WOMEN MAKING MUSIC

Professor:  Dr. J. Michele Edwards

Music 51:01    Spring 2001

 

 

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS

 

The following outlines the schedule we will use for developing worthwhile long-term projects in this class.  I hope that by working in stages and using a workshop style, both the process and the results will be meaningful to each of you.  Any topic relating to the course title can be acceptable.  The focus should be on original research/writing, not on a summary of secondary sources.  Developing a point of view about your topic as well as formulating a framework from other scholars' work is important for a successful paper.  Inclusion of audio/visual media or a computer/internet element is possible.  I encourage you to give the selection of your topic serious thought since your choice will affect much of your work for this course.  Please use word-processing throughout.  Length of final paper: variable; probably 10-20 pages.

 

NOW  Develop possible topics.  Explore available resources.  What do you now know?  What do you want to know?  How can you go about finding this out?  (Try journal writing as one way of talking with yourself about ideas for your project.  Talk with each other.)  I encourage you to give the selection of your topic serious thought since your choice will affect a substantial portion of your work for this course.

 

Feb. 19  1-page proposal due.

 

Feb. 23  List of resources due (not limited to books and articles but can include recordings, scores, interviews, websites, etc.).  If the materials are not at Mac, locate or order them now.  For bibliography and later endnotes (or footnotes) use full, standard bibliographic form as shown in The Chicago Manual of Style, 13TH or 14th ed. (1982/93) [Lib], Chicago-A or Documentation 1 (NOT author-date system).  Locating and acquiring appropriate resources is a crucial step toward your success.

 

Feb. 26  Complete a revision of your proposal and bring to class for in class feedback.  Please bring 2 copies so that you can hand one in and circulate one among class members.  Also we will have an opportunity to share information and strategies. 

 

Mar. 7  3-page draft due.  Include at least informal foot/endnotes as you write so that full and accurate documentation will be easy to complete.  This will also assist me in offering suggestions and guidance.  You can polish the form later, but be sure to include all the needed information for a proper citation.

 

During March (especially)  Consult with others in the class and ask for their comments about your work.

 

Mar. 28-30  Complete 5-page (revised & expanded) draft.  I will meet with each of you during this time period for a 15-minute conference to review progress and respond to individual questions.  Please bring 2 copies (one for me) of 5-page draft to your conference.

 

Apr. 11-13  Oral presentations in class.  This should be well prepared although viewed as a project still in progress.  You will continue revision.  You may also find that oral presentation allows for (or needs) some differences in comparison with a written paper.  Make this adjustment.  For example, you may want to include musical examples (live or recorded); some kinds of detailed information are much harder to grasp when heard rather than read (do you need a handout?).  Length of presentation:  no more than 20 minutes.  We want to have time for in-class questions and responses.

 

Apr. 16  I will establish editing pairs who are responsible for editing and proofing each other's final drafts.

 

Apr. 23  Complete ("dress rehearsal") draft due.  I will generally not comment on editorial matters at this time, but only on the content and presentation of ideas in the paper.

 

Apr. 30  Final, edited draft is due.  All aspects, including documentation and bibliography, should be polished and formal (see Chicago Manual of Style).  Length of final paper: variable; probably 10-20 pages.

 

May 7 (hopefully)  Papers returned; brief discussion of the assignment.

You are invited to consult with me on any phase of your work.

 

Please use word-processing throughout.

 

Evaluation criteria include:

Clearly stated thesis that is well-supported; articulation of a point of view on the material; material focused on the topic (not just lots of information); originality of ideas; quality of bibliography determined by length, variety of sources, use of recommended materials; writing style because content and presentation are inseparable; on-time completion of each phase of the project; effectiveness of the oral presentation (clarity and synthesis of ideas); accurate representation of other scholars' work (including proper acknowledgement of their ideas and information as well as direct quotations); error-free (spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, use of italics, etc.); proper form/format for documentation (bibliography and foot/end notes)

 

 

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Last updated on 29 January 2001