General Description

The 2nd Draft Script is where we work raw content and ideas into the actual words to be spoken in a script.

At this point, the overall scope and sequence has been established by the Content Team. We typically have an agreed-upon structure by this point — but this is the last good opportunity to suggest major changes. Most of our effort is spent finding accurate and eloquent ways to convey ideas, source good examples, and similar.

We'll conclude this draft review when we've resolved client (i.e., Alliance and Dell Foundation) questions, filled in any placeholder text, selected examples, and otherwise ensured the course material is complete. The script should have something approximating verbatim text to be read by a narrator, or directive guidance to the Production Team on areas that need improvement.

What's the purpose of this review?

• Reconfirm the overall course scope, sequence, and structure.
• Resolve any internal questions or concerns.
• Provide verbatim script text, where possible. Failing that, provide directive guidance where authorial help is needed.
• Fill in any placeholder text from previous drafts. Source any examples, reference material.
• Correct grammatical errors, ensure proper use of Ed-Fi and technical terms.
• Prepare for the Script Review Meeting.

Don't Worry (Yet) About...

• Don't worry about punctuation or text style. As noted elsewhere, the script is a guide for narration, and so will contain pause-for-breath commas, emphasis indicators, and similar.

Specific Responsibilities

If you're the Course Champion...

• Ensure the course appears likely to cover all topics you believe should be in scope. This is the last easy (and inexpensive) opportunity for a change in direction.

If you're the Content Lead...

• Review the text closely. Where possible, edit text to be exactly what a narrator should read. Where that's not possible, provide directional guidance to the Production Team.
• Resolve or rationalize input from the team. Where needed, resolve questions.
• Ensure all placeholder text from previous drafts is filled in, and any reference documents, diagrams, templates, and similar are connected. You're the Content Lead, but that doesn't mean you have to do all the work! The Content Team was selected because they have the knowledge and time to help.
• As always, you can suggest a live meeting if useful. The Academy Coordinator (currently Ann Su) can coordinate schedules.

If you're on the Content Team...

• Review the text closely.
• Support the Content Lead in resolving issues, crafting the exact text to be read by a narrator, sourcing document.
• Opine.

If you're an SME...

• Review the text with a focus on your specific area of expertise. Ensure concepts are correctly described, terms are used correctly and in keeping with formal and informal standards, and so forth.
• You are not responsible for the overall course content, but comments on any dimension are welcome.
• You are not responsible for fixing spelling, grammar, and style, but if you find issues and have time to remedy them, feel free to do so. At this point, the effort won't be wasted. 

If you're a Reviewer...

• You've been asked to review this material as a stakeholder. Comments on any dimension are welcome. This is the last good opportunity to inflect the overall course, so raise any concerns now.
• You are not responsible for fixing spelling, grammar, and style, but if you find issues and have time to remedy them, feel free to do so. At this point, the effort won't be wasted. 

If you're a Senior Editor...

• Lead any live review meetings. Facilitate the conversation about reviewers' feedback and support the content lead in rationalizing the input into specific direction about the changes that are needed.
• If an external party is producing the course, determine whether the scripts need another round of script revisions by the external party, or if the revisions can be addressed by the senior editor.
  • If an external party is responsible for script revisions, synthesize feedback from the internal review meeting. Rewrite or resolve comments as needed to provide clear direction for the revisions. Lead a review meeting with the external party authoring the scripts to discuss the requested revisions.
  • If revisions can be addressed by the senior editor, revise the scripts to respond to reviewer feedback and provide verbatim script text.