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Final written assignment #2 (25 total points): “Country Music and Identity: A Case Study ” due Thursday 5/6
Do not submit the assignment without having read and followed these instructions.
Page requirement:
undergraduates: 4 full pages, not including bibliography
The Written Report (25 points)
Writing papers forces us to gather more information than we might stumble upon, to refine ideas beyond generalities and abstractions, to confront fuzzy thinking, and to become more fully acquainted with the resonances of a topic and our perspective on it. We actually learn by writing. One of the requirements in this class is writing a brief, original, research paper that includes a modest proportion of critical analysis; no paper will receive an “A” without originality and critical analysis. The above page limit does not include bibliography, supporting appendices, discographies, etc. Please click here for a one-page description of the grading criteria, i.e. what papers will receive an “A,” “B,” and so on.
In MUSIC 117 we examine a variety of styles that are identified under the general understanding of “country music.”. In your final written assignment you are to examine one song that fits your own criteria of “country music” and provide the following:
1. A brief background of the song and its artist, e.g. date of release, album, artist’s bio (very brief)
2. An in-depth analysis of the song’s musical features (melody, harmony, rhythm, form, texture, instrumentation, dynamics)
3. What features make this song distinctively “country” and, most importantly, why?
Your research paper is an original piece of work. It is assumed that all students understand the meaning of plagiarism and that it will not be tolerated in any fashion. Ignorance is no excuse and will not be accepted. If you want to quote the words or use ideas from someone else, you MUST cite your reference and credit the originator of the ideas. Take this seriously because I do. Please see me if you have any questions.
Papers and any supporting materials are due at the beginning of class on Thursday 5/6. Late submissions will not be accepted. TYPE AND HAND IN. Also, you MUST submit an electronic copy of your paper to the SafeAssign (see description below) drop box on the course homepage.
The University’s Academic Honor Code must be observed in completing these assignments, i.e., the assignment must be entirely your own work. Any instance of plagiarism or dishonesty will be dealt with severely. For further reading please click here for an article entitled “Examples of Plagiarism, and of Appropriate Use of Others Words and Ideas.”
Each stage of the final assignment must be submitted by email by its due date. If you are absent that day, even if your absence is excused, the assignment must be handed in before the due day to avoid a late penalty. Assignments must be typed, double-spaced, stapled, on plain white paper, and printed in a plain font similar to the one you are now reading. The following must appear at the top of your assignment:
Your name
The title of the course
The number and title of the assignment
There is no grading table for this
General notes on writing assignments
*Please take note that the content and style of your writing determines two thirds of your grade for this assignment. To explain the grading criteria in more detail:
I attach great importance to clear and accurate writing, and all of the following criteria will affect your grade on the written assignments:
Appropriate content: you must write what the assignment asks for, as specified in these written instructions. If you write something that isnt what the assignment asks for, it doesnt matter how well you do it: you wont get credit.
Correct physical form: in addition to the criteria for “format” discussed above, physical form includes the proper use of paragraphs with indentation to show where a new paragraph begins, and overall neat appearance of the page with a straight left margin and without weird effects such as line breaks in the middle of a word. Print out your assignment before the day it is due to make sure that the computer does not produce these unwanted effects: printer problems will not be accepted as an excuse. Remember also that you must include the appropriate grading table at the top of each assignment. Papers must also be stapled, and typed, using a 12 pt Times New Roman font, which is standard for most academic papers.
Appropriate style: This is a common problem among undergraduate students. Keep in mind that this is NOT a creative writing assignment. Use vocabulary and sentence structures suitable for an academic report, avoiding colloquial language and slang. Keep your prose clear, concise, and supported by data.
Avoid the following:
1) addressing the reader as “you”
2) run-on sentences
3) language that you would use around your peers (colloquial speech)
4) personal opinions on the validity, appropriateness, or depth of the assignment
Correct spelling and typing are required, including spelling of terms and names introduced in the class. Run the spell check after making all other revisions, and dont rely on it exclusively: it will not detect errors like writing from instead of form because from is also a word. Proof-read your work for yourself as well. Spelling also includes word boundaries (leaving a space between words and not writing two words as if they were one).
Correct punctuation includes the use of apostrophes (make sure you know the difference between possessive its and its = it is) and the proper use of spaces with punctuation (note that you leave a space before open-parentheses and open-quotes but after most other punctuation marks). The most common errors of punctuation concern sentence boundaries: writing two or more sentences as if they were one (run-on sentences) or writing part of a sentence as if it were a whole one (sentence fragments). Make sure that what comes between the capital letter and the period is a single complete sentence. Correct capitalization of proper names and abbreviations is also included in punctuation.
Correct grammar includes subject-verb agreement (if the subject is plural, the verb should be in the plural form too) and using the correct form of a word (for instance, make sure you know the difference between sing, sang, sung, and song).
Citation format: You must correctly cite information, ideas, and other relevant information that are not your known (see Syllabus for examples of plagiarism). For the purposes of the above written assignments, you must cite your sources in the form of footnotes. A simple bibliography page will NOT suffice. Your footnote citations must include the following information and in this order: author’s name (last, first), date of source, title of source, publication info on source (e.g. publisher’s name and city, journal title and volume/number, website url (including the date accessed by you), and page numbers, if applicable. A quick rule to remember: your citations must include all information that will allow your reader to consult your source in a timely fashion.
Example footnote citations:
Website:
1Reid, Shaheem. (no date given). “Eminem: The Gift and the Curse.” [http://www.mtv.com/bands/e/eminem/news_feature_052902/index.jhtml]. Accessed 5 May 2003.
