endeavors. We are able to provide you support by consulting with you directly on these instructional efforts, providing short instructional sessions like the ones you are experiencing in this podcasting track, and more. 

UW-IT provide many learning opportunities such as synchronous online workshops and online curriculums for tools such as Audacity and audio editing. 

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Appendix C: Podcast Assignments & Examples

Assignment #1: Ethics Discussion

Prepare for a class discussion on the following issues:

• Are there “good” uses of AI in podcasting, if so, what are they?
• Do you think there are downsides to using in AI in podcasting, and if so, why?
• Since AI is built from existing data bases, do you have concerns over discrimination abuses against individuals or groups?
• Should the listener be advised that AI was used in research, preparing guest bios, doing ads, or any other aspect of producing the podcast?

This exercise could also be used for Discussion Boards, Blog Posts, Podcasts, or written papers.

Assignment #2: Podcast Listening & Deconstruct

The goal of this assignment is to familiarize students with podcast variety and production techniques.

Students should take notes and listen critically, since this is not casual listening for entertainment but to study, think about, and probe HOW a podcast is produced (meaning how it is put together). Make your analysis clear enough that it would inform someone who has not listened to the show.

See Ch. 6 on how to do a podcast deconstruction – if you study how creators put together various podcasts it will help you shape your own because you will have knowledge about a variety of creative storytelling techniques.

Select an interview, conversational, or nonfiction narrative podcast (one example in this genre is This American Life ) and listen to at least the first 20 minutes. (Do NOT include fiction podcasts, unless directed by your instructor) because they are far more complex and expensive to create.

Include a live link to the podcast episode and answer the following questions:

• Identify the podcast name and description ; explain why they do or do not match the show content you heard; describe why the podcast music and artwork (include a link to the artwork) seems appropriate and compelling or not to the topic;
• Discuss whether the content of the show is interesting or compelling by identifying what makes it so with specific examples;
• Identify the show format – how the show is constructed? Is it a single host, co-host, or roundtable? Is it an interview, talk, or nonfiction narrative-where the story is told by the host and in edited audio clips of interviews; identify the genre (crime, investigative, sports, politics, pop culture, self-help, educational, a mix?);
• How well is the technical portion of the podcast done? Think about audio quality of the podcast and about the speaking clarity and energy by hosts and guests;
• Identify one thing that you DO & one thing that you DO NOT want to imitate; if anything.

ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT : The goal of this assignment is to familiarize students with the multitude of podcast topics available by actively listening to podcasts and critically analyzing the differences among podcasts in content, style, and production.

• Go to a podcast directory and select  two podcasts on different subjects  to listen to for at least 15 minutes.
• Go to a podcast directory and select  two podcasts on the same subject  (hopefully on a topic you expect to cover on your podcast) and listen for at least 15 minutes.
•  Write a 4-5 page critical analysis based on the following criteria:
•  Describe/critique the podcast name, description, music, and artwork;
•  How interesting or compelling is the content? Think in terms of quality, style, format, and genre;
•  How well is the technical portion of the podcast done? Think about audio quality and speaking;
•  Identify one thing from each of the four podcasts that you DO or DO NOT want to imitate.

#3: Podcast Pitch & Post

This assignment has two goals. The first is for students to make a  written pitch  for a podcast show they would like to do, with the information posted on the course Discussion Board.

The second part is to  evaluate the pitch of a classmate  with constructive criticism posted on the Discussion Board.

• Podcast Pitch : Propose a name for your podcast; describe your podcast in 10 words or less;
• Post : Review the podcast pitch of two other students and make useful comments; they may be critical, but your goal is to be helpful.

Assignment #4: Produce & Edit Podcast Open

The goal of this assignment is to create your podcast open. Use music and voiceover narration to introduce your show, edit the audio and upload them to your own free SoundCloud account. There is an audio example at the end of this exercise.

• Find and select music for your podcast open using  royalty-free tracks  or  original music,  see Ch. 11
• You will submit a  written sheet  that tells exactly where you got your music and that you have followed all copyright rules. i.e., if credit to the musician is required then signal that you intend to do that in oral credits at the end of the podcast and on your show website.
• This show open is the standard podcast open used each week, not the individual opening. It should include the  show name ,  your name  and a brief description of  what the podcast is about . You can voice the intro or have someone else do that. An example is included below.
• Lay down the  music track  on one channel and put the  voice track  on a second channel
• Edit the tracks  so you start with music at full strength, then lower the sound when the voice track comes in with the podcast show title and host. Once you have finished speaking, have the music come back up to full strength and then fade out within a few seconds.
• Export as an  MP3  audio file and send to your instructor.

{Audio Example}

Assignment #5: create & edit a sound story.

The goal of this assignment is to understand how audio storytelling differs from written text. When using sound to tell a story, the listener must be able immediately to identify the sounds being heard. The power of sound in audio storytelling crosses all languages. There is an audio example at the end of this exercise.

• Create a  short fictional audio story  of 50-to-90 seconds that uses sound effects, sounds you record, and uses only one to five words of narration.
• Edit  into an MP3 audio file, upload it to your SoundCloud account and send me the link.

In the example below, the story is that of a person walking to their car, getting in and starting the car, pulling into the street, fiddling with the radio, sighing, texting while driving, then screaming as she gets into a car accident and ends up in the hospital.

https://pressbooks.pub/app/uploads/sites/3202/2022/06/Assignment-3-Sound-Story-1.mp3

Assignment #6: Descriptive Writing & Recording

The goal of this assignment is descriptive writing – which is what audio storytelling is all about. Write to make a scene come alive in the mind of the listener so they can imagine what’s happening from the rich detail you provide.

You will pick a historic photo and use descriptive language but without using words that explicitly tell what is in the photograph. There is an audio example at the end of this exercise.

• Select a photo  from  http://100photos.time.com/
• Research  the photo and  write  about it without telling the audience what the photo depicts. Use descriptive language with adverbs and adjectives that are strong and colorful.
• Record  what you have written, using vocal energy and clear articulation.
• Edit  into an MP3 audio file, upload it to your SoundCloud account and send your instructor the link.

https://pressbooks.pub/app/uploads/sites/3202/2022/06/Assignment-4-Descriptive-Writing-1.mp3

Assignment #7: Deconstructing Audio Stories

The goal of this assignment is to research and analyze how audio in podcasts is used in storytelling. By carefully listening to every use of audio and looking at a story transcript (or creating a transcript yourself), you will dissect how the story was put together. Write your analysis and submit to your instructor.

Analyze NPR podcasts  that use audio beyond just interviews in their storytelling. That may include natural sound from events such as a protest rally, historical archival audio, actor dialogue, news clips, music, person-on-the-street comments, an author reading sections of their book and such.

• Listen to the  NPR podcast , “ Thoroughline ,” in an episode called “The Long Hot Summer,” from July 20, 2020.The podcast recalls the 1960s racial unrest in the context of the racial injustice protests of 2020. You can download the audio file, the transcript is  here .
• Listen to the  NPR podcast , “ Radiolab ” in an episode called “Dispatches from 1918,” broadcast July 17, 2020. You can download the audio file; I did not see a transcript.
• Identify how the story begins : Is it narration? Sound?
• What are the audio sources used and how long are they?  Is it an interview; natural sound from a public event like a protest rally; archival audio from newsreels or current news shows; music; sound effect?
• What do you notice about the writing?  Are descriptions used of what a person or event looks like; is the writing style giving straightforward information or is the style building suspense?
• What observations can you make about story structure?  Does narration last long before you hear audio or is there limited narration; are the audio clips long or short?
• How does the story end?

Assignment #8: Create & Edit a Mini-Podcast

The goal of this assignment is to create a mini-podcast, using previous assignments and putting them together with some new elements.

You will add three new elements – a narration, a bumper, and the show ending. The bumper reminds the audience of the program they are listening to and can be used to break up a long interview or to cover an edit. There is an audio example at the end of this exercise.

• This podcast pilot show begins with your  podcast open , then adds the  audio sound story;
• Make a  voice recording  of your  descriptive writing-photo story , then add that to the audio file;
• Create a  bumper  for the podcast by writing a short reminder of what the audience is listening to, for example: “You are listening to “Home Gardening Newbies’ – the show to help you develop a green thumb,” and then add that to the audio file. You could also use the name of the host.
• End your show by  thanking the audience  for listening and giving them a  call-to-action  – how to find your podcast or website. You could also tell them what the topic will be for your next episode if you know that. But every story needs an ending.

Once all of the various audio clips are edited into an  MP3  audio file, upload it to your SoundCloud account, and send your instructor the link.

https://pressbooks.pub/app/uploads/sites/3202/2022/06/Assignment-5-The-Final-Mixdown-1.mp3

Assignment #9: Create an Original Podcast

The goal of this assignment is creation, writing, hosting, producing and editing your original podcast episode.

• Create an 8-10 minute podcast using at least one guest interview. Required elements include a show open with music, interview(s), bumper and show end.

Assignment #10: Create a Podcast Trailer

The goal of this assignment is to create an audio trailer to promote your podcast on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

• Create a :30-:50  trailer  of your podcast that showcases the best of what you have to offer.
• Free tools to create  audiograms  are outlined in  Ch. 8 , using the Headliner app. A  video tutorial  shows the process of how to do this.
• Examples  of audio (and video) trailers are included in  Ch. 9 .Assignment #10: Create a Podcast Website/Blog

Assignment #11: Create a Podcast Website

The goal of this assignment is to create a website for your podcast.

• Create a  blog  or  website  for your podcast using WordPress or another blog tool.
• Embed  the podcast audio.
• Include a host  bio ;  photo ;  contact  information;  name  &  description  of the podcast; use of the podcast artwork.
• Include a show  transcript ,  show notes ,  links  to additional resources.

Tools for Podcasting Copyright © by Jill Olmsted is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Swarthmore College – ITS Blog

Creating a Podcast Assignment

Creating podcast assignments can be an alternative way for students to gain skills in writing, communication, collaboration, and creativity. The podcasting format allows students to gain effective communication skills while exploring the additional use of technology. Podcasts are often stand-alone projects or paired with other assignments such as essays, research papers, and short stories. If you’re thinking about creating a podcasting assignment for your course below are some quick tips for your students.

Start With an Outline

Similar to the fundamentals of a paper, a podcast should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. For every subject, students should think about mapping out an outline that includes the following:

• Introduction of themselves and the topic
• Points they want to discuss about the topic
• Main takeaways or conclusion

Recording Equipment

Your students may need various recording equipment that may or may not include:

• Microphones
• Recording device

Luckily, our Media Services department has a vast array of recording equipment to checkout for short-term loan. If you’re not sure what type of equipment you or your students may need we’ll be happy to help choose what is best for you.

Editing Software

There are several free audio editing software programs available to students. Some of which are also available on Beardsley Media Center computers. Two very popular editors are listed below.

We are happy to provide help on how to use these programs. In addition, online tutorials on how to use these programs can be found by going to Swarthmore’s LinkedIn Learning portal.

• Audacity Tutorial
• GarageBand Tutorial

Music and Sound Effects

Adding music and sound effects can highlight a student’s creativity. It can help with setting the mood or tone for their podcast as well. YouTube has a royalty-free music and sound effects library available for content creators. Take a look at the link below to learn more and browse their catalog.

• YouTube Audio Library

There’s no need to pay for hosting services when it comes to a classroom assignment. There are a few free options available.

One option is to have students upload their podcasts to a specific Google Drive Folder you’ve created as a dropbox of sorts. You could then post the link to the Google Drive folder into your Moodle page using the URL resource  so that students could find it easily.

SoundCloud is another option. It is a free audio hosting service very similar to YouTube but strictly for audio. It allows you to set different preferences such as whether you want your audio to be private or public or only shared with specific people.

A third option is actually within Moodle through the Campus Pack Podcasting activity. The Campus Pack Podcast activity allows you to create a series of audio or video files that are linked directly to your course. To learn more about how to use the Podcast activity in Moodle take a look at the link below.

• Add a Campus Pack Podcast to Moodle

If you want to learn more about podcasts please feel free to reach out to the Academic Technology Team at [email protected] . We’d be happy to discuss more!

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Getting Started with Student Podcast Assignments

Podcasts are a series of audio only programs.  Most are released on a regular basis – every day, every week or a couple of times each month – and can deal with most any topic imaginable.    Podcasting has been around the Internet for some years, but has recently gained new interest with the popularity of Serial and other new podcast series , as well as easier access to mobile technologies that let you download and listen to podcasts “on the go”.

Faculty have used podcasts to let students explore writing and creating multimedia.   Students might do original research, conduct interviews, and then prepare a script, record and edit a short ten minute program.   Podcasts work well in classes where students are progressing through original research or exploring a topic through a semester, using a podcast episode every few weeks to distill and analyze what they are learning.

Podcasting can be done in Duke classes using commonly available tools – student laptops or mobile devices, free audio software, and Duke’s multimedia streaming platform, Warpwire .

Preparing Students for the Assignment

Students will need to be able to record and edit the podcast on either their computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.   Typically, the free software package Audacity , supported here at Duke, is used for recording and editing.

Students can use OIT’s Multimedia Project Studio for recording and editing.  OIT also offers training and self-paced options through LinkedIn Learning .

Students will need to fill out a release form for public distribution of their work.  In addition, students will need to get others not involved in the class that are recorded to sign a permission and release form for recording and webcasting.  (Sample forms are located in Duke’s Scholarly Communications Toolkit .)

Setting Up and Using Your Podcast

After your students have created podcast episodes as mp3 (audio) files, you can use Warpwire to offer the episodes to listeners.  Create a new Warpwire Media Library for the podcast.  Then make sure that the Library is publicly accessible in the Sharing settings . You can then upload episodes to the Media Library.  To promote the podcast, obtain a URL for the RSS feed of the Media Library – listeners or viewers can enter this URL in their podcast aggregator.

Tell Us About Your Experience

If you’re creating podcasts in your course at Duke, let us know – we would love to feature your site on the CIT blog and would welcome guest faculty bloggers to describe their experiences with podcasts and other types of class assignments.

If you would like a consultation about creating student assignments around podcasts or would like advice on other aspects of teaching at Duke, email the CIT to set up a time to talk with a consultant .

• Podcasts to Inspire Your Classroom Practice (GradHacker blog at Inside Higher Ed)
• Student Thoughts About Podcasting Assignments (Evan Cordulack at the College of William and Mary)
• Podcasts as an Assessment Tool (Christopher M. Buddle, Arthropod Ecology blog at McGill University)
• Sample Rubric for Assessing Student Podcasts (A+ Rubric, University of Wisconsin-Stout)

Basic Podcasting Assignment

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Podcast Assignment for the Social Work Classroom

Posted By Laurel Hitchcock on Jan 15, 2020 | 0 comments

Editor’s Note: This blog post shares information about a podcast assignment developed and implemented in multiple social work classrooms over the past year.  This assignment is a collaboration between myself and Melanie Sage , Todd Sage & Michael Lynch of the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work .  We share a copy of the assignment and rubric along with information about why social work educators might want to try this assignment in their own classroom.

Podcasts are now a well-known part of social work education.  With so many different types of social work podcasts, it is easy for an educator to assign a podcast instead of an article, asking students to listen instead of reading.  Examples of podcasts designed specifically for social work include:

• The Social Work Podcast by Dr. Jonathan Singer
• inSocial Work Podcast Series by the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work

For a more comprehensive list of podcasts, check out this blog post written by one of us (Melanie):

• List of Podcasts for Social Work

Briefly, a podcast is an audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a portable media player, computer, or other device.  Podcasts are easy to create and do not require many technical skills which making the technology a good fit for student assignment and for faculty who do not have a lot of technology experience.  One of us (Laurel) has been using and writing about podcast assignments for several years.  Here are links to a series of posts she wrote back in 2014 when she first started using podcasts in her classroom:

• Podcasting for Social Work Students, Part 1 – Describing the Assignment
• Podcasting for Social Work Students, Part 2 – Why use podcasting in the classroom
• Podcasting for Social Work Students, Part 3 – Advice for designing the assignment from Jonathan Singer

Jump to today, the four of us decided to collaborate on a project to assess our students’ learning outcomes with a podcast assignment as well as find out if they actually liked podcasting better than a traditional social work assignment (i.e. writing a paper or giving a presentation).  We started by creating a podcast assignment that could be modified for different types of social work classes, including policy, research and practice courses.  We are sharing this assignment here so that anyone can incorporate it into their courses. 

Social Work Podcast Assignment Instructions:

The purpose of this assignment is to help students learn about assessment, evaluation, and/or intervention skills while also learning about technology tools and resources that will help them be informed about social work practice.  In this assignment you will also demonstrate your ability to present yourself in a professional manner, self-awareness, and ability to engage in critical peer consultation.

An audio podcast is a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a portable media player, computer, or other device.  The content of a podcast can inspire, inform, or entertain an audience.  An audio format can be used as a way to capture people’s attention and direct their concern to the topic you cover in ways that you cannot do in writing. You will save your audio file in an mp3 or mp4 format, which is the default for most recording devices.

