Peer Review

History and Politics Out Loud (HPOL)

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Overview:: History and Politics Out Loud is an archive of politically significant audio materials. The site includes recordings and transcripts of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, Martin Luther King, the Warren commission, and the Watergate tapes. The majority of the files date from the 1950s. The site is funded by an NEH partnership with the University of Michigan.
Type of Material:: Collection of audio recordings.
Recommended Uses:: To supplement research in a United States history course.
Technical Requirements:: User will need Real Player or Quick Time Player.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: To provide access to the audio primary documents of the 20th century in United States History.
Target Student Population:: College and possibly some advanced high school courses.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: No background information is provided with the files. Some general knowledge of United States history may be helpful.

Rating:
Strengths:: The audio documents currently focus on 19 speakers from 20th century United States history. The materials range from formal addresses delivered in public settings to private telephone conversations conducted within the White House. The selections permit access to audio information to enliven instruction and scholarship. Users can contact the site authors to request audio files not yet on the site. However, only audio in the public domain will be posted. The majority of recordings are from the Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon eras. Transcripts are are available, but not for all. Some recordings are not clear, but the site provides a disclaimer indicating this is the result of how the file was originally recorded.
Concerns:: The site is somewhat limited because the materials cannot be copied or downloaded. The unevenness of some files can be a handicap. Therefore, the availability of transcripts is essential.

Rating:
Strengths:: This is an important research site for accessing primary documents in audio format of important political figures in 20th century United States history. The site is searchable by date, speaker, and title. Users can search by Search, Browse, or About.
Concerns:: Usefulness is limited by the inability to download, the poor sound quality of some files, and the lack of transcripts for others. It is assumed that transcripts will eventually be available for all audio files. Success of use in the classroom will depend upon the creativity of the instructor because the site does not offer instructional hints (nor should it have to given the stated goals of the site).

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Strengths:: Accessing files is easy because of the site format and because there are less than 200 files at present. The site comes up quickly and works with good speed. There are plans to expand the site content.
Concerns:: No real concerns except downloadability, some poor sound quality, and the lack of transcripts for some files.

Other Issues and Comments:: The site is still a work in progress and contains some valuable sources, particularly from the 1960s and 1970s. However, it is not complete even for those decades. Unless there is going to be a major expansion, the site should more clearly limit it scope in its title.
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