Research from a large‑scale study of 6.9 million online video‑watching sessions shows that students consistently engage far more with short videos—ideally under six minutes—than with longer, multi‑topic recordings (Guo, Kim, & Rubin, 2014*).
To keep your video short, write a script! The Media Team highly recommends it. A script keeps your writing succinct and organized. You’ll be able to stay on topic and avoid a rambling narrative. Finally, you’ll know if you have a complete idea with little chance of wondering, “Did I leave something out?”
What is the Goal?
To help focus the script, address one big idea or goal per video. Consider writing down the goal before you even begin scripting the video. Here are examples goals for the most common videos in an online course:
To Script or Not to Script
Writing a script can steady your delivery, but it often tempts you to read rather than speak, which flattens the emotion that helps audiences connect. Because video strengthens the classroom community, many instructors find that using a detailed outline instead of a full script allows their natural tone and passion for the discipline to emerge—even with small imperfections. (NOTE: small mistakes can be endearing and add authenticity). Whether you choose to write a script or an outline, rehearse before recording; the practice will sharpen your message and reduce the inevitable stumbles.
Gen AI Tools and Script Writing
The age of Generative AI is upon us! These tools can speed up our journey from idea to script, but can remove authenticity and are known for generating inaccuracies. Always carefully review and edit your outputs! For tips on using Gen AI tools to co-write a video script and a prompt framework tailored to instructional videos, see our page on Gen AI Tools and Script Writing.
*Guo, P. J., Kim, J., & Rubin, R. (2014). How video production affects student engagement: An empirical study of MOOC videos. Proceedings of the First ACM Conference on Learning at Scale, 41–50. https://doi.org/10.1145/2556325.2566239