Before you record, edit, and upload your podcast, you will:

• Listen to a podcast in class and rate it using the attached rubric
• Review, in class, features of good podcasts, storytelling, and basic audio equipment use
• Try out your recording device during a class period and review the audio with a peer for clarity
• Review, for homework, YouTube videos related to creating podcasts
• Listen to a podcast for homework that is similar to the type of podcast you will create, and create a reflection post that describes and assesses the criteria for interview/storytelling quality, sound quality, editing quality, and content quality.
• Choose a topic, audience, and interview or discussion guide for your podcast. Draft your narrative: what’s the story you want to tell? What do you imagine will flow from this story? What will listeners want to know about your topic? How will you elicit or develop this information?

For your podcast ( you can include your class specific information in this paragraph ), you will either interview someone about a topic relevant to families, discuss a topic relevant to families with a peer/s (up to 3 people), or present on a topic relevant to families.  The content should educate listeners on the issue, increase listener empathy related to the topic, and be engaging storytelling. The tone should be professional casual. Do not read a script. The audience will be your class peers, but should also include an external group (social work students generally, clinical practitioners, members of a specific community, etc).

The podcast assignment has two parts:

• The intro should be 1-4 minutes and identify you (name and your role as a social work student), and any other people, include the date of the recording, and explain what is talked about during the podcast. It should also mention any distractions (that can’t be edited out) that happen during the podcast. You might also discuss background or relevance of the topic to social work, and what audience might benefit from listening. For best results, this should be created after the podcast is recorded.
• If you are conducting an interview, questions should help weave a story. If you are not interviewing, your narrative should still help weave a story. See story arc presentation handout.
• The podcast should end with a thank you (if interview) or other clear ending (where to find more information on the topic, etc.)
• Interview should be edited to cut distractions where possible, pauses, and add a very short (a few sec) intro/exit music or other appropriate sounds that enhance the recording.
• If you have external references, mention the website/article/etc as “show notes” which will be posted alongside your podcast if shared widely.
• Have a peer review your podcast using the attached rubric. After the review, you may choose to re-record or edit any part of the podcast to address changes. Complete the reflection portion of your assignment. Your reflection should answer these questions: (a) what did it take to create your podcast; (b) what did you learn from creating the podcast, about technology and your topic; (c) how is podcasting similar and different to writing a paper on the topic; (d) how will you use podcasts in the future; (e) if you worked with a partner, describe how you divided the work and who did what.

For a copy of the rubric: Rubric for Social Work Podcast Assignment

Podcast Assignment Checklist:

_______ Audio release signed by all parties attached

_______ File uploaded as an mp3 or mp4

_______Peer review attached

_______Reflection assignment completed

Interview tips:

• Review your questions, topic, and interview plan before you begin, but avoid reading from your notes. Before you start your recording, chat casually about the topic with anyone who will also be part of the recording to help relax and get comfortable with the topic. Test your audio right before recording.
• Interview should not contain sensitive subjects that would cause discomfort if shared widely. Interviewee must minimally agree to share podcast with class, with public sharing optional.
• If you make a mistake, pause for a few seconds and then restart from before you made the mistake. This way it will be easier to find your error and delete it from the audio file.

Quality Recording Tips:

• Keep microphone near speakers’ mouths- this may mean propping it up on something. Point the bottom of the phone (mouth piece) toward the speakers. If you are recording your own voice you can use the phone mouthpiece or even the headphones that have a built-in mic (like the ones that come with an iPhone) for better quality. Do not move mic back and forth while speaking.
• Do not touch microphone/recording device during recording.
• Do not record in too big of a room- acoustics are better in a small space. Consider reserving a private room in a library or using a space in a home when nobody but your interviewee is there.  If your interview is in a public place (for a good reason, such as interviewing someone you don’t know), cut in an audio track to explain where you were and why it is noisy before the interview starts.  Avoid rooms with running fans or other distracting background noise.
• Cell phone can be used stand-alone by speaking into speaking end of phone
• You can use either the “voice memos” or built-in recording device, or an app such as GarageBand, VoiceRecorder, or RecorderPlus
• Lavalier microphones that pin to shirt can be purchased cheaply on amazon or ebay ($12 each) and a splitter (to use two at once) costs $7-20. You can also use headphones that have in-line mics. University libraries often have high quality mics available for checkout.
• Free software (Audacity, GarageBand) allows you to upload your audio content and edit it.
• Free music for intros/etc. is available at https://www.instantmusicnow.com/

Instructor notes:  We recommend that you review these resources from National Public Radio (NPR) in class:

• How audio stories begin: https://training.npr.org/audio/how-audio-stories-begin/
• Understanding story structure in 4 drawings: https://training.npr.org/audio/understanding-story-structure-in-4-drawings/
• These Days, Family Trees Look More Like A Forest (16-minutes):   https://www.npr.org/2011/07/05/137627840/these-days-family-trees-look-more-like-a-forest )

To assess the quality of this assignment, we asked students to complete a post assignment survey for extra credit.  If you are interested in this survey, please reach out to Laurel at [email protected] .

Are you using podcast assignments in your class?  If so, please share your tips and suggestions in the comments below.

How to Cite this Post:

Hitchcock, L.I, Sage, M., Sage, T. & Lynch, M. (2019, January 15). Podcast Assignment for the Social Work Classroom [Blog Post]. Retrieved from: https://laureliversonhitchcock.org/2020/01/15/podcast-assignment-for-the-social-work-classroom/

Author: Laurel Hitchcock

Dr. Hitchcock served as the editor for this blog post. The author is the Guest Blogger (Social Work Educator or Student).

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ENG2: Other Worlds Podcast Assignment

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Pre-Production Blueprint

Writing your proposal, format and script.

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• Podcast Pre-Production Blueprint This document provides an overview for the pre-production stages of podcast creation. Its goal is to help spark conversation regarding how you will frame and structure your podcast.

Media Project Proposal Guide

Writing a proposal can be a great way to refine the scope of your project.  The first page of this document is meant to provoke conversation amongst your group.  The second page (linked below) is a template you can use to help communicate your intentions to your classmates and professor(s). 

Purpose - Your motivation behind creating this project. 

• What is the purpose of the podcast? Is it to inform? teach? motivate? persuade? entertain? advocate? share?
• What essential message do you want to communicate?
• How does this story benefit from the inclusion of media?
• What other media has been made on this topic and how does yours differ? 

Audience - Who is this project for?

• Who is your intended audience?
• How will you reach this audience?
• What prior knowledge (if any) might they have of the topic?
• What do I want my audience to do after seeing my project? (e.g., check out a website? talk to their friend about a topic? contact their legislative representative? etc.)

Perspective - The point of view from which you will speak from

• Who is telling your story and why?
• From what perspective will your story be told? How does that impact the language used?
• Is your perspective made explicit to your audience?  Why or why not?
• Does your perspective reinforce or challenge harmful stereotypes in your field?

Design - How you organize and present the components of this project

• How would you characterize the tone of your podcast? (e.g., formal/informal? upbeat?). 
• How will the content be sequenced? (e.g., lead with problem, lead with context, chronological)
• Who is represented in the audio and when?  Why?
• How does your structure and organization support the purpose of your podcast?

Broad Organizational Categories

Consider how your groups perspective fits into the following categories.  How does this communication strategy help advance your argument?  What blind spots might this approach have?

• Impartial Evaluation of Claims – evaluation of a claim, including evidence for or against a statement; can use evidence to come to a scientifically-supported conclusion (e.g. overwhelming evidence supporting climate change) or leaves it more open-ended (e.g. pros and cons of nuclear power)
• Persuasive – clear distinction between scientific evidence and the interpretation of this evidence to support a persuasive argument
• Advocacy – persuasion on behalf of a group of people, animals, region, etc
• Natural History – outlining the science behind a natural phenomenon
• Human Perspectives – environmental issues and how humans affect and are affected by these issues
• Podcast Proposal Template

Creating a storyboard can help you organize your ideas before you even open an editing application.  The template below will help you keep track of timing,audio cues and notes connected to each segment of your podcast. 

There are a variety of formats your podcast can take.  Depending on your topic, your podcast might be best served picking one format or having a variety of formats to help break up distinct sections.  Consider how your format supports the information you are trying to convey.  Here are a few formats to consider:

• Interview - Asking questions (with intention) to elicit info, experiences, emotion
• Round Table - Group of people discuss various topics, often informally
• Narrative - Story (fiction / non-fiction) using anecdotes and scenes exploring larger concept
• Educational - Have specific lesson, listeners tune in to learn about a specific topic, often structured
• Solo/Monologue - One person speaking, usually with in-depth expertise on a particular subject

Not all podcasts require a script but having some type of structure will help your listeners understand what they are listening to and why.  Below are some structures to consider as well as a few templates on the next page.  Scripts can take many shapes and formats and they can be helpful even when recording non-vocal sounds.  You may even find that your podcast has segments that have different formats and thus different relationships to script creation. Don’t hesitate to invent a script format that works for your project! 

• Scripted Narrative - An approach that maps out, in a very detailed fashion, the narrative arc and trajectory of the podcast (see example 3).
• Loose Scrpt - Helpful for conversational formats, as well as approaches that focus on non-vocal sounds, outlining topics or a conversational thread (see example 1).
• Unscripted - Being open to wandering, listening and shifting your subject based on what you encounter, doesn’t mean you can’t establish a structure during recording or editing (see example 2).
• Non-narrated - Using sound transitions, interviews or archival clips to weave content together 
• Podcast Script Template
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Student Podcast Challenge

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Starting Your Podcast: A Guide For Students

We don't expect you to be experts. In fact, we expect that most of you are putting a podcast together for the first time.

And even though this is a contest, it's also about learning new skills in a fun way. We want to make that learning easier — so we've put together a guide to help you along the way.

Getting Started

Your Toolbox

Podcast Examples

Planning Your Podcast

Getting Your Ideas Together

Brainstorming Sounds

Podcast Structure

Podcast Production

What Makes A Good Interview?

Preparing For Field Recording

Scripting Your Podcast

Voicing the podcast.

Production Tips

Before we get started, we know you might have a few questions. Let's talk about a few basics.

What's a podcast?

Podcasts come in all shapes and sizes. That's good news for you, because it means that you have lots of room to be creative and make something you're excited about. Some podcasts, like This American Life , are long — sometimes an hour or more. Others, like Kind World , a podcast from WBUR, are less than 10 minutes. Some podcasts, like NPR's Up First , are about news. Up First comes out every morning, and the hosts talk about the news and feature stories from guests reporting on the news. Other podcasts tell stories. Lots are funny. Some feature people having conversations . Many are educational: They teach listeners about a specific topic. NPR's Hidden Brain is about science and human behavior. And there's Planet Money , a podcast all about money and life.

Think about sound. We're challenging you to work with sounds — interviews, narration and recorded sounds from the world around you.

Don't I need fancy equipment to make a podcast?

Nope! There are ways to make a podcast without buying expensive microphones and recorders. We're writing this guide with the idea that you can make a podcast with two tools: a smartphone and a computer.

How many people do we need, and what roles are involved?

There isn't a set number of people needed to create a podcast, but it helps to have a team of people who work in different roles.

The role of producers frequently varies between podcasts and radio shows. Often, producers are in charge of the sound: They record the sound and edit it to put the podcast together. You'll also need writers to write out questions for interviews or the script . (Sometimes, producers or hosts pitch in to help write for podcasts.) Hosts also "voice" the podcast by acting as the narrator and conducting interviews with subjects. Depending on the size of your class or group, some team members may work as researchers or spend time organizing interviews. After you record the conversations or interviews, your team will want to make sure you talk about what you want to cut out and keep in — that's all part of the editing process. You might choose to have editors on your team or assign editing duties to teammates who have pitched in in other ways.

You can divide up these duties in a way that makes sense for the size of your team. You might decide to have multiple people host and multiple people work as producers.

What does it mean to mix audio?

Mixing is the process of editing and arranging audio clips in a way that sounds seamless and natural to a listener. After you and your team record sounds from interviews, events or other sources, you'll need to arrange them in a sound-editing software, like Audacity , which you can download online free of charge.

I've been reading lots of training guides that use tons of words I don't know. Help!

This glossary from NPR's training site has lots of words that you might come across if you're reading up on podcasting.

Before you think too much about your podcast, you're going to want to think about how, exactly, you'll record the sounds you need.

Here at NPR, we use lots of equipment when we leave the office to record interviews or sounds for our stories and podcasts. But we don't expect you to have all that equipment — and you can make a podcast with a few basic tools that you already have.

If you carry a cellphone with you, chances are, you've got a recording device in your pocket. And if you use it the right way, you can record high-quality sounds that work just fine for your podcast.

You can record sounds, conversations or interviews with sound recording apps on your smartphone.

You can also use your phone's built-in recording app. If you've got an iPhone, go to your "utilities" folder and click on "voice memos" to begin recording.

You'll want to make sure you have enough storage on your phone to do this and that you can either email the sound file to yourself or plug your phone into the computer to upload the recording.

NPR has a handy guide to recording audio with your phone. You can find it here . And here's another: Check out the YR Media guide How to Record High-Quality Audio With Your Phone .

If you're recording a person speaking, hold the phone a few inches from his or her mouth. Not too close, but not more than a few inches away, either.

2. A computer with sound editing software

Once you've recorded your interviews or the sounds you want to use, you'll need to put them all together into your podcast. To do this, you need to use audio editing software to "mix" the sound files together. The good news is that there are lots of software options out there.

If your school already provides editing software on the computers, feel free to use that. If not, we recommend Audacity, which is a free software download available online. You can download it here . As you learn to use it, lots of tutorials are available from Audacity.

If your school or podcasting team has other tools available to use, it's important that you use them correctly to create the best product that you can.

The team at YR Media has put together a video about recording sound and setting up equipment. Check it out here .

Have you ever listened to a podcast or radio show before?

If you've listened to podcasts before — take a minute to think about them. What keeps you listening? What bores you?

Let's take a few minutes to hear a few examples. As you listen, think about the different ways that these segments are structured. Is there a host? Is it an interview style — or is a narrator telling a story, with clips of interviews in between?

Kind World: So Chocolate Bar

Kind World: A Different Window

Morning Edition: Reporting Live From Miami: A Bunch Of Fourth-Graders Tell Their Teacher's Story

Hidden Brain: The Haunting Effects of Going Days Without Sleep

Hidden Brain: How Labels Can Affect People's Personalities and Potential

How I Built This: Instagram: Kevin Systrom & Mike Krieger

Now that you've listened to a few examples, start to gather ideas. We've given you a few prompts to get you thinking. They aren't required, but you may choose to use them.

Here they are again:

• Tell us a story about your school or community: about something that happened there — recently or in the past — that your audience should know about.
• What is a moment in history that all students should learn about?
• Show us both sides of a debate about an issue that's important to you.
• What do you want to change about the world? What's a big change that students today will make in the future?
• Explain something to us that kids understand and grown-ups don't.

Before you settle on one idea, take a few minutes to brainstorm. Try to come up with an idea that might work for each of these prompts. Be sure to think about how you might structure your podcast.

Here are some tips from the pros at NPR about starting a podcast on your own.

Would it be an interview with someone? Would one host narrate the podcast, using clips of interviews to tell a story? What sound would you use to give listeners a full idea of the story you're telling?

Before you settle on one idea for your podcast, ask yourself:

• Is this podcast idea realistic?
• If the idea involves traveling somewhere far away or interviewing someone famous, it might be difficult. Make sure you can do it before you settle on one idea.

Our friends at YR Media have a handy list of sounds that all podcasters should consider recording while planning their podcast. Scroll down to "what sounds to gather" on this page to find that list.

If you're telling a story, it may help to think of the parts of the story in separate sections. Check out this guide to structuring your story — and another about telling a story in three acts .

• Does the timeline work? Can you complete your interviews or record other sounds well before the podcasts are due — so that you have time to edit the audio and submit it?

Sounds Like You're Making a Podcast

OK, so you've settled on a topic or idea for your podcast.

Now it's time to start thinking about the sounds that you'll use. Regardless of how your project is structured, it helps to feature a variety of sounds.

Try to record sounds relevant to your story. If I'm telling a story about the mayor of my town, I'll try to go record him leading a town hall meeting, talking to his constituents, and even doing day-to-day activities, that I can play during my podcast.

Let's say you're heading to a protest in front of my local town hall. You're heading into a "scene" that you might want to describe — and include sound from — in your podcast. What sounds should you include ?

Compile a list of sounds you'd like to record — and bring that list with you when you go into the field.

Here are a couple of examples of radio pieces that use sounds to add to the story.

Listen to this "Radio Field Trip" from New Hampshire Public Radio . What sounds do you hear? There's narration from the show's host, Rick Ganley — but there's a lot more than that.

And here's this one, from Radio Rookies, a series from WNYC . Listen to the sounds that Radio Rookie Edward uses and weaves between his narration.