Book by a single author:
2 Farrell, Gerry. 1997. Indian Music and the West. Oxford, UK, and New York: Oxford University Press: 25-26.
NOTE: Wikipedia–although credible–is an unreliable source, and your paper may not refer to it in any footnote citation.
And most importantly:
PROOF READ YOUR WORK, or have a colleague proof read it for you.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Plagiarism will be dealt with severely. Penalties may include an automatic “F” on Assignment #2, an “F” for the entire course, and referral to the university committee that oversees academic misconduct, depending upon the severity of the plagiarism.
Some common mistakes to watch out for
You can help yourself improve your writing by keeping an eye open for the following kinds of problem. In the following examples, incorrect sentences are shown in italics with the corrected versions directly following them.
Spelling and typing errors
This category includes errors of word boundary, i.e., writing one word as if it were two, or vice versa:
I listen to music everyday. => I listen to music every day.
Music has always been apart of my life. => Music has always been a part of my life.
I can not live without music. => I cannot live without music.
My brothers formed a band by them selves. => My brothers formed a band by themselves.
Punctuation errors
These include errors of capitalization (upper- vs. lower-case letters):
i am a great fan of the beatles. => I am a great fan of the Beatles.
I have never liked Opera or other Classical Music. => I have never liked opera or other classical music.
This category also includes errors of sentence boundary, i.e., writing more than one sentence as if it were one (run-on sentence) or part of a sentence as if it were a whole one (sentence fragment):
I love music thats just the kind of person I am. => I love music. Thats just the kind of person I am.
I dont play music, however, I love to listen to it. => I dont play music. However, I love to listen to it.
I only dislike one kind of music. Heavy metal. => I only dislike one kind of music: heavy metal.
To determine whether something is a single, complete sentence or not, apply the yes/no question test: can you change the statement into a single yes/no question just by changing the order of words (and adding the auxiliaries do, be etc. if necessary)? For instance: My parents love the Beatles can become a single yes/no question, Do my parents love the Beatles?, and is therefore a single sentence. However, I love music thats just the kind of person I am would have to become two questions: Do I love music? and Is that just the kind of person I am? This is how you can tell it is really two sentences. A sentence fragment like Heavy metal can be detected by the fact that it cannot be made into a question at all because it is not a statement. If something is a complete sentence, it should begin with a capital letter and end with a period (or other sentence-final punctuation) unless it is joined to another sentence with a conjunction like and, but, or so. (Note that however and therefore are not conjunctions and cannot serve this function.)
Refer to song and album titles in the following ways:
Song titles are placed in “quotations” and album titles are italicized => “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi from Slippery When Wet.
Grammatical errors
These include errors of word form, i.e., using the wrong form of a word:
I can remember every song I have sang. => I can remember every song I have sung.
I dont know as many songs as I use to. => I dont know as many songs as I used to.
There are also errors of number, i.e., singular vs. plural:
Every singers should read music. => Every singer should read music.
Errors of subject-verb agreement occur when a singular subject is used with a plural verb, or vice versa:
My collection of records arent very impressive. => My collection of records isnt very impressive.
Most people doesnt pay much attention to music. => Most people dont pay much attention to music.
Also watch out for errors of verb tense:
I was so happy I feel like singing. => I was so happy I felt like singing.
Grading Criteria:
The following set of standards has been adapted from Barbara E. Fassler
Halvoord, jiel~ing Students Write Well: A Guide for Teachers in
Disci~lines (New York: The Modern Language Association of America, P982),
23-24.
A: The paper is well organized, even at the paragraph level. Sentences
are smooth and carefully crafted. There are virtually no errors in
spelling or punctuation, grammar or usage. Words are chosen with
precision. Informal language or dialect is used only when appropriate.
The paper avoids triteness and vague generalizations; the language is
fresh and vivid. The paper is tight, not wordy. The interpretation is
original, arresting, and cogent. The paper’s logic is compelling. The
use of evidence reveals an imaginative reading of the sources.
B: The work is well organized, but the paragraph structure may sometimes
be disjointed. The paper may have a few awkward passages and some
errors in punctuation, spelling, grammar, and usage. The language may
at times be too general; it may lack the freshness or precision of the
A paper. But none of these errors is glaring or highly distracting.
The thesis is convincing and well argued, but not strikingly original.
Generalizations are supported with specific relevant examples and
quotations. The use of evidence reveals a reading of the sources that
is perceptive but not imaginative.
C: The paper is basically well organized, though individual paragraphs may
be disunified or misplaced. Generally, however, the paper shows that
the writer has followed a logical plan. The writing is competent but
wordy, general, imprecise, or trite. Sentences may at times be
awkwardly constructed, but their meaning is clear. Grammar,
punctuation, and spelling are not highly distracting, but there may be
some errors. The interpretation is plausible, but the connection
between generalizations and specific evidence is not always carefully
drawn: generalizations are broader and vaguer than in A and B papers;
evidence is sometimes irrelevant or its significance is left
unexplained. The sources are mentioned but not closely analyzed.
D: The paper is poorly organized, though there is a recognizable thesis.
Some sentences or passages may be so confused that their meaning does
not clearly emerge. Words may be imprecise, incorrect, trite, or
vague, In general, however, the paper is understandable. Although the
interpretation is at least defensible, the paper is unconvincing
because it relies for proof on either unsubstantiated assertions or
unexamined and ill-organized data. There is no evidence of a careful
reading of the sources and the paper may be marred by serious factual
errors.
F: The paper lacks a clear thesis, the language is so muddled as to be
unclear in several spots, ,or the errors in punctuation, spelling,
grammar, and usage are highly distracting. Instead of an
interpretation, the paper offers a seemingly random collection of
jumbled information and opinion. There is no evidence that the sources
have been read. Factual errors abound.