Let's Talk Structure

Now that you know what your podcast is going to be about, and you've got an idea of the sounds you want to use, it's time to think about structure.

Before we start planning the podcast — before we get to scheduling interviews or scripting pieces — let's ask a few basic questions. Head to this link , from NPR's training site, and think about your answers.

Of course, the structure of your podcast will depend on the idea you've chosen. Will hosts from your class narrate the podcast? Then you'll start differently from the way you would have a conversation on tape.

There's a good chance that you're interviewing someone for your podcast. Maybe you're even talking to lots of different people. It's important to make the most out of the time you take to record them.

Before you get there ...

Do your research.

• Make sure you understand why you're interviewing this person. Read up on who the person is, what he or she does, and the subject you're making a podcast about.

Prepare questions.

• Come up with a list of open-ended questions you'd like to ask during your interview. It's OK to veer off course and good to ask follow-up questions that you haven't planned. But a list will help get things started.

Clarify the terms of the interview.

• Make sure your interviewee knows you're talking to him or her for the NPR Student Podcast Challenge. The person should understand that you're recording audio.

When you arrive ...

Meet somewhere quiet (unless you want to record the noise!).

• Don't choose to meet for an interview in a busy mall or a windy park. If you're indoors, head to a quiet room and close the door. If you're interviewing someone at an event, it's OK if there's some noise in the background — as long as it's the sound you want to have in the background. But try to avoid recording when there's music in the background — it's hard to edit around that sound.

When you start recording ...

Ask the interviewee to introduce himself or herself on tape.

• The person should give his or her name and job title (what he or she does). A student should give his or her age and grade.

Record your own questions.

• You'll want to hear these questions when you listen back to the tape later on.

Be curious.

• You'll have some questions prepared — but that doesn't mean you're following a script. If the person says something you're interested in, ask questions. That's why you're there.

Remember: It's normal to be nervous. The person you're interviewing is probably nervous, too. It helps to be prepared. The better you know your questions and the better you know your equipment, the better you'll feel.

Before You Record Sound ...

Make sure you set aside time to:

• Contact and reserve time to interview guests.

Do you have the ears of an audio producer at NPR?

• Write out possible interview questions.
• Compile a list of sounds you'd like to include.

Whether this is your first podcast or you're an audio pro, some basic tips can make your project a lot easier.

• Test your equipment before you start.

• Don't get stuck in an interview with a phone that doesn't have any storage or a microphone with no batteries.
• Bring a teammate along to help when you're going to an interview or to record sounds.
• Ask this person to time the interview and make a note of the interesting or compelling moments. Make a note of the time at these moments. This will help when you're cutting the audio and looking for these moments later.
• Listen to the audio soon after you record it.
• Save it somewhere you'll remember, and label it so you know exactly what your recording includes.

Checklist For Field Recording

Before you head out for an interview or sounds for your podcast, make sure you've got everything you need.

Download a checklist for field recording here to take with you when you're getting ready to head out to record.

At NPR, some podcasts are scripted. That means that we plan the order that everything will be in before the host gets into the recording studio and records the narration. That can happen only after getting "tape" — sound from lots of interviews and audio from other recordings.

Let's take a look at the script of an audio segment. Here's one from the NPR Training team featuring a story from NPR's Ailsa Chang . There's not one correct way to write a script for a podcast — but it helps to indicate where your narrators will speak, and where you'll be using sounds or interview clips recorded beforehand, and how long these clips last.

Starting the story

First things first. So, you've figured out how you want your podcast to be structured and you've gathered the sound you need. Whether you're scripting the entire podcast or not, you probably need to write out at least one part: the very beginning.

Here's a post from NPR Training with some ideas about how to start, no matter how you're structuring your podcast.

After you've scripted the podcast, it's time to record the narration from the host or hosts from your group or class.

If you're hosting or narrating the podcast, you might be a little nervous about recording your voice. But here's something important to remember: Your voice is what makes you — and your podcast — sound unique. You want to sound natural, alert and energetic. You want to sound like you — the real you. Everyone stumbles over their words. And when that happens here at NPR, we often go back to the script and write shorter sentences that are easier to read and won't leave you feeling out of breathe. The key is to try to sound how you would if you were talking to a friend.

Here's another tip: Keep the frogs out of your throat by keeping a glass of water next to you while you're recording.

Mixing is the process of editing and arranging audio clips in a way that sounds seamless and natural to a listener. After you and your podcasting team record sounds from interviews, events or other sources, you'll need to arrange them in sound-editing software, like Audacity , which is available online as a free download.

• Don't leave audio mixing until the last minute. Mixing is time-consuming, especially if you're using new software or listening to long recordings. It can take many hours just to edit a few minutes of a podcast. Give yourself sufficient time to mix audio before you need to submit the podcast. Remember, the deadline for this contest is March 24.
• Take the mixing process step by step. Prioritize things you need to do to make your podcast sound the best it can. Before you can do anything else, you need to cut your sound down to the clips you need, get them in order and adjust their volume levels so they're not too loud or too soft in a listener's ears. These are all things you can do in any audio editing software.
• If you're already an audio mixing pro and you want some more guidance, check out this guide put together by Rob Byers of Minnesota Public Radio and NPR's training team.

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Developing a Podcast Assignment

Today we have a guest post from John McMahon, Assistant Professor of Political Science at SUNY Plattsburgh. He can be contacted at jmcma004 [at] plattsburgh [dot] edu.

Podcast assignments make students the creators of political knowledge, allow them to actively research subjects of interest, and offer them the opportunity to improve their writing, listening, and speaking abilities. The format is more interesting and authentic to students than that of traditional assignments, in part because of the popularity of podcasts among people under the age of thirty-five.

In my experience, there are two especially salient components of podcast assignment design. First, it is necessary to be intentional and clear with oneself and one’s students about the assignment’s required elements. A podcast’s political content, length, required sound elements (clips, effects, music, etc.), type of interview subjects (if any), how its creation is scaffolded—all require careful consideration. The requirements of the assignment need to match course learning objectives.

Second, do not worry too much about the technology. Instructional technology and library staff usually can provide support and resources, from workshops to USB microphones to campus recording studios. If needed, students can simply use their phones to record audio. Audio editing tools like Audacity and GarageBand are easy for students to learn, and instructional videos on podcast creation abound online. In my experience, students have also found Spotify’s Anchor to be an easy platform to use.

Podcast assignments are adaptable to a range of courses. I have used them successfully when teaching political theory and American politics at the 100-, 200-, and 300-level. Crucially, as we enter another pandemic academic term, this kind of assignment is suitable for online, hybrid, and in-person courses, including those that change modality in the middle of the term.

Instructions for one of my podcast assignments are available on APSA Educate , and I have published an article on student podcasting in the Journal of Political Science Education .

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Creative Assignments: Podcasting

by Aidan Kaplan | Feb 1, 2019 | Instructional design , Services

Note:  ATS now offers a workshop on podcasting assignments . All UChicago faculty, instructors, and academic support staff are welcome to attend.

Why Podcasts?

Podcasting can be a creative assignment that encourages students to engage with a topic aurally and orally in addition to simply via text. By engaging the senses more deeply, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

A podcast is an audio file made available for online streaming, and as a format, it offers a lot of flexibility. One of podcasting’s main benefits is that it prompts students to practice writing for a general public. Reading an academic essay out loud does not make an engrossing podcast; students must think carefully about their audience and how to keep their interest.

Podcasting gives students the opportunity to be creative as they figure out the structure of an episode and decide how to incorporate music and other audio. The conversational, journalistic style that many podcasts use encourages students to think outside the box in terms of presentation. Radio services like NPR and the BBC have many good examples of engaging, informative programming in their podcasts. With the current surge in popularity of podcasting as a medium for entertainment and information, students are likely to already have podcasts that they enjoy, which they can try to emulate as they complete their own projects.

Podcasting is especially well-suited to subjects with an aural component, and UChicago music faculty have assigned podcasts as short assignments during the term and as final projects. The format allows students to intersperse segments of audio with their discussion. But podcasting should not be limited to subjects like music—it can be adapted to almost anything. In a poetry class students might make podcasts in which they read and discuss a poem; in a science class students might explain a new finding and its significance, including interviews with experts; history students might use a podcast to present an oral history project.

This blog post by Professor Chris Buddle at McGill University gives a good idea of the potential for using podcasts as an assessment tool. He assigned group podcasts at the end of the term, in which students made short segments about current issues in ecology. His post includes links to sample student work that came out of the project, which illustrates students’ creativity as well as mastery of the material. These podcasts made by students in Whitman College’s Semester in the West program show the medium’s potential for long-term projects. Students produced narrative podcasts of about eight minutes each to present some of the things they learned during their semester doing field studies.

What technology do you need to make podcasts?

There are three main steps in creating a podcast: recording the audio, compiling and editing the episode, and making the podcast available to listeners. For basic recording needs, students’ smartphones or laptops are likely sufficient. Students with iPhones can use the built-in Voice Memos app; Android users may need to download an app, such as Voice Recorder . NPR has a helpful guide on using phones to record audio. If a project calls for more sophisticated audio equipment or extra planning and preparation, instructors can reach out to Audio-Visual Services for help. There is also recording equipment available in the Audiovisual Room of Regenstein Library (room 307); the key can be checked out at the circulation desk.

To put recorded audio together into an episode, students will need audio editing software. Audacity is a popular choice; it is free to use and works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. For Apple users, another good choice is GarageBand , which has both a desktop and a mobile version. Audacity and GarageBand are both easy to learn, and there is a wealth of online documentation to help students get started.

Once students have recorded their audio and edited it together into a brilliant, engaging podcast, there is still one crucial step: making it available for people to listen to. It is possible for students to simply share an MP3 file with the instructor via email, a file-sharing service, or a USB drive, but this makes it hard for students to listen to one another’s work or for the work to be distributed even more widely. Instead, you might consider hosting your students’ podcasts online. Canvas has a built-in system for podcasting inside Discussions. First, the instructor must enable the podcast feed . Students upload their podcasts using the Record/Upload Media button in the Rich Content Editor, and all the podcasts are available both from the discussion and via the podcast feed link. If your course uses a WordPress blog, you can also upload audio files directly to WordPress. Another option, which is especially good for sharing student work with a wider public, is SoundCloud . Note that free accounts on SoundCloud are limited to three hours of uploads.

The most important thing to remember is not to be intimidated by the technical needs of podcasting. It is easy to learn and can be done with free software and equipment that students likely already own.

Here is a sample mini-podcast, recorded in the Audiovisual Room at Regenstein Library, put together using GarageBand, and hosted on Soundcloud.

Resources and Further Reading

• Chronicle of Higher Education : Four Mistakes I Made When Assigning Podcasts ,   Evan Cordulack, 2012.
• New York Times : Project Audio: Teaching Students How to Produce Their Own Podcasts , 2018. (Aimed at K-12, but contains useful tips that can be adapted to higher education.)
• Canvas Help: How do I enable a podcast feed for a discussion in a course?

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Your Final Assignment Is…a Podcast

Learning to podcast kept my remote students engaged and connected. here’s how to bring podcasting to your classroom..

Bret Zawilski

Bello Collective

The Covid-19 crisis reshaped the landscape of education. While many schools and colleges are pushing for a return to in-person classes, online and hybrid teaching will remain part of the conversation for the foreseeable future. It’s hard to overstate the challenges this poses to creating an effective learning environment: many students don’t have access to reliable internet at home, or face precarious family or work situations that place additional demands on their time. While these are also concerns in face-to-face classes, they’re amplified greatly in online contexts where there isn’t a physical class grounding the experience.

In my online classroom, podcasting became a lifeline. Learning how to transfer their writing skills to podcasting helped my students remain connected and engaged while learning under lockdown.

In this article, I’ll share some ways of teaching podcasting that don’t require you or your students to use high-tech tools or be technological geniuses. This also serves as a continuation and extension of my 2018 article, “ Podcasting in the Classroom ,” about the way that podcasts can foster a series of important literacies for students. If you’ve considered making a podcasting project part of your class, now might be the best time to start.

The Setting

For the past ten years, I taught rhetoric and composition classes that focused on developing university students’ writing abilities. Recently, I accepted a position as a Lecturer of Critical Skills at Maynooth University near Dublin, Ireland. Critical Skills is similar in many ways to the courses I previously taught — it focuses on written and oral communication skills, the research process, and reflective thinking.

On March 19, 2020, the Irish Higher Education system closed its campuses and moved to remote teaching in response to the spread of Covid-19. With six weeks left in the semester, students and teachers were suddenly placed in an unfamiliar situation with little time to adapt.

In normal times, students who are learning remotely understand the challenges associated with taking an online class, which often depend heavily on self-motivation and independent learning. But in this case, no one had been given the choice. It also quickly became apparent that reliable broadband internet wasn’t available to many of our students — or faculty, in some cases.

Educators across the world were facing a similar problem: How could we salvage the end of this year while accommodating students facing unpredictable hardships? For my classes, podcasts were the answer.

Podcasting to the Rescue

From the perspective of an educator, podcasts make a fantastic capstone project. Whether, like me, you’re focusing on the process of writing, or your class is more concerned with the analysis of information and theories within your field, podcasting breaks with student expectations in a useful way. Instead of relying upon rigid strategies of addressing a prompt (like the five-paragraph essay), students have to contend with a new medium and the challenge of sharing information in their own voice. It brings together familiar patterns of research with a less familiar medium.

At its core, the process of making an audio text isn’t that different from writing an essay. Sure, the tone and style differ, but in both cases you have to rely upon language to achieve your goal. Podcasts are also frequently rhetorical — they call upon their audience to accept some new piece of information or to take action.

However, transferring written content to a new medium isn’t always a straightforward process. For example, if a student recorded herself reading a school paper aloud, the end result wouldn’t be a podcast. Or at least, not a good podcast. (What this says about generic research papers is another discussion…)

Changing a text’s medium means that you’ve changed the resources at its disposal. Suddenly, students need to consider how writing sounds and whether it’s structured in a conversational way, or if it’s layered in arcane professional or academic jargon.

Simply put, podcasts are great for discussions of audience and working to appeal to an audience. If you already have students researching and writing about topics, then it’s not difficult to transition them into making a podcast on that same material.

So, what did this look like for me?

Podcasting in Critical Skills

Before Ireland’s lockdown, my students were working in teams to produce a White Paper — a professional, research-driven proposal intended for an audience of experts — connected to a social issue currently relevant to Irish society. They’d already done most of the challenging research, but now they had to pull everything together without the benefit of meeting one another in person.

Carrying this forward, the podcast project that I designed asked students to build upon their previous research and complete the following:

• Create a podcast on the topic of your White Paper
• Situate your podcast for a non-expert audience
• Build a simple website for your podcast using wix.com or Adobe Spark Pages

You can find the specific prompt for the assignment here: Critical Skills Podcast Assignment Prompt .

One of the most important elements was the translation for a new audience. Students had to consider their new audience and create an audio text that appealed to that group. They had to ensure they were providing enough context, like explanations of the terminology surrounding their topic. And they had to do this all without seeing one another in a physical space.

Podcasting is a complex and engaging medium, with a lot of moving pieces that work well distributed among a team. Especially when asking students to work in an unfamiliar medium, having groups of collaborators can ease some of the stress of a large project, and reducing the stress on students in the middle of the pandemic was a huge priority.

I also had to consider what technology my students had at their disposal. There wasn’t a guarantee that students had access to a personal computer at home or a reliable internet connection. Many were left with only a smartphone and patchy cellular data.

This meant we had to get creative at times with how individuals would contribute to their teams, all while balancing the anxiety of Covid-19 looming in the background. Again, the structure of podcasting was a strength in this new online mode. Each individual had a set of roles they could choose to fulfill. This separation of the work also eased much of the anxiety students brought with them regarding the podcast itself — the stages of the project provided a scaffolding for them to develop their skills over time.

Now we just had to give students the ability to connect with one another.

Finding a Platform for Discussion

One of the most common challenges associated with online learning is the formation of a peer group learning community, in which students see themselves as part of a social setting rather than just fulfilling a list of checkboxes. In the move to online pedagogy, it’s important to find alternative ways of getting students and faculty to interact, and the learning CMS ecosystem (platforms like Moodle, Blackboard, and Canvas) isn’t always the strongest set of tools to use.

In our case, Microsoft Teams became the program of choice largely due to university licensing — Maynooth is a Microsoft campus. The built-in file storage made it easy for students to organize their documents and meeting notes, while the audio and video calling options meant they could talk or chat in a variety of ways. This also had the benefit of making student collaboration more visible, and as an instructor, I appreciated the ability to spot questions and problems early in the assignment so that I could intervene before individuals reached a critical roadblock.

In the end, the specific tool doesn’t matter as much as how it’s taken up and used. Google Classroom, Slack, Trello, or even Discord can all foster interaction outside of the classroom. As long as you provide a space for interaction to occur, especially one that allows strong collaboration on mobile devices, you’ll be able to maintain the sense of connectedness, even while working remotely. It’s not a perfect substitution for in-person classes, but at least it gives some kind of support.

Once the platform for collaboration was set, students could then get to breaking down the task of creating a podcast.

Writing the Script

When students initially reacted with anxiety to the thought of composing an entire podcast, I pointed them back to the act of scripting. I let them know that they’d already done this kind of work throughout the year, and that a strong script can make the rest of the process so much more straightforward. Even students who didn’t have reliable access to broadband internet could still script content for the podcast, repurposing their previous White Paper for the new medium.

Even though a podcast is a trendy form of new media, it’s important to remember that it’s doing the same kind of rhetorical work as an essay. Start with the familiar and branch outward to the unfamiliar, and students will have a better chance of seeing how their prior knowledge overlaps with their new task.

Recording the Audio

The goal of the podcast assignment wasn’t to teach students professional audio engineering. The goal of the project was to demonstrate how students’ previous knowledge and practices could be used to approach an unfamiliar digital project.

As such, when it came to recording raw audio, we focused on low-cost entry points. Most students made use of their smartphones and built-in voice recorders to gain audio for their podcasts. Others used their computers and teleconferencing software like Zoom to record group audio. The importance, again, was ensuring as many students as possible could take part in this stage, regardless of their home technology situation.

Editing and Polishing the Audio

Mixing audio together is the most challenging part of the assignment, and this is where online resources can be an enormous help. In my previous article, “ Podcasting in the Classroom ,” I ran through a quick list of the kinds of software available. Not much has changed in the past two years — GarageBand, Audacity, and Anchor are still some of the most accessible tools for novice podcasters, and each of them has a lot of tutorials available on YouTube.

Instead of audio quality, this project emphasized organization. Students needed to think about how they presented information and how they would structure their podcasts. Would they take on a conversational interview-based approach like Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard ? Or would they be using the narrative form of Heavyweight ?

Building the Web Page

The web page wasn’t a heavily assessed component of the project, but it did provide a useful way for students to package and circulate their projects. Plus, the web page served as a visual space for students to present information that’s difficult to represent in audio, such as detailed graphs and charts, and as a space to highlight the sources of referenced information.

Tips and Tricks

If nothing else, teaching in a pandemic reminds us that pedagogy needs to be flexible and adaptive to the students we’re working with. No two classes are ever identical, which means that assignments grow and evolve alongside us. The project I’ve described so far is meant to be a scaffold that you can build upon for your own content and classes.

That said, here are the things that I’ve found most helpful in teaching podcasting.

Build Your Own Library

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, nor do you need to be the de facto expert on podcasting to effectively use podcasts within your classroom. Gather your own set of materials over time, using tutorials from YouTube and other online resources. When working in an online setting, it’s important to position yourself as part of the learning community. You might consider making your own brief walkthroughs of the process of organizing the different tasks and actually recording and assembling a podcast using free tools like Screencast-o-Matic.

As an example of this, I’ll point you to what became the main resource for our assignment: an Adobe Sparks Page about Creating a Podcast that students could easily consult throughout the project. I added to this library over a period of six weeks, so it grew alongside the tasks that students were expected to complete. As I made videos, I took particular note of the places where I found myself struggling and spent additional time building resources to help others avoid those same pitfalls.

Demonstrate the Process

If possible, it’s incredibly helpful to demonstrate the process of making a podcast. In addition to video tutorials, I created a sample podcast to demonstrate the capabilities of freely available software and provided a copy of the script to emphasize the crucial role that writing plays in making a polished audio text. I was able to use this as part of one of the screen-recorded videos to highlight how the script grows and evolves as a podcast is developed. In the future, I also intend to use this resource as a way of demonstrating how to proceed from rough outlines to a finalized podcast episode.

While students will have to gain familiarity with a variety of tools to build a podcast, the kinds of revision and alteration that occur in an assignment like this one mirror the kinds of revision that happen in any kind of writing.

In other words…

Don’t Teach to a Specific Tool

I once took a course in Visual Design that turned into a semester of learning how to do very specific tasks in Adobe Fireworks with little attention to broader principles of design. Wait, you aren’t familiar with Fireworks? It’s probably because a year after I finished the course, Adobe discontinued its development. In other words, the verbatim content of the course became mostly useless because we never focused on overarching principles.

It’s important to remember that tools change and programs come in and out of vogue. While a student does need to know how to use certain tools or apps to create a digital text, it’s a mistake to focus only on the surface-level concerns of using a particular program.

A particularly useful source on this is Stuart Selber. In his 2004 book, Multiliteracies for a Digital Age , Selber develops a three-part framework for understanding the way we work with and master digital technology (and tools in general). He also warns us away from the mistake of emphasizing mastery of individual software over broader strategies and principles of communication.

Selber suggests that we look at three broad kinds of digital literacies: functional, critical, and rhetorical. We can view them as progressing from simple to complex, but that doesn’t do it full justice, as all three are intimately connected.

While Selber’s model is broadly targeted to all kinds of digital literacies, it’s incredibly relevant for podcasts. There are a lot of traps to avoid when it comes to teaching students how to write for a new medium, and getting them to see podcasting as more than learning a new piece of software is really important. Otherwise, podcasting will become a one-off experience that might seem disconnected from their education or their future professional goals.

My classes explicitly discussed the different stages of literacy that Selber spells out, and this went a long way toward helping students understand podcasting as a complex process that gives them skills that will be relevant long after the project is finished.

Functional literacy involves the literal ability to operate a specific tool. In other words, if you want to make a podcast, then you need to know how to open a new file in your audio recording program before you can actually get started editing. That’s why so many digital tutorials start by teaching how to open a new document and save the file.

Reaching functional literacy doesn’t mean an individual will be an expert on the program, just that they can negotiate its interface. The good news is that most tutorials emphasize functional literacy, so there’s no shortage of resources to draw upon.

Second on the ladder is critical literacy, and this is where things start to get meta. In relation to digital writing (or recording) tools, critical literacies involve a consideration of the kinds of texts created by a certain tool and how they position us as authors and audiences.

If we were looking to gain a critical understanding of Facebook, for example, this would entail understanding how their algorithm shapes the content that we see, as well as the kinds of posts that are most commonly shared. In light of the Covid-19 crisis, Facebook recently instituted a new “care” emoji alongside its other emotional “reactions.” However, some users are annoyed that despite demand, there isn’t an “eye roll” reaction available for use. This limits the options available to users and shapes how individuals can use Facebook reactions.

When it comes to producing podcasts, a critical understanding of GarageBand would go beyond opening a new file and more towards a consideration of how the built-in Loops library enables different kinds of audio cues for a podcast. Or it might involve an understanding of how the default vocal recording settings are or are not tailored to podcasting. For podcasts in general, a critical literacy would also involve understanding what kinds of organizational structures work for the most popular podcasts currently being produced.

The third and final literacy that Selber identifies is rhetorical literacy. If functional literacy provides an understanding of how to physically use a tool, and critical literacy focuses on what the tool specifically allows us to do, then rhetorical literacy is the most pragmatic. It helps to answer the question: How can I best use this tool to effectively communicate an idea and persuade my audience to buy into an idea or take action? In other words, rhetorical literacy involves understanding how to use a tool — or set of tools — to accomplish some kind of real-world action. It moves from the theoretical into the pragmatic.

In relation to technology, this means that when students pick up habits or technologies outside of school or formal situations, they might be effective in using them, but only within a very narrow context. To take up the previous example, a student might be perfectly comfortable creating a Facebook status update for their friends, but they may not be able to expand the reach of their posts based only upon their unconscious functional use of Facebook. However, if a student possesses a critical understanding of the Facebook algorithm and what “boosting” a post through advertisements allows, they can make active decisions that help them effectively promote their content to a broader audience.

The same goes for podcasts. While our students might know how to record audio, if they don’t understand the genre of the podcast they’re working within, then it’s unlikely that they will be able to meaningfully reach their audience. It’s not impossible — sometimes disruptions to expectations are powerful — but if they disrupt expectations without conscious attention, or if it’s just a side effect of a lack of understanding, then their success will be a matter of luck.

I fostered rhetorical literacy by inviting my students to reflect during the process of composing a podcast as well as analyzing why other model podcasts are successful. Critically examining one’s habits goes a long way to understanding why a text might be successful or unsuccessful, so build in these periods of reflection throughout the project.

Podcasting as a Synthesis

A podcast project like the one described here can be a great way of embracing each of these literacies. While the nature of teamwork means that some individuals might spend more time with one aspect of the project than another, meetings and recorded minutes help show everyone what each stage of the task looks like. This ensures that individuals can share and develop their expertise collaboratively.

Students need to employ a functional understanding of the tools at the beginning of the process for the purpose of creating a rough prototype. This ranges across word processing tools, to messaging platforms, to recording software, editing programs, and website platforms.

By listening to models of other podcasts and having conversations about how podcasts convey information, students become more aware of their critical positioning. They can critically listen to individual podcasts and take a critical look at the overall podcast ecosystem. For example, looking at the kind of content that the recently partnered Anchor and Spotify are promoting can help students see how massive platforms can shape the kind of content that gains popularity.

Finally, the act of making a podcast encourages students to consider how podcasts can serve as a crucial part of their rhetorical toolboxes. Students use their own voices to synthesize the research that they’ve conducted and share that information in a digestible manner with a broader group of individuals. This mimics the often complex task of taking very technical information and translating it for new purposes. The combination of literacies required to compose an effective podcast also ensure that they’re gaining rhetorical savvy in more than one medium.

As a whole, the podcast served as a really helpful capstone that brought together skills and literacies that our students had previously developed. By asking them to compose in a medium that is widely circulated in popular culture, we show that writing doesn’t have to yield a words-on-the-page article and highlight the use of writing skills for contexts beyond the classroom. This flexibility also means that a podcast assignment can accomplish a variety of process and content-oriented goals.

Dodging the Pitfalls

Although the podcast assignment was a success overall, our students certainly encountered a few pitfalls. One issue in particular is that while students were spending a good amount of time writing their scripts, the editing process was occasionally left by the wayside. On Anchor, this was the result of a not-always-intuitive process of cutting and splicing together different audio recordings. In other cases, it was the result of students making use of built-in recording options on platforms such as Zoom. While the texts they created were effective, they sidestepped editing almost completely in some instances. You can avoid this pitfall by creating and locating resources that make the editing process more easily accessible as well as critically examining podcast models that have less of an improvisational tone.

Together While Apart

Overall, the podcast project was an enormous success in the midst of an otherwise difficult semester. Students frequently cited the collaborative element as a benefit during the lockdown and signaled that they were excited to be able to compose a project that felt like something they might be called upon to do in the future. By developing their functional, critical, and rhetorical literacies surrounding the workflow of creating a podcast, students were able to take their academic research and circulate it in a way that otherwise would not have appeared available to them. It highlights the relevance and the vitality of research while also providing a space that brought individuals together while they were forced to remain physically apart.

In the end, we finished the semester without meeting as a class, but the podcasts allowed student voices to intermingle with one another and provided the space for a meaningful discourse community while we grappled with remote learning. I hope that the story of our journey through the pandemic is helpful and that, in the upcoming months, you might consider trying out a podcasting assignment in your own classrooms.

The Bello Collective is a publication + newsletter about podcasts and the audio industry. Our goal is to bring together writers, journalists, and other voices who share a passion for the world of audio storytelling.

Subscribe to the Bello Collective fortnightly newsletter for more stories, podcast recommendations, audio industry news, and more. Support our work and join our community by becoming a member .

Written by Bret Zawilski

Scholar of Rhetoric and Composition. Artist and Writer.

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Trump trial jury asks to review testimony from Michael Cohen and David Pecker: Live updates

Former President Donald Trump’s fate rests in the hands of  12 Manhattan jurors in his historic  hush money trial , with the verdict carrying the potential to alter the 2024 presidential campaign.

The jury sent a note shortly before 3 p.m. EDT requesting to review four sections of testimony from the trial, three from media executive David Pecker's testimony and one from former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Almost an hour later, the jury sent a second note asking to re-hear the jury instructions.

Jurors were sent home for the day at about 4:07 p.m. EDT. They will resume deliberations tomorrow.

Jurors began deliberating Wednesday after hearing  six weeks of testimony from a parade of  22 witnesses , including a felon convicted of perjury, a porn actress, and the former head of the parent company for the National Enquirer tabloid.

Any verdict requires a unanimous vote. The outcome – a conviction on all or some of 34 counts of falsifying business records, an acquittal or a deadlocked jury – could have a major impact on Trump’s campaign against President Joe Biden .

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Trump is polling ahead of Biden despite the criminal charges in this and three other cases, but a felony conviction could sway some voters against him. An acquittal could bolster his claims that he was the victim of a politically motivated prosecutor.

Follow USA TODAY's live updates from inside and outside the Manhattan courtroom:

Judge returns to address transcript read-back for jurors

Judge Merchan returned to the courtroom and addressed the lawyers.

"Okay, where do we stand?" Judge Merchan asked.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said he thinks the two sides have made "a lot of progress," but there are a couple issues they may need him to resolve.

– Aysha Bagchi

Trump returns to courtroom

Trump re-entered the courtroom at about 4:55 p.m. EDT. However, the lawyers are still talking to each other and Judge Merchan hasn't returned to the courtroom.

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The legal instructions jurors have asked to re-hear are complicated. For example, they say Trump is only guilty of a felony count of falsifying business records if he falsified a record in order to interfere in the 2016 presidential election through at least one of three unlawful methods spelled out in the instructions.

You can read the instructions for yourself here:

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The jurors sent a note at 2:56 p.m. EDT asking to review four sections of testimony from the trial, Judge Merchan just announced.

Reporters were sitting in the main courtroom when the prosecution entered at about 3:06 p.m. EDT, followed quickly by Trump and his lawyers. We weren't told in advance the reason for their arrival.

Merchan then entered the courtroom and said the jurors want to review these four sections of trial testimony:

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Prosecution cites 'jaw-dropping' evidence against Trump that defense says 'cannot be trusted'

The six-week trial featured dramatic clashes between lawyers and witnesses, the judge and Trump.

The testimony included tense moments such as defense lawyer Todd Blanche accusing Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen , of lying on the standand former Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks breaking into tears .

Meanwhile, Judge Juan Merchan threatened to jail Trump if he continued to violate a gag order against talking about witnesses participating in the case. Merchan also scolded Blanche for an “outrageous” statement in closing arguments that the jury shouldn’t “send someone to prison” based on Cohen’s testimony.

A flock of Republican surrogates showed up to support Trump, and one conspiracy theorist set himself on fire outside the courthouse.

Cohen was a key witness testifying that he submitted invoices for “legal expenses” that Trump knew were to reimburse him for paying $130,000 to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. But Trump lawyer Todd Blanche accused Cohen of lying on the stand when he testified he notified Trump about the payment to Daniels. In closing arguments, Blanche called Cohenthe “MVP of liars” and “the embodiment of reasonable doubt.”

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, described the alleged sexual encounter in enough detail that Merchan questioned why defense lawyers didn’t object more to block her testimony. She testified that she noticed gold nail clippers in Trump’s hotel room and he didn’t wear a condom during the encounter. Trump has repeatedly denied he had sex with Daniels and Blanche argued the payment “started out as an extortion” whether the allegation was true or not.

David Pecker, the former CEO of American Media Inc., which owned the National Enquirer, said he agreed in a meeting with Trump and Cohen in August 2015 to be the “eyes and ears” of Trump’s presidential campaign to buy negative stories about the candidate and never publish them.

Pecker acknowledged paying former Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for her story and then refusing to pay for Daniels because Trump hadn’t reimbursed him. Cohen provided a recording , which prosecutor Joshua Steinglass called “jaw-dropping,” of Trump mentioning the $150,000 figure.

But Blanche raised questions about the credibility of the recording because it cuts off suddenly – Cohen said he got another call – and argued that a meeting to influence the campaign “made no sense.”

Trump paid Cohen for a retainer through invoices marked "legal expenses," so he committed no crime of falsifying business records, according to Blanche. "This is not a referendum on your views of President Trump," Blanche told jurors.

– Bart Jansen

Donald Trump: ‘Mother Teresa couldn’t beat these charges’

After the jury began deliberating in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial, Trump braced his supporters for a guilty verdict by claiming nobody could be acquitted because of the way Judge Juan Merchan instructed jurors to consider the charges and the evidence.

“Mother Teresa could not beat these charges,” Trump said. “These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged.”

Trump went on to say that he would win the Nov. 5 election against President Joe Biden because of border security, inflation and other issues.

“We’re going to win this election,” Trump said. “We’re going to take back this country from these fascists and these thugs that are destroying us.”

Jury deliberations begin

At about 11:35 a.m. EDT, all jurors had exited the courtroom and Judge Merchan instructed the parties to remain in the courthouse in case they are needed as the jury begins deliberating.

Laptop-responsible jurors leave courtroom

The two jurors who volunteered to handle the laptop with evidence appeared to be given some instructions at the prosecution's table, and then left. Judge Merchan just confirmed with Trump lawyer Todd Blanche that Trump has consented to the jurors' use of the laptop to access trial exhibits.

Alternate jurors excused from courtroom, two main jurors coming for laptop instructions

Judge Merchan excused the alternate jurors from the courtroom but is having two of the main jurors brought back in. He said they have volunteered to handle the laptop containing evidence from the trial, and will be given some instructions on that.

12 jurors excused from courtroom, alternate jurors remain

Judge Merchan had the 12 jurors who will begin deliberating leave the courtroom, but kept the six alternate jurors in the courtroom. He has now praised their attentiveness during the trial and explained they are not done – they are still on duty in case any of the 12 can't continue through deliberations and alternates are needed to step in.

Judge makes clarification on juror signature

After conversing with the lawyers privately, Judge Merchan clarified to jurors that one instruction about a signature tied to juror notes was about the jury foreperson denoting he signed the document, not having a juror sign a personal name.Merchan also explained jurors will be given a laptop containing evidence from the trial during their deliberations.

'That concludes my instructions on the law'

"That concludes my instructions on the law," Judge Juan Merchan just told jurors. He invited the parties to approach, and several lawyers are now having a private conversation with the judge at his bench.

Judge says plan is to work today until 4:30 p.m. EDT

Judge Merchan just told jurors the plan today is to work until 4:30 p.m. EDT. He said the plan for other days will be figured out if that is needed. He also said it's unlikely, if jurors do work late, that their work will extend beyond 6 p.m. EDT.

Judge instructs jurors on the law of falsifying business records

Judge Merchan just reached the 34th and final count in his jury instructions. Along the way, he has explained to jurors that Trump is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree under New York law if he made or caused a false entry in a business enterprise with the intent to defraud – including the intent to commit or conceal another crime.

That means prosecutors must have proven during this trial not just that Trump is responsible for false records, but also that there was a further criminal or cover-up purpose. That's where alleged 2016 election fraud and alleged plans to violate New York tax and election laws come into play in this case .

Merchan told jurors that intent doesn't require premeditation, but instead can be formed at the time the defendant engages in prohibited conduct.

"You must decide if the required intent can be inferred beyond a reasonable doubt," Merchan said.

One juror looking at trial teams as Trump leans back with eyes closed

The jurors have largely been taking notes and looking at Judge Merchan as he gives them instructions on the law in the case. But one juror who is among the first 12 who are slated to decide the case – not an alternate juror who is here to step in if one of the 12 becomes unavailable – has been looking over at the trial teams for several seconds. There, Trump can be seen slouching back in his chair with his eyes close, in stark contrast to the open-eyed, attentive jurors.

Big rally near the Trump courthouse – for elderly services

Music. Dancing. Cheering.

No, not at the demonstrations in front of the Trump courthouse – it’s a rally for New York elderly services one block over in Foley Square.

While the relatively few pro-Trump and anti-Trump forces argue – in one instance requiring police intervention – hundreds of other New Yorkers are boogying to immortal classics like “Get Down Tonight” and “Disco Inferno.”

Sample lyrics from the latter: “Folks are screaming, out of control/It was so entertaining when the boogie started to explode/I heard somebody say disco inferno/(Burn baby burn)/burn that mother down.”

The occasion, a sign said, is the 31st anniversary of Older Adult Health and Fitness Day.

Trial? What trial?

– David Jackson

Trump eyes closed for more than 100 seconds

Former President Donald Trump isn't fully asleep, but it appears he may be dozing off . I just counted to 100 with a "Mississippi" in between each number while his eyes remained closed. I stopped counting at that point. For the first approximately 30 seconds, Trump was slouched forward in his chair, with his head slightly hanging in front of his shoulders. He then slouched back without opening his eyes. I saw him shake his head slightly once, but apart from that he doesn't seem to be showing a facial reaction to the judge's instructions to jurors.

Several jurors taking notes

Several jurors appear to be taking notes as Judge Merchan instructs them on the law. The remaining are looking straight at Merchan. The jurors in this case have been very attentive throughout the trial, even through a long day of closing arguments on Tuesday that didn't wrap until about 8 p.m. EDT.

Judge begins instructions on criminal charges

Judge Juan Merchan has been instructing jurors on what they may and may not consider in their deliberations. He just said he will now begin instructing them on the law related to the actual records charges Trump faces. These instructions are potentially pivotal: even small words can make a big difference when a jury determines whether actions by a defendant were criminal.

Trump's eyes closed for extended periods during instructions

As he has done many times throughout this trial , Trump is sitting at the defense table with his eyes closed for extended periods. I just counted to 20 with a "Mississippi" between each number before Trump peaked out. I watched Trump again a couple minutes later and reached the number 20 a second time before Trump opened his eyes.

Electronic audio of Trump audience member goes off

Audio began playing from the section of spectators seated in one of the first two rows behind the defense table, where Trump's entourage sits . I couldn't see if the audio came from a phone. Judge Merchan looked over in that section's direction before the audio was cut off.

Jurors told they must not consider Michael Cohen's election-related convictions

Judge Merchan has just instructed jurors they must not consider Michael Cohen's guilty pleas to federal campaign finance violations when it comes to assessing Trump's guilt in this case. It's an instruction Merchan also gave jurors during testimony in the trial.

Prosecutors have alleged Trump falsified records to cover up unlawfully interfering in the 2016 presidential election through a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels that violated federal campaign finance laws.

Judge begins giving jury instructions

Jurors entered the courtroom at 10:10 a.m. EDT and Judge Juan Merchan has begun delivering instructions to them. He told them to remember they promised to be fair jurors. He told them they must not allow any bias or stereotype to affect their verdict.

Low key (and anxious) morning on the protest front

No more than 20 demonstrators gathered in front of the courthouse as the jury prepared to deliberate the Trump case – anxious demonstrators.

“I know he’s not going to be acquitted – I’m praying for a hung jury,” said Joe Palau, 57, a pro-Trump construction worker from Brooklyn.

Natalie Seiler, 59, - who carried a large sign that said “Convict Trump Already!” – was anxious the other way.“I am very  concerned about a hung jury,” said Seiler, a home organizer who took the bus to New York from her home in Waldorf, Md.

Judge enters courtroom

Judge Juan Merchan entered the courtroom at 10:06 a.m. EDT.

Donald Trump, Don Jr. arrive in courtroom

Former President Donald Trump entered the courtroom at 9:56 a.m. EDT. His oldest child, Donald Trump Jr. , joined him today and took a seat in the first bench behind the defense table.

Prosecution arrives in courtroom

The prosecution trial team arrived in the courtroom at 9:51 a.m. EDT. We are still waiting for the defense team, the judge, and the jury. Proceedings are starting 30 minutes later than usual, at 10 a.m. EDT.

What is the Trump trial about?

Trump's New York criminal trial centers on a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels , business records kept at the Trump Organization, and the 2016 presidential election.

Prosecutors have alleged that Trump falsified business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to Daniels less than two weeks before the election. They say the payment violated federal campaign finance laws, and as a result constituted unlawful election interference.

Former Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen made the payment and later became a star witness for the prosecution in Trump's case.

Trump defense lawyer Todd Blanche suggested to jurors in his Tuesday closing argument that Cohen acted alone and lied about Trump authorizing the payment. Blanche also said Trump didn't falsify any records in 2017 because he was paying Cohen that year for ongoing legal services, as the checks, invoices, and vouchers in the case reflect. He denied Cohen's story that Trump was actually reimbursing the hush money.

Trump chose not to testify – a decision the jury will be prohibited from holding against him.

Who is Judge Juan Merchan?

Judge Juan Merchan is a former prosecutor who has served as a judge since 2009. Merchan previously presided over a criminal trial in which two Trump businesses – the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation – were found guilty of several crimes , including tax fraud. The two companies were sentenced to pay more than $1.6 million following the verdict.

Merchan has frequently drawn the ire of former President Donald Trump, who just this morning posted in all caps on Truth Social that Merchan is "A CORRUPT AND CONFLICTED JUDGE" presiding over a "KANGAROO COURT!"

The judge imposed a gag order on the former president that prohibits public comments on jurors or on the participation of witnesses in the case. The order also provides some protection from Trump's ire for prosecutors and their family members, as well as for family members of the judge. Merchan imposed the order after concluding that Trump's past "inflammatory" statements instilled fear in people involved in his legal cases and heightened security needs.

Merchan expanded the order to cover his own family members and those of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg after Trump attacked the judge's daughter for her work at a marketing agency that assists Democrats.

Trump responds to actor Robert De Niro as ‘small’ and ‘Wacko’

Former President Donald Trump responded early Wednesday on social media to actor Robert De Niro ’s criticism, calling him a victim of “Trump derangement syndrome.”

“I never knew how small, both mentally and physically, Wacko Former Actor Robert De Niro was,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

A movie star for more than 50 years, De Niro won Oscars for his performances in The Godfather Part II and Raging Bull. But Trump said his participation in politics diminished his value.

“Robert, whose movies, artistry, and brand have gone WAY DOWN IN VALUE since he entered the political arena at the request of Crooked Joe Biden, looked so pathetic and sad out there,” Trump wrote.

Where is Melania Trump?

Melania Trump has so far stayed away from her husband's criminal proceedings. The former president wished her a "happy birthday" from the courthouse hallway when he attended proceedings on her birthday, April 26. He said he would join her in Florida later that Friday.

Actor Robert De Niro, surrogate for President Biden, blasts Trump as ‘clown’ outside courthouse

Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro called former President Donald Trump a "clown" and a “buffoon” bent on destroying American democracy from outside the courthouse on Tuesday.

De Niro was flanked by two former Capitol Police officers, Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone, who defended the Capitol during the attack Jan. 6, 2021, by Trump supporters.

"We've forgotten the lessons of history that showed us other clowns who weren't taken seriously until they became vicious dictators," De Niro said. "With Trump we have a second chance and no one is laughing now. This is the time to stop him by voting him out once and for all."

De Niro’s appearance served as a Democratic response to Republican lawmakers and vice presidential contenders who criticized the trial for Trump because he was gagged from commenting on witnesses or jurors. Trump’s sons Don Jr. and Eric, and daughter-in-law Lara, who is co-chair of the Republican National Committee, spoke for the former president Tuesday.

Will Tiffany Trump, other Trump children, be at the trial Wednesday?

Trump's youngest daughter, Tiffany , attended the Manhattan criminal trial for the first time Tuesday. Trump sons Eric and Don Jr., who have attended some earlier days, were also there. It's not yet known which Trump children, if any, will come today.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner haven't attended any of the criminal trial. Barron Trump , who just graduated from high school, also hasn't attended proceedings. His parents went to his high school graduation on May 17, a day Judge Juan Merchan allowed Donald Trump to have off in the trial so he could be with his youngest child.

How long will the jury take to deliberate?

No one, not even the jury, knows that yet.

First, jurors all meet in the jury room to discuss their views. They have an opportunity to send requests for clarifications or further instruction to the judge. They must come to a unanimous decision to convict or acquit, or else the trial will end in a " hung jury ," forcing a mistrial.

There is no limit to how long the jury can deliberate, but experts say three days would be considered a long time. 

– Kinsey Crowley

Why are jury instructions important?

Judge Juan Merchan said Tuesday that he will deliver jury instructions in the morning, estimating it will take him about an hour.

Jury instructions are critical because they inform the jurors about the law to apply in the case. Small words in jury instructions can sometimes make a big difference as jurors are tasked with deciding not just what the defendant did in a given case, but also whether it's a crime.

What did the defense say about Cohen on Tuesday?

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche was full of invectives for Michael Cohen as he urged jurors on Tuesday not to credit the former Trump fixer's testimony. Cohen testified that Trump authorized him to make a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election, and approved a plan to cover it up even as he reimbursed Cohen in 2017.

"He's literally like an MVP of liars," Blanche argued.

"In fact, he's also a thief," Blanche said. Cohen himself admitted on the witness stand to stealing by claiming a larger reimbursement from the Trump Organization than Cohen actually paid for polling-related help for Trump.

Blanche also accused Cohen of committing a crime at the trial by lying on the witness stand . The defense lawyer pointed to text messages indicating Cohen called Trump's bodyguard on Oct. 24, 2016 about harassing calls he was getting. Confronted with the messages, Cohen largely stuck to his previous testimony, saying he believed he also spoke to Trump about hush money to Stormy Daniels during that call.

"It was a lie!" Blanche exclaimed Tuesday. "That is per-jur-y," he also said, putting emphasis on each syllable of the crime.

"He got caught red-handed," Blanche told jurors.

What is Trump on trial for?

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to commit or conceal another crime. Prosecutors have said Trump was falsifying records to hide the violation of federal campaign finance laws and to hide plans to violate New York tax and election laws.

Trump wanted to hide a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in particular, according to prosecutors. They say the payment violated federal campaign finance laws and amounted to election fraud.

Highlights: Closing arguments wrap in Trump hush money trial

Coverage on this live blog has ended. Follow the latest news here.

What to know about the hush money trial

• Prosecutors finished delivering their closing statements in the trial shortly before 8 p.m. Former President Donald Trump's lawyers presented their arguments this morning .
• Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, who spoke for more than four hours, argued that Trump falsified business records to cover up what was essentially an illegal campaign contribution meant to help him get elected in 2016.
• Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
• Court adjourned for the day at 8 p.m. and will resume at 10 a.m., when the judge will give instructions to the jury before it begins deliberations.

Judge lays out timeline for the rest of the week

Gary Grumbach

Zoë Richards

Tomorrow's trial proceedings are expected to get underway at 10 a.m., instead of the regular 9:30 a.m., with Judge Juan Merchan saying he expects jury instructions to last about an hour.

After that, the case will be in the hands of the jury.

Merchan said tomorrow's proceedings will conclude at 4:30 p.m., but he left the door open for the rest of the week, noting that if proceedings are needed on Thursday and Friday, the timing will be determined by how deliberations are progressing.

Trump makes no comments after leaving courtroom

Katherine Koretski

Trump did not make any comments as he left the Manhattan courtroom after the prosecution delivered closing arguments that went until just before 8 p.m.

Trump, who has often spoken outside the courtroom, instead raised his fist as he left.

Closing arguments are done; court to resume at 10 a.m. tomorrow

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass has finished his closing argument, which began shortly after 2 p.m.

Judge Juan Merchan told jurors they will start tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Merchan told jurors that jury instructions will take around an hour before deliberations begin. He said the plan is to go until 4:30 p.m. for the day.

Prosecutor gets fired up during end of closing argument

Phil Helsel

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass began accelerating and emphasizing his delivery to jurors during closing arguments with minutes to go before an 8 p.m. deadline.

Steinglass reiterated to the jurors that it is a crime to willfully create inaccurate tax forms and that Trump’s intent to defraud in this case is clear. He argued that why else would Stormy Daniels be paid in what he described as an elaborate scheme, instead of all at once.

Steinglass argued that that and other steps show Trump wanted the issue to be kept quiet until after the election.

“The name of the game was concealment,” he said.

Defense objects to prosecutor's remarks about Trump and Fifth Avenue

Jillian Frankel

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass urged the jury to hold Trump accountable, suggesting by way of analogy that he can’t shoot someone on Fifth Avenue during rush hour and get away with it.

Trump's defense team objected to the comment, which Judge Juan Merchan sustained.

Mixed level of visible engagement among jurors at this late hour

Laura Jarrett

At least one juror appears to be visibly engaged in prosecutor Joshua Steinglass’ presentation — offering an affirming smile.

Others, however, appear considerably less focused and can be seen twisting their hair and rubbing their faces.

The jury is approaching an 11-hour day at the courthouse.

Prosecutor talks about difference between reasonable doubt and certainty

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the jury that it does not need to evaluate each piece of evidence alone and in a vacuum but as part of a whole that he argues proves Trump’s guilt.

“You will see that the people have proven this case beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said.

During his remarks, the defense objected. Judge Juan Merchan sustained the objection.

“I’ll instruct them on the law and the evidence,” Merchan said.

Prosecutor launches into rapid-fire recap of Trump’s involvement in Daniels and McDougal stories

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is recapping all of the evidence intended to show Trump’s direct involvement in the settlements with Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels, beginning with an August 2015 Trump Tower meeting.

A screen the prosecution displayed during closing arguments read “Mr. Trump involved every step of the way” as Steinglass went through a timeline of events.

Joshua Steinglass passes 4-hour mark in his closing arguments

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass has passed the four-hour mark since he began giving the prosecution’s closing argument in Trump’s trial.

Steinglass began giving the prosecution’s closing arguments at around 2:07 p.m., but there have been several breaks since then.

Today's trial proceedings to continue until 8 p.m., judge says

After he returned to the bench, Judge Juan Merchan indicated to the attorneys that the court will push forward until 8 p.m. but will need to wrap up after that.

That would make an 11-hour day for the jury.

Last recess of the day

Judge Juan Merchan announced at 6:52 p.m. what he said will be the last recess of the day.

It's expected to last just a few minutes.

Merchan earlier said that the plan was to go until at least 7 p.m. and “finish this out if we can.”

'A bold-faced lie': Prosecutor revisits Robert Costello's testimony

Given the hour, it was initially unclear why prosecutor Joshua Steinglass began revisiting the testimony of Robert Costello , a Trump ally and lawyer who has clashed with Michael Cohen.

But the prosecution's display of an email exchange between Costello and Cohen hinted that the DA's office aims to portray Trump’s attitude toward Cohen changing only after his former attorney's compliance was in doubt, not because of anything else Cohen did.

Recounting Costello's testimony, Steinglass argued that Costello's assertion that he was acting in Cohen’s best interest and that he didn’t care at all about the defendant’s interest "was a bold-faced lie.”

‘You guys good to go a little bit longer?’ prosecutor asks, as 7 p.m. draws near

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked jurors, “You guys good to go a little bit longer?” and said “Alright!” after a bench meeting to discuss scheduling at around 6:30 p.m.

Judge Juan Merchan earlier today said the plan was to go until at least 7 p.m. and “finish this out if we can.”

Prosecutor refers to 'devastating' testimony by Hope Hicks

Given the largely chronological order of the prosecution's closing arguments, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass could be nearing the end of his remarks.

He discussed what he called Hope Hicks’ “devastating” testimony earlier in the trial, adding that she burst into tears because she realized the impact of what she had told the court.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche objected to that characterization, but Judge Juan Merchan allowed it.

Prosecutor argues Trump wanted to be 'involved in everything'

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass mocked former Trump aide Madeleine Westerhout’s testimony in which she said Trump was often so busy that sometimes he absent-mindedly signed presidential proclamations.

Steinglass, who dismissed Westerhout's remarks as a narrative Trump’s team encouraged, said that overall she gave the opposite impression — that the former president remained very attentive to outlays of his personal expenses, and that his most frequent contacts included his former attorney Michael Cohen and a former top executive of his company, Allen Weisselberg. Westerhout's testimony also conveyed that Trump continued to be the sole signatory on his own accounts, even though he easily could have added other signatories, Steinglass argued.

Trump wanted to maintain control — and “he insists on signing his own checks," Steinglass said, adding that Trump boasted about his frugality and micromanagement in his books, which Steinglass read excerpts from.

Steinglass also rejected the defense's argument that Trump was too busy to be involved in certain financial transactions.

“He’s in charge of a company for 40 years. The defendant’s entire business philosophy was to be involved in everything,” Steinglass said.

Prosecutor: Cohen's time being cross-examined exceeded his legal work for Trump in 2017

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said that Michael Cohen did very few hours of legal work for Trump on 2017, and that “these payments had nothing to do with the retainer agreement and nothing to do with services rendered in 2017.”

“Cohen spent more time being cross-examined in this trial than he did doing legal work for Donald Trump in 2017,” Steinglass said. He also told the jury that none of the Trump invoices went through the Trump Organization’s legal department because they weren’t for legal services rendered.

Steinglass also commented on how Cohen was paid pretty well, and had the title of personal attorney for the president.

“He was making way more money than any government job would ever pay, and don’t I know that,” Steinglass joked.

Some jurors cracked smiles and small laughs when Steinglass joked about government salaries compared to what Cohen was making.

Prosecutor says ‘these documents are so damning that you almost have to laugh’ at defense's argument

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the jury that “these documents are so damning that you almost have to laugh” at an argument presented by Trump’s defense.

Steinglass was referring to a comments by defense attorney Todd Blanche that the records were not false because, if they were false, they would have been destroyed.

Steinglass also argued that the 1099s forms on which Trump reported payments to Michael Cohen of $105,000 and $315,000 were another “unlawful means” through which the conspiracy was acted upon.

EXCLUSIVE: Elise Stefanik requests probe into Merchan's selection as judge

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., issued a complaint letter today to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct and an inspector general for the New York State Unified Court System, requesting an investigation into Judge Juan Merchan’s selection to preside over Trump’s hush money case.

Stefanik pointed to Merchan’s role as presiding judge for a pair of other cases related to Trump and his allies, saying, “The probability of three specific criminal cases being assigned to the same justice is infinitesimally small.”

“One cannot help but suspect that the ‘random selection’ at work in the assignment of Acting Justice Merchan, a Democrat Party donor, to these cases involving prominent Republicans, is in fact not random at all,” Stefanik wrote. “The simple answer to why Acting Justice Merchan has been assigned to these cases would seem to be that whoever made the assignment intentionally selected Acting Justice Merchan to handle them to increase the chance that Donald Trump, the Trump Organization, and Steven Bannon would ultimately be convicted.”

The letter marks a continued effort by Trump allies to attack people involved with the case by filing complaints. The board overseeing the judges has made clear that Merchan didn’t need to recuse himself over issues that some of his critics have called a conflict of interest.

Trump posts on Truth Social during break in courtroom action

Vaughn Hillyard

During the court's roughly 20-minute break, Trump on his Truth Social platform disparaged the proceedings as "boring" and a " filibuster ."

Trump's Truth Social account has been active today with posts referring to his criminal trial and the closing arguments, which have continued as the prosecution continues its argument into this evening.

Judge says closing arguments to continue into the evening

Adam Edelman

Judge Juan Merchan announced a short courtroom break and said the plan is to go until at least 7 p.m. and "finish this out if we can."

“I was watching the jurors, they look pretty alert to me. I don’t think we’re losing anyone. So I think right now we’re going to try to finish this out if we can," he told the attorneys.

“Let’s see what we can do," Merchan continued, adding that they will revisit the timeline at 7 p.m.

Prosecutor argues Trump didn't sign confidentiality agreement for a reason

Kyla Guilfoil

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass tried to turn one of defense attorney Todd Blanche’s better arguments on its head.

Steinglass said that Trump didn’t sign the agreement because that was the point: The agreement was no less enforceable without his signature.

The timing of the payment on Oct. 27, 2016, Steinglass argued, further showed that Trump's primary concern was not his family but the election.

Prosecutor seems to say for first time there were 2 calls between Cohen and Weisselberg in late October 2016

Rebecca Shabad is in Washington, D.C.

Joshua Steinglass mentioned that in the phone records they have, prosecutors saw six calls between Michael Cohen and Allen Weisselberg over three years, two of which were in late October 2016, right before the Stormy Daniels deal was reached.

This appears to be the first time the calls have been mentioned in the case.

Steinglass also emphasized that Trump and Cohen spoke twice on the morning of Oct. 26, 2016, right before Cohen went to First Republic to submit paperwork to open his new account and to send the wire transfer to Keith Davidson on Daniels’ behalf.

Prosecutor walks through Michael Cohen's bank papers

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is now going through the false claims and omissions in former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s paperwork to First Republic to open an account in the name of his new LLC.

Those forms could serve as the “unlawful means” through which the alleged conspiracy to promote Trump’s election was acted on.

Prosecutor: Stormy Daniels' testimony shows Trump was 'not just words'

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is going at Trump now, referring to Story Daniels' testimony to argue that Trump is "not just words."

"Stormy Daniels was a walking, talking reminder that Trump was not just words" at a time when Trump was trying to distinguish between his words and the actions of both Clintons, Steinglass said.

He also noted that Daniels' story got little to no traction until the day after the "Access Hollywood" tape became national news, with phone traffic exploding among Keith Davidson, Dylan Howard, Michael Cohen and Trump.

Prosecutor describes ramifications of the 'Access Hollywood' tape

After a brief break, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass resumed his closing argument by describing the "Access Hollywood" tape, which multiple witnesses during the trial described as catastrophic for Trump's 2016 campaign.

Steinglass said the tape eclipsed coverage of a Category 4 hurricane, according to Hope Hicks; debate prep at Trump Tower was disrupted as campaign leadership discussed how to respond; and elected Republicans raced to disavow Trump's comments on the tape, with some withdrawing their endorsements.

Trump aide Madeleine Westerhout testified that senior Republican National Committee officials were even discussing dropping Trump from the 2016 ticket, Steinglass said.

“The video was vulgar, to say the least," he added.

Prosecution's closing arguments are one-third of the way done

Asked by Judge Juan Merchan "how much longer" the prosecution's closing arguments would take, Joshua Steinglass replied that there was still a lot to get through.

"We’re about a third of the way through," he said.

The prosecution's closing arguments began today shortly before 2:15 p.m.

Prosecutor says Cohen-Trump call shows effort to influence 2016 election

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the jurors that it's their decision what the tape between Michael Cohen and Trump from Sept. 6, 2016, said.

Steinglass said it showed Trump suggested paying in cash — whether it means no financing, lump sum, it doesn’t matter, he said. Steinglass said they were trying to take steps that would not get noticed.

“This tape unequivocally shows a presidential candidate actively engaging in a scheme to influence the election," Steinglass said.

Prosecutor defends Michael Cohen's phone records

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is making arguments to defend Michael Cohen's phone records after the defense questioned their integrity.

Steinglass said that Cohen had no idea the Manhattan district attorney's office would ask for phone records again in January of last year, and there would be no conceivable reason for him to delete evidence of a crime he’d already been convicted and served time for.

Prosecution using graphics to illustrate points during closing arguments

The graphics that the Manhattan district attorney's team is using during their summation are high-tech and modern.

In presenting them, prosecutors are isolating certain calls and using zoom functions to highlight them. The graphics offer a clean and accessible way for the attorneys to illustrate their points to the jury.

Prosecutor: Call between David Pecker and Trump makes it 'impossible' to claim Cohen acted independently

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass discussed a call between David Pecker and Trump in which Pecker apprised him that Michael Cohen had told Trump about Karen McDougal coming forward.

"This call makes it impossible for the defense to claim that Cohen was acting on his own here," Steinglass said.

He said the transaction was an unlawful corporate contribution to the Trump campaign — and not only did Trump know about it, Steinglass said, but he participated as well.

Prosecutor details Karen McDougal catch-and-kill scheme

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is going through the Karen McDougal catch-and-kill scheme in minute detail — call by call, text by text and day by day.

Virtually no testimony is needed to illustrate the negotiations — and to the extent that testimony is used, it’s not from key witness and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. It's from David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer.

Analysis: Steinglass pokes hole in defense's argument around National Enquirer

Steinglass makes a very good point about the Dino Sajuddin story and corresponding payment.

Sajuddin is the former Trump Tower doorman who claims Trump fathered a child out of wedlock, a claim the former president has denied.

Given that everyone believed Sajuddin's claim to be false, purchasing the story was not something David Pecker did because of his fiduciary duty to shareholders; there was no reason to do it other than to benefit the 2016 Trump campaign.

Steinglass calls 2015 meeting at Trump Tower a 'subversion of democracy'

Steinglass characterized a meeting at Trump Tower almost a decade ago as a “subversion of democracy.”

He said the entire purpose of the August 2015 meeting was to “pull the wool over [voters’] eyes” before they made their decisions.

He also pointed out that while NDAs are not unlawful, nor are contracts illegal, a contract to kill your wife is illegal, and therefore an NDA designed to prevent certain information from becoming public during a political campaign is also illegal.

Steinglass tells jurors to think of Cohen as a 'tour guide'

Daniel Arkin

Trump's lawyers repeatedly attempted to make Cohen's trustworthiness and motives a focal point of the trial — a strategy that Steinglass flat-out rejected in his summations. "This case is not about Michael Cohen," Steinglass told the jury. "This case is about Donald Trump."

Steinglass encouraged the jury to instead think of Cohen as a "tour guide" through the evidence introduced during the proceedings, including what the state has presented as falsified business records aimed at covering up an election law violation. Cohen, according to Steinglass, "provides context and color to the documents" — but he is not the trial's main character.

Steinglass begins touching on campaign finance violations

Steinglass is teasing the crux of the prosecution’s argument, saying, “Once money starts changing hands on behalf of the campaign, that’s election law — that’s federal election campaign finance violation.”

“We’ll get back to that,” he adds.

Prosecution argues there is a 'mountain of evidence' against Trump

Steinglass is fighting back against the defense's rhetoric that the only evidence in this case came from Michael Cohen's testimony.

The prosecutor told the jury that Judge Merchan will say Cohen is an accomplice because he participated in these crimes, but you cannot convict Trump on Cohen’s word alone — unless there is corroborating evidence.

Steinglass said that there is a mountain of evidence in the case, saying "it’s difficult to conceive of a case with more corroboration than this one.”

Steinglass looks to counter questions on details of Cohen's stories

Steinglass is now using an imaginary conversation to explain Cohen’s retelling of some of the stories or dates he’d recounted to the jury that Trump’s lawyers had questioned.

“These guys know each other well, they speak in code. A better explanation is that Cohen could have gotten the time and place of the call wrong. This is one date in many, he spoke to the defendant 20 times in the month of October,” Steinglass said.

“Let’s say you had dinner at a restaurant with an old friend and the friend says they were getting married. Later you find a receipt and think that was the night they told you they were getting married, but found out the friend was actually in California on that night. That does not mean that you are lying about the fact that you had dinner with the friend or about the fact that your friend told you they were getting married,” Steinglass said.

Steinglass: We didn't pick Cohen at the 'witness store'

Steinglass is forcefully pushing back on the Trump team's attempts to tarnish Cohen's character and motives, reminding the jury that the ex-fixer was once a valued member of the former president's inner circle: "We didn't choose Michael Cohen. We didn't pick him up at the witness store. Mr. Trump chose Mr. Cohen for the same qualities his attorneys now urge you to reject."

Cohen's top quality was loyalty to his former boss, Steinglass said. Cohen was "drawn to the defendant like a moth to a flame, and he wasn't the only one. David Pecker saw Mr. Trump as a mentor; Mr. Trump saw David Pecker as a useful tool."

On Trump attacks on Cohen: 'That is what some people might call chutzpah'

Steinglass is explaining that Cohen had lied at Trump’s direction and that Trump was now using those lies to harm Cohen’s credibility in the trial.

“The defense also tells you you should reject his testimony because he lied and took pleas in federal court. He has had some trouble accepting responsibility,” Steinglass said. “For bank fraud conviction and his tax law violation, he said he admitted to you that he did the things. He pleaded guilty.”

“He feels like he was treated unfairly and as a first offender he should have been able to pay a fine and back taxes and he believes the Trump Justice Department did him dirty. Whether that is true or not, he accepted responsibility and went to prison for it,” Steinglass added.

“You should consider all of this for his credibility” he continued. “The lies he told to Congress had to do with the Mueller investigation and the Russia probe, and what he lied about was the number of dealings the defendant had with Russia, and the only benefit was he stayed in the defendant’s good graces.”

“Those lies that he told are being used by the same defendant to undermine his credibility,” Steinglass said. 

“That is what some people might call chutzpah,” he added, using a Yiddish word meaning audacity.

Prosecution is careful to repeatedly call Trump 'the defendent'

There’s subtle but notable rhetorical move happening in this closing by the prosecution.

Steinglass is repeatedly referring to Trump as “the defendant” instead of “Mr. Trump” or “the former president.” This contrasts greatly from the defense's language, as Trump's lawyers almost always refer to him as "the president."

It will be important to watch for Steinglass to argue at some point that no one is above the law, even the former president of the United States -- something we’ve seen other state and federal prosecutors say about Trump over the last year.

Steinglass focuses on inconsistencies in defense argument

Steinglass zeroed in on an example of what the prosecution considers an inconsistency in the defense team's case. He told the jury that if the $420,000 payment for Cohen was for legal services, as the defense argued, Cohen could not have stolen $60,000 from the Trump Organization, as the defense also argued. It's either one or the other, the prosecutor argues — not both.

Steinglass: 'I'm not asking you to feel bad for Michael Cohen'

Steinglass is trying to reason with the jury, telling the jurors that they don't need to feel bad for Cohen, but they should understand where Cohen is coming from.

“I am not asking you to feel bad for Michael Cohen. He made his bed," Steinglass said.

“But you can hardly blame him that he’s making money for the one thing he has left," he added, referencing Cohen's knowledge of the inner workings of the Trump organization.

Steinglass admits that Daniels’ testimony was “messy” — but 'Stormy Daniels is the motive'

Steinglass is laying out how “the defense has gone to great lengths to shame Stormy Daniels, saying that she changed her story” but adds that “her false denials have been thoroughly discussed and explained.”

“She lived 2017 in pure silence, Michael Cohen came out and said sex never happened” and Daniels “felt compelled to set the record straight,” he said.

Steinglass said that “parts of her testimony” were “cringeworthy” and “uncomfortable.”

But details like “what the suite” at Harrah’s “looked like” and how the toiletry bag appeared “ring true.”

“They’re the kind of details you’d expect someone to remember,” Steinglass explained, adding that, “fortunately, she was not asked or did she volunteer specific details of the sexual act itself.”

“It certainly is true you don’t have to prove that sex took place — that is not an element of the crime, the defendant knew what happened and reinforces the incentive to buy her silence,” explained Steinglass.

“Her story is messy,” he said. “But that’s kind of the point. That’s the display the defendant didn’t want the American voter to see.”

“If her testimony were so irrelevant, why did they work so hard to discredit her?” he added. “In the simplest terms, Stormy Daniels is the motive.”

Steinglass undercuts defense argument that Trump was totally in the dark on Daniels payment

Steinglass displayed quotes from one of the state's exhibits: a phone call in which Cohen — well before he started cooperating with prosecutors — tells Davidson that Trump hates the fact that his team settled with Daniels.

The quotes undercut the defense team's insistence that Trump knew nothing about the hush money payments to Daniels.

Steinglass to jury: You don't need to believe Cohen to find there was a conspiracy

Steinglass defended the state's witnesses against the Trump team's accusations of lying, but he added that the jury does not necessarily need to believe every word of Cohen's testimony to find that there was a conspiracy to unlawfully influence the 2016 election.

"You don’t need Michael Cohen to prove that one bit," Steinglass said, referring to the state's accusation of a conspiracy.

He added that Hope Hicks, Rhona Graff, Madeleine Westerhout, Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tarasoff were all witnesses who like Trump but confirmed Cohen's testimony.

Steinglass: 'You don't get to commit election fraud or falsify your business records'

Steinglass is appealing to the jury by explaining to them that it doesn't really matter why Trump broke the law, as long as they feel he did break the law. The argument appears to be a response to the claim by Blanche, during his own closing arguments, that Stormy Daniels had attempted to extort Trump.

"In the end it doesn’t really matter, because you don't get to commit election fraud or falsify your business records because you think you’ve been victimized," he said.

"In other words, extortion is not a defense for falsifying business records," he added.

"You've got to use your common sense, here," Steinglass continued. "Consider the utterly damning testimony of David Pecker."

Steinglass rebuts defense arguments about phone records

"The defense seems to be questioning our integrity,” Steinglass told the jury near the top of his summation.

But, he argued, it was the defense that didn't properly depict phone records.

The call summaries were made to help guide you, the prosecutor explained to the jury. The phone records are all in evidence and you can look through them at your leisure, he added.

It’s also an interesting accusation, Steinglass points out, given that the defense’s summary of calls between Cohen and Costello double-counts their calls. He also reminds them that not every phone call is accounted for in their phone records. Cohen had 11 phone numbers for Trump; they had records corresponding to two of them.

Prosecution kicks off closing arguments

The prosecution is now kicking off its closing arguments. Joshua Steinglass will give them.

Merchan told jury to disregard Blanche's 'prison' comment

Merchan, who chastised Blanche for imploring jurors not to send Trump to prison, told the jury that the lawyer's comment was "improper, and you must disregard it."

"If there is a verdict of guilty," the judge added, "it will be up to me to impose a sentence."

He went on to explain that a "prison sentence is not required in the event of a guilty verdict."

We are back

Merchan is at the bench. Trump is seated at the defense table.

Trump's family shows support outside the courthouse

Trump's sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump along with Eric's wife, Lara Trump, the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, slammed the proceedings in remarks to reporters outside the courthouse during the lunch break.

"Michael Cohen is the embodiment of reasonable doubt," Donald Jr. said. "This entire case hinges on someone who has quite literally lied to every single person and body he's ever been in front of in his life before."

Both he and Eric Trump echoed their father's often repeated characterization of the trial, calling it a "political witch hunt" and a "sham."

Eric went on to say that the district attorney's office is ignoring crimes across the city and using the trial to attack Trump.

"They're sitting there, they're laughing, they're giggling," Eric said. "This was their moment. This is how they embarrass Donald Trump."

Laura Trump added that the trial has been "banana republic-type stuff."

"This is a case about politics, pure and simple," she said.  

After walking away from the news conference, Donald Trump Jr. added that Democrats "talk about democracy but are laughing about it like it's a soundbite," and claimed they are “trying to scare anyone who has any kind of belief that doesn’t go 100% with what they believe.”

Merchan says he will give curative instructions after Blanche's 'prison' comment

Merchan appeared to chastise Blanche after the defense lawyer implored jurors not to send Trump to prison — an unlikely outcome in this case

"I think that statement was outrageous, Mr. Blanche," Merchan said after jurors were excused for their daily lunch break, later adding: "It's simply not allowed. Period. It’s hard for me to imagine how that was accidental in any way."

Merchan told the court that he plans to give jurors a curative instruction — in other words, general direction that is aimed at clearing up an erroneous statement.

Prosecutor slams Blanche's 'prison' comment

Joshua Steinglass, the prosecutor who is expected to deliver the state's closing arguments, blasted Blanche's comment to the jury about prison time as a "blatant and wholly inappropriate move" by the defense.

Steinglass asked Merchan to provide a curative instruction, a direction given by a judge to correct an erroneous statement.

Trump lawyer tells jurors that 'this isn't a referendum on your views of' Trump

Summer Concepcion

Toward the end of his closing arguments, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told jurors that the verdict “isn’t a referendum on your views of” Trump, or “a referendum on the ballot box,” stressing the importance of basing their decision on evidence that emerged throughout the trial.

“If you focus just on the evidence you heard in this courtroom, this is a very very quick and easy not guilty verdict. Thank you,” he said.

‘You are gangsters!’: Robert De Niro clashes with Trump supporters in New York

Katherine Doyle

Amanda Terkel Politics Managing Editor

President Joe Biden’s campaign held a news conference outside the Manhattan courtroom where  Donald Trump is on trial  in his hush money case, with actor Robert De Niro and  two officers who defended the Capitol  from the Jan. 6 mob warning about the dangers of re-electing the former president.

“The Twin Towers fell just over here, just over there. This part of the city was like a ghost town, but we vowed we would not allow terrorists to change our way of life. ... I love this city. I don’t want to destroy it. Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city, but the country, and eventually he can destroy the world,” De Niro said.

Afterward, on the way back to his car, De Niro mixed it up with some pro-Trump protesters, who yelled that he’s a “wannabe,” “paid sell-out” to the Democratic National Committee, “nobody” and a “little punk” whose “movies suck.”

“You’re not going to intimidate,” De Niro replied. “That’s what Trump does. ... We are going to fight back. We’re trying to be gentlemen in this world, the Democrats. You are gangsters. You are gangsters!”

Read the full story here.

Blanche finishes summation

Blanche finished his summation at 12:49 p.m. ET, about three hours after he began the closing arguments.

Blanche refers to jail time

Blanche told the jurors: "You cannot send someone to prison based on the words of Michael Cohen."

It's worth noting that it's unlikely the former president will be sentenced to prison in this case.

Blanche says Michael Cohen is the 'GLOAT'

Blanche says that Michael Cohen is the "greatest liar of all time."

“Michael Cohen is the GLOAT. He’s literally the greatest liar of all time," Blanche said, a play on the sports term GOAT "greatest of all time. “He has lied to every single branch of Congress.”

He added, “He has lied to the Department of Justice.”

Blanche outlines 10 reasons why he believes jury should have reasonable doubt

Blanche presented jurors with a list:

• The invoices. Blanche argues Cohen created the invoices, Trump had no intent to defraud, and prosecutors did not present evidence that Trump knew about them.
• Valentine's Day 2017 vouchers. Blanche argues there is no proof Trump ever saw the vouchers.
• No evidence of intent to defraud.
• No evidence to commit or conceal a crime. "There is no falsification of business records, period," Blanche argued.
• No evidence Trump was involved in illegal agreement to influence election.
• AMI would have run Sajudin's story. Dino Sajudin is the former Trump Tower doorman who tried to sell a story about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock.
• McDougal did not want her story published .
• Daniels' story was already public .
• Alleged manipulation of evidence .
• Cohen is the "embodiment of reasonable doubt." "He lied to you repeatedly," Blanche said. "He is biased and motivated to tell you a story that is not true."

Blanche insists there was no felony because even if there was a conspiracy, it wasn't through 'unlawful means'

Blanche is insisting that there can be no felony falsification of business records because even if there was a conspiracy to influence the election, it was not carried out through any “unlawful means.”

To support his “no unlawful means” argument, Blanche said there is no proof Trump ever knew, for example, about certain paperwork Michael Cohen submitted to his bank or paperwork prepared to transfer Karen McDougal’s life rights from AMI to Trump.

Trump’s knowledge, however, is not required. All that matters legally is that a member of the conspiracy undertook those “unlawful means.”

Trump lawyer plays audio of Cohen screaming on his podcast

After playing audio of Cohen excitedly talking about the prospect of Trump being convicted, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche then played two excerpts of Cohen screaming on his podcast in a tone virtually unrecognizable to anyone who has encountered him only here.

This was more effective than most moments today.

Blanche says Michael Cohen is the 'MVP of liars'

Blanche said that Michael Cohen has lied to his family, including his wife and kids, his banker, the Federal Election Commission, reporters, Congress, prosecutors, business associates and bosses.

"He's literally like the MVP of liars," Blanche said.

Blanche raises his voice in accusing Cohen of lying

Blanche began shouting as he again accused Cohen of lying under oath. He reminded jurors that Cohen testified that he called Trump on Oct. 24, 2016, to provide an update on the Daniels situation, "It was a lie!" he said, pointing out that the call was actually to Trump's bodyguard, Keith Schiller.

"That was a lie and he got caught red-handed,” Blanche added.

Blanche accuses the prosecution of using Stormy Daniels to inflame jury

Over objections by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, Blanche is accusing the prosecution of calling Stormy Daniels as a witness at trial, but not calling her as a grand jury witness.

Blanche is arguing it was intended to inflame the jury’s emotions and to embarrass the former president.

The jury didn't appear to react to that statement.

Trump lawyer portrays Trump as the victim of the infamous 'Access Hollywood' tape

Jonathan Allen

Blanche may be the first person to portray Trump as the victim of the “Access Hollywood” tape .

Though Blanche says it was not “so catastrophic” as to motivate Trump to break the law — more precisely, that there’s “no evidence” that it was — he says this of the release of the video Oct. 7, 2016: “This was an extremely personal event for President Trump. Nobody wants their family to be subjected to that sort of thing.”

(The video had Trump on a hot mic discussing getting away with assaulting women because he was famous.)

Blanche accuses Daniels of 'extortion,' and the prosecution stays mum (for now)

Blanche just said of Daniels’ nondisclosure agreement: “This started out as an extortion and it ended up very well for Ms. Daniels, there’s no doubt about that.”

The prosecution has not objected to Blanche’s repeated use of the word “extortion,” which suggests a crime was committed. That could be a strategic choice, because what they say in refuting that characterization during their own summation could be more memorable and powerful than a sustained objection.

Blanche claims that threats against Stormy Daniels never happened

Blanche said that Stormy Daniels decided to go public with her story supposedly because she was trying to protect herself from threats in a parking lot that she received five years earlier.

Blanche said, however, that there are recordings that show that's not true. He said Michael Avenatti, Gina Rodriguez and Daniels were lying about these threats.

“They never happened," Blanche said. “The recording makes clear that Ms. Daniels lied to you.”

Blanche has resumed his summation

The morning break is over and Trump's defense team is continuing with its closing arguments.

Blanche said he expects about 30 to 40 more minutes.

Trial takes a break

The trial took a quick break starting at 11:35 a.m.

Blanche questions why no one in Trump campaign addressed Stormy Daniels issue in April 2016

Blanche questions why no one in the campaign did anything about Stormy Daniels in April 2016 when her manager reached out about it.

But Blanche's point ignores the impact that the leak of the "Access Hollywood" tape in October 2016 had on the campaign. Trump's campaign was beleaguered by accusations of sexism as a result of the tape, so Daniels' claim may have had more of an impact.

Fight appears to break out between pro-Trump supporters outside the courthouse

Elizabeth Maline

A fight appears to have broken out between pro-Trump supporters in Columbus Park across the street from the courthouse.

New York City Police Department officers were seen hopping over the fence into the park to respond to the clash.

Blanche tries to impress upon jury that Cohen's recording of Trump call is unreliable

Blanche wants the jury to believe that Michael Cohen's recording of the call with Trump is unreliable because it cuts off early.

But more than that, Blanche is trying to tell the jury that the transcript of what they have is unreliable because while the recording discussed AMI and Pecker, there is doubt that they are talking about Karen McDougal, whose name is never mentioned, or any payment of $150,000, which cannot be heard on the tape.

Blanche says they were “talking past each other,” and that Cohen’s invocation of “financing” shocked Trump, who had no idea what was going on, and that Cohen’s interpretation of “cash” to mean actual bills is a fiction designed to make the conversation sound more sinister.

Trump team responds outside courthouse immediately following Biden campaign

Moments after the Biden campaign finished its remarks outside the courthouse, Trump campaign members went to the microphone to speak.

Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the campaign, called the Biden campaign's decision to have Robert De Niro — whom he called a "washed-up actor" — speak today as a way to "try to change the subject" from Biden's "falling" poll numbers.

Karoline Leavitt, a Trump campaign spokesperson, called the Biden team's conference "a full-blown confession that this trial is a witch hunt."

"This is a disgrace. President Trump has been locked up in that courtroom for six weeks," Leavitt said. "But guess what, the American people see through this witch hunt, this scam, and that's why President Trump continues to rise in the polls."

Leavitt added that Biden is "weak" and "pathetic" and is using "elitist, out-of-touch Hollywood actors like Robert De Niro who have no idea the real problems that people in this city and across this country are facing." 

Blanche accuses Cohen of lying about Pecker lunch. Pecker didn't dispute it, though.

Blanche is continuing his effort to convince jurors that Cohen is a shameless liar. "Remember when Cohen told you he had lunch with Pecker?" Blanche told the jury. "Pecker said he was really frustrated that he was not getting paid for the McDougal story. Ladies and gentlemen, that lunch did not happen. Cohen made it up."

However, Blanche and Trump's other lawyers never entered any evidence backing up that claim — and Pecker during his testimony did not dispute that the lunch happened.

Blanche appears to want to have it both ways regarding David Pecker

Blanche appears to want it both ways regarding Pecker.

On one hand, he has characterized David Pecker as a “truth teller” and someone who, because of Pecker's immunity deal with the Manhattan DA, had no incentive to lie.

But Blanche also tells the jury that Pecker’s explanation that if the story from Trump Tower doorman Dino Sajuddin had been true, he would have published it — but only after the election — is not entirely credible because such a major story would have been published immediately.

Blanche argues the effort to silence Karen McDougal wasn't a 'catch and kill'

Blanche argued that the effort to silence Karen McDougal "is not a catch and kill either" because she didn't want her story published.

Blanche said McDougal wanted to kick-start her career, be on the cover of magazines and write articles. He said it wasn't McDougal's intention to publish her story.

"She didn't want her story published," he said.

Former Capitol police officers campaign for Biden outside courthouse

Harry Dunn, a former Capitol Police officer, and Michael Fanone, a former D.C. Metropolitan Police officer, who defended the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack, spoke in support of the Biden campaign outside of the courthouse today.

Fanone, who suffered a brain injury and a heart attack in the assault, recounted the attack adding that "if Jan. 6 didn't happen, we wouldn't be here right now, I'd still be at work."

Dunn went on to say that Trump is "the greatest threat to our democracy and to the safety of communities across the country today."

"Trump does whatever will get him votes and helps Donald Trump," he said.

Blanche mixes up details in 'catch and kill' cases

Reporting from Manhattan criminal court

Blanche has been walking through each of the stories that were caught and killed. But he is mixing up details. He mentioned, for example, that Karen McDougal’s business manager was Gina Rodriguez. But Rodriguez worked for Stormy Daniels, not McDougal.

Analysis: Blanche's assertions about the Enquirer don't really hold up to scrutiny

Blanche is arguing that the Enquirer’s reach was not wide enough to influence the election. But especially in today’s social media-fueled age, the idea that a story’s reach is limited to the publication’s own distribution is simply untrue. More significantly, however, the Enquirer’s influence here was in preventing certain stories from ever seeing the light of day.

Blanche pushes back on idea that the Enquirer could influence an election

Blanche, attempting to undercut one of the key planks of the prosecution's narrative, told the jury that it's absurd to believe that positive stories in the National Enquirer could affect the outcome of an American election.

"The idea that even sophisticated people like President Trump and David Pecker believed that positive stories in the National Enquirer could influence the 2016 election is preposterous," Blanche said, referring to the former publisher of the tabloid magazine. He went on to say that many of the articles published in the Enquirer were recycled from other outlets.

Pecker testified earlier in the trial that he purchased potentially damaging stories about Trump and then made sure they never saw the light of day — a practice known as "catch and kill." He also testified that his editorial team attempted to run more glowing stories about Trump in the lead-up to the 2016 election.

Robert De Niro condemns Trump in fiery remarks outside courthouse: 'He could destroy the world'

Actor Robert De Niro spoke to the press as a surrogate for the Biden campaign outside the courthouse, railing against Trump.

"I love this city. I don’t want to destroy it," De Niro, a native New Yorker, said.

"Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city, but the country and eventually he could destroy the world," he continued.

De Niro, who has also appeared in ads for the Biden campaign, condemned Trump for the violence that occurred Jan. 6 at the Capitol, arguing that if Trump wins in November, "he will never leave."

At the end of De Niro's remarks, a Trump supporter in the crowd called the two former police officers standing with De Niro — both present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — "traitors."

The actor engaged in a back-and-forth with the man in the crowd, defending the officers, Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone.

"They stood there. They didn’t have to," De Niro said. "They stood there and fought for us. They fought for you, buddy. You’re able to stand right here."

"They are the true heroes. I’m honored to be with these two heroes today," De Niro continued.

Blanche says every campaign is a 'conspiracy to promote a candidate'

Blanche said that the prosecution wants the jury to believe that the entire scheme was to promote Trump's successful candidacy in 2016.

“Even if you find that’s true, that’s still not enough. It doesn’t matter — as I said to you in the opening statement — it doesn’t matter if there was a conspiracy to win the election," Blanche said. “Every campaign is a conspiracy to promote a candidate.”

Blanche hammers on the question of Trump's intent to defraud

Blanche asked the jury: "Where is the intent to defraud on the part of President Trump?" He then showed a slide labeled "No Intent to Defraud."

The exact language of the charges against Trump in this case accuse the former president of breaking various laws with the "intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof."

Biden campaign arrives with Robert De Niro outside courthouse

Biden campaign members have arrived outside the courthouse with actor Robert De Niro and Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who was attacked in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Blanche again suggests Cohen was bitter

Blanche asked the jurors whether they "believe for a second that, after getting stiffed on his bonus in 2016, when he thought he worked so hard," Cohen would then "want to work for free" for Trump.

"Was that the man who testified," Blanche asked rhetorically, "or was that a lie?"

Cohen did indeed testify that he was upset after he did not receive a holiday season bonus after the 2016 presidential election, but he repeatedly rejected the defense team's suggestions that bitterness and vindictiveness drove him to cooperate with prosecutors.

Blanche then argued it was "absurd" that Trump would agree to pay Cohen $420,000 even though the former president owed him only $130,000.

Blanche suggests Trump, as president, was too busy to be part of 'scheme'

Blanche repeatedly refers to Trump being in the White House when the repayments were made. He was very busy, Blanche said. That he was somehow in on a “scheme” to conceal a repayment is “absurd,” he added

His argument also reminds the jury this is no normal defendant: It’s the former president of the United States.

It’s an interesting line to to walk: Trump is so careful about his finances that he would never overpay, but he was also so busy in the White House that he was sometimes careless and wouldn’t know what he was paying for.

Blanche says prosecutors asked jury to believe Michael Cohen

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said, “What the people have done, what the government did for the last five weeks, at the end of the day, is ask you to believe the man who testified two weeks ago, Michael Cohen.”

Blanche rejects assertion that Trump had full knowledge

Blanche told jurors it was "a stretch" that Trump always "had full knowledge of what was happening" inside the Trump Organization and his other business enterprises.

"That is reasonable doubt, ladies and gentlemen," he said.

Trump lawyer says there's nothing 'sinister or criminal' about the word 'retainer'

Blanche commented on the fact that retainer was listed as the reason for the reimbursement checks from Trump to Cohen.

"There's nothing sinister or criminal about that word," Blanche said.

Blanche said it wasn't put there by Trump or Allen Weisselberg but by Trump Organization accounting employee Deb Tarasoff, who testified earlier in the trial.

What was missing from the chart put up on the screen

When Blanche put up a visual aid for the jurors showing invoices, vouchers and checks, the most glaringly noticeable line on any of the documents was the very familiar, thick-lettered signature of Donald Trump.

Blanche calls attention to the fact that Don Jr. and Eric Trump weren't called as witnesses

As Blanche is calling attention to the fact that Don Jr. and Eric Trump were not called as witnesses, they are sitting in the front row of the courtroom behind their dad.

“The burden is always on the government, they make decisions about who to call," Blanche said, adding, “They did not call Don or Eric.”

The jury did not look over at the Trump children.

Blanche tries to steer jury away from old Trump books

Blanche tells the jury to be wary if the prosecution starts reading from an old Trump book to help prove how involved the former president was in his company’s accounting system.

Those books were co-written by ghostwriters, Blanche says, implying the ghostwriters did the due diligence of figuring out the system in lieu of Trump’s personal knowledge.

Blanche tries to address toughest evidence before prosecution gets to it

Blanche is working hard to try to pre-empt certain arguments the jury is likely to hear from the prosecution after he sits down. Because he goes first and the prosecution will have the last word -- per New York law -- he can’t afford not to address the toughest evidence for his client. 

Blanche pushes back on hush money argument

Blanche appeared to suggest that Cohen received retainer payments not because of the hush money arrangement but because he was Trump's personal attorney.

"There’s a reason why in life usually the simplest answer is the right one, and that’s certainly the case here. That the story Mr. Cohen told you on that witness stand is not true.” 

Cohen was paid $35,000 a month by Trump to be his attorney, Blanche said.

Blanche planting the seeds of reasonable doubt

Blanche is doing two things simultaneously to plant seeds of reasonable doubt early in this closing argument — establish that the internal records at the heart of this case weren't falsified and that Michael Cohen is a liar.

Blanche argues Michael Cohen was working as Trump's personal lawyer

Trump attorney Todd Blanche argued that Michael Cohen was serving as Trump's personal attorney, which he said was not in dispute.

“He talked to every reporter that he could, pushing the fact that he was going to be the personal attorney to President Trump," Blanche said. “This was not a secret. Michael Cohen was President Trump’s personal attorney. Period.”

Biden's campaign set to hold press conference outside the courthouse

President Joe Biden's campaign is scheduled to hold a news conference outside the court this morning at 10:15 ET.

The news conference is set to include the campaign team and "special guests," although the news release didn't say who they would be.

Trump lawyer argues invoices were false and there was no intent to defraud

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche argued that the invoices weren't false and there was no intent to defraud — and that if the jurors are so convinced, they don't have to go further.

As a matter of law, Blanche is correct, but it is also the case that the requisite intent to defraud is defined as including the intent to commit or conceal another crime.

Put another way, if the jurors believe the documents are false, they do have to confront whether Trump intended to conceal the underlying alleged conspiracy.

Jury sees chart that won't be put into evidence

Blanche displayed a chart on the courtroom screen showing what it presented as various financial records, including Cohen's invoices (which were then turned into vouchers, and then turned into checks).

The chart will not be put into evidence, so the jury can't refer back to it — and the general public may never see it publicly produced.

Trump lawyer accuses Michael Cohen of lying for likely the first of many times today

It's 9:48 a.m. and Trump lawyer Todd Blanche just accused Michael Cohen of lying — the first of many times we're likely to hear that claim today.

Blanche: 'This is a paper case'

Blanche continues his sentiment that the testimony that the jury has heard thus far is not enough to convict Trump. Instead, Blanche argues the true evidence for this case lies in documents.

"This case is about documents, it’s a paper case," Blanche said.

Blanche went on to argue that the case is not about Stormy Daniels, but instead about the payments Trump made to Michael Cohen.

“Were those bookings done with an intent to defraud? That’s why you’re here. And the answer to that — to those questions is absolutely positively not," Blanche said.

"The bookings were accurate, and there was absolutely no intent to defraud. And beyond that, there was no conspiracy," he continued.

Blanche tries to undercut Cohen and Daniels testimony

Blanche tells the jury members that “they should want and expect more than the testimony of Michael Cohen. ... You should want and expect more than the word of a woman who claims something happened in 2006.”

He continues by saying they should want and expect more than the testimony of Keith Davidson, who was trying to extort Trump. Notably, the district attorney's office does not object to the characterization of what happened as attempted or actual extortion.

Trump lawyer reiterates to jury that his client is innocent

Trump attorney Todd Blanche told the jury that they, as a group of citizens, decide the facts and decide whether Trump is guilty or not guilty. He said he wanted to repeat what he told them five weeks ago.

“President Trump is innocent," Blanche said. "He did not commit any crimes, and the district attorney has not met their burden of proof. Period.”

Blanche starts his closing arguments

Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche began giving his closing arguments at about 9:40 a.m. ET. He said that he expects he'll need 2½ hours to deliver the end of the defense's case.

He briefly put up a PowerPoint presentation and then took it down.

Merchan to jurors: You are the judges of the facts

Merchan is giving jurors an overview of what they're going to hear today from lawyers on both sides of the case. He explained that the summations "provide each lawyer the opportunity to review the evidence and give you the conclusions that can be drawn."

"You are the finders of fact, and it is for you and for you alone to determine the facts from the evidence," the judge told the jury.

He reminded the jury that the "lawyers are not witnesses," adding that nothing they say in their summations constitutes "evidence."

"You and you alone are the judges of the facts in this case," Merchan said.

Judge tells prosecution and defense: Don't go into the law

Before the jury entered, Judge Merchan told both the prosecution and defense teams that they shouldn't explain the law to the jurors during summation.

"Please do not go into the law. Stay away from the law," he said. "That'll be my job. I'll take care of it."

District attorney staff members are watching from the overflow room

As proceedings begin today, more than eight secondary members of the prosecution team have come into the overflow room to watch the trial.

The members present appear to be senior leadership from the district attorney’s office, including First Assistant District Attorney Meg Reiss and former Executive Assistant District Attorney Peter Pope, who led the investigation of this case leading to the grand jury’s indictment.

The staff members are seated in the jury box in the overflow room -- an area we have not seen used before for seating.

How long will summations last?

Todd Blanche, Trump's lawyer, estimates he'll need around 2½ hours to deliver his closing argument. He goes first.

Joshua Steinglass, one of the prosecutors, says he'll need "somewhere in the vicinity of 4 to 4½ hours."

Trump says 'this is a dark day in America' before heading into courtroom for closing arguments

Shortly before heading into the courtroom for closing arguments, Trump repeated his claims that he was forced to attend courtroom proceedings in the hush money trial because of President Joe Biden, without providing evidence.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee griped that the trial is “election hunting, election interfering” because it is an effort to go after Biden’s political opponent.

Trump again accused Judge Merchan of being “highly conflicted” and “corrupt” and read aloud quotes from legal analysts who support his assertions that the former president did not commit wrongdoing in the case.

Trump also complained about Merchan’s gag order that bars him from making disparaging comments against his family members and others involved in the case, saying that it’s an “unconstitutional thing” to impose on a presidential candidate.

“This is not a trial that should happen. It’s a very sad day. This is a dark day in America,” he said. “We have a rigged court case that should have never been brought, and it should have been brought in another jurisdiction.”

Jury instructions set in stone

Judge Merchan says that he provided the jury instructions to the defense and prosecution on Thursday afternoon and that neither side has commented on them. They are now final.

Merchan is on the stand and they're ready on go

The judge has taken his seat and proceedings are about to get underway.

The prosecution and defense in Trump’s criminal hush money trial will begin making their closing arguments to the jury today as the first criminal trial of a former president enters its final phase. NBC’s Laura Jarrett reports and Hallie Jackson provides analysis for "TODAY."

‘Phony’ checks and hush money payments: Breaking down Trump’s 34 charges in his New York criminal trial

JoElla Carman

Trump faces 34 felony counts in the New York hush money trial that is expected to potentially wrap up as early as this week.

Here's what to know about the charges.

Biden campaign preps for a Trump trial verdict: From the Politics Desk

Monica Alba

Natasha Korecki

Mike Memoli

President Joe Biden has largely steered clear of Trump’s legal woes. But with a verdict in the  hush money trial  coming as soon as this week, Biden’s campaign is exploring a shift to a new, more aggressive posture, according to two people familiar with the strategy. 

Regardless of the outcome, top Biden campaign officials plan to stress to voters that Trump will be on the ballot in the fall and that no potential court proceeding will change that fact.

A person familiar with the discussions summed it up this way: “Donald Trump’s legal troubles are not going to keep him out of the White House. Only one thing will do that: voting this November for Joe Biden.” 

Trump has departed for the courthouse

Brittany Kubicko

The former president has left Trump Tower for the courthouse downtown.

Rudy Giuliani's son argues with anti-Israel protester outside court

Former New York gubernatorial candidate Andrew Giuliani started a heated argument with a protester who was shouting antisemitic tropes outside the courthouse this morning.

Giuliani, a former Trump White House official and the son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, followed the demonstrator who was wearing a ski mask around a protest zone and yelled at the man about the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

The protester carried a sign with numbers representing Gazans who have been killed in the ensuing conflict and voiced canards about Jews controlling the U.S. government and the entertainment industry.

Trump's guests in court today

Jake Traylor

Matt Korade

Several of Trump's children will be in court for closing arguments, including Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and his wife, Lara Trump, who is the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, as well as Tiffany Trump, the former president's only daughter with his ex-wife Marla Maples, and her husband, Michael Boulos.

Also in attendance will be Trump's longtime friend Steve Witkoff, a real-estate investor who testified as a defense expert in Trump’s Manhattan civil fraud trial , Will Scharf, a lawyer for Trump who is running for attorney general in Missouri against Republican incumbent Andrew Bailey, and Deroy Murdock, a contributing editor for National Review Online.

Trump lawyer says she has 'zero confidence' Judge Merchan will issue jury instructions 'in an appropriate manner'

Trump legal spokesperson Alina Habba on Sunday expressed concerns about jury instructions in the hush money trial against the former president and the jurors not being sequestered over the holiday weekend.

“Generally, as an attorney, as an American who understands the law and how to apply to laws to facts, there are no facts that support this alleged crime,” Habba said during an interview on Fox News “Sunday Morning Futures.” “We’re not even sure what the crime is. So it’s a books and records issue.”

Habba echoed Trump’s claims that Merchan is “severely conflicted” without evidence, noting the judge’s gag order that bars Trump from issuing disparaging comments on his family members and others involved in the case. Trump has repeatedly accused Merchan of being “conflicted,” often citing his daughter’s work at a digital fundraising and advertising firm that often collaborates with Democratic politicians.

“This judge is the judge that determines the jury instructions. The jury instructions are the road map for non-attorneys and jurors to follow the law,” she said. “It’s going to be critical, and frankly, at this point, I have zero confidence in the fact that this person, who should not be sitting on the bench right now, will do the right thing and give jury instructions that are in an appropriate manner without any persuasion towards the prosecution.”

Habba then raised concerns about jurors not being sequestered over the holiday weekend, arguing that they could be swayed by family and friends who have certain opinions.

“They should have been sequestered because, in my opinion, these jurors are handling something that is completely unprecedented and unwarranted in America, and for them to be able to be out and about on a holiday weekend with friends and families who have opinions, who are watching the news TVs on the background at the pool party — I have serious concerns,” she said.

Trump blasts Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg in Truth Social posts over the weekend

Alexandra Marquez is based in Washington, D.C.

Isabelle Schmeler

In a series of social media posts over the holiday weekend, Trump attacked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the charges in this case against him, attacked Judge Juan Merchan and said the case was about a "legal expense" and a "bookkeeping error."

"I have a great case, but with a rigged and conflicted judge," Trump said in one post, before adding in another one, "The City of New York’s D.A., Alvin Bragg, is trying to prosecute a Federal case, which cannot be done, and where there is NO CRIME."

One post blasted the case for blowing a "legal expense" out of proportion, saying, "Let’s put the President in jail for 150 years because a LEGAL EXPENSE to a lawyer was called, by a bookkeeper."

Another post yesterday accused Merchan, without evidence, of being a "corrupt and conflicted" judge and claimed that Bragg is backed by liberal billionaire megadonor George Soros, who has been a target of antisemitic conspiracy theories .

Trump’s lawyers are preparing for the final stretch of the former president’s hush money trial in New York. NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez reports on Trump’s busy weekend ahead of closing arguments in court.

Closing arguments set to begin in Trump’s criminal trial

Dareh Gregorian

Closing arguments will begin today in the People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump , as the first criminal trial of a former president enters its final phase.

After the prosecution and the defense deliver their concluding arguments, the judge will give instructions to the jury. Then, the 12 ordinary New Yorkers who sit on the jury will begin deliberations on whether or not the former president is guilty of the charges against him.

After 20 days in a courtroom, here's what you missed in the Trump hush money trial

Ahead of this week's closing arguments, catch up on what you missed over the last few weeks of the first criminal trial of a former president.

In sometimes explosive testimony, former Trump "fixer" Michael Cohen said that he did call Trump a "Cheeto-dusted" villain but admitted to past lies and theft upon questioning by Trump's attorneys.

Despite promising to testify, Trump did not ultimately take the stand and pushed back on media reports that he fell asleep multiple times during the trial. On his Truth Social account, the former president claimed he was simply resting his “beautiful blue eyes” while listening “intensely” to the proceedings.