Cal Poly SLO - Department of Music

Course Information - Music 320 (Music Research and Writing) - Fall 2011

 

Professor: Dr. Alyson McLamore                                                                                                                                Office Phone: 756-2612

Office:  132 Davidson Music Center                                                                                                                                                                                  

Email: amclamor@calpoly.edu                                                                                         Web Site: http://cla.calpoly.edu/~amclamor   

Office Hours: Tues 11-12; Wed 1-3; Thurs 12-1; other times by appointment—just ask!

 

Course Description: We'll emphasize the development of skills in talking and writing 'about' music.  The course will include lectures, demonstrations, and class discussions, research projects, listening assignments, oral presentations, written assignments, and examinations. You will be acquiring and reinforcing the tools that will lead to successful completion of much of the work expected of you in the music history course series. 

 

Required Course Materials: 

 

         Bayne, Pauline Shaw. A Guide to Library Research in Music.  Lanham, Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, 2008.

 

         Hacker, Diana, and Nancy Sommers.  A Writer's Reference.  7th ed. Boston: Bedford Books, 2011.

 

         The course reader, Music 320, available for purchase from your kindly professor

 

         The course CD (provided by the Music Department, to be returned at the end of the quarter)

 

         **A DICTIONARY                  **A THESAURUS                             A STAPLER                      A HOLEPUNCH

 

A COMPUTER (& PRINTER) with MICROSOFT WORD

(students can purchase the entire Microsoft Office Suite [Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.] at El Corral for $79)

 

                  LOTS OF PAPER AND INK FOR THE PRINTER

 

(HELPFUL TO HAVE: A ROOMMATE WITH A BACK-UP PRINTER J)

 

 

Highly Recommended Course Materials:

         Randel, Don M., ed.  The Harvard Dictionary of Music.  4th ed.  Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2003.  [Amazon.com has several copies available for under $30; the current Amazon sale price is $35, which includes free shipping]            

 

                                   

Prerequisites (MANDATORY): Theory II (MU 207); ENGL 134.  Junior standing is highly recommended. 

 

 

Course Requirements: 

 

I.  A Midterm Exam (15%), on October 27 and A Final Exam (20%), on December 6.  Both exams will be given in Kennedy Library. 

 

II.  Three Listening Reports (5% each)—you will listen to three works and write a two-page analytical essay on each.  Deadlines appear in the Course Outline below.

 

III.  Two Peer Editing Assignments (5% each).  You will 'edit' two of the listening reports written by your peers.  Deadlines appear in the Course Outline below.

 

IV.  Research Project (20%)—you will choose a research topic, which you will use as the basis for a systematic search of musical literature.  You will prepare an annotated bibliography, an oral summary of your research (focused on how you found your best resources), and a handout for the class.

 

V.  Two Additional Class Presentations:

 

         A. Library Resources (5%)—you will give a short oral description of an assigned library research tool, and you will prepare a handout for the class. 

 

         B. Journal Presentation (5%)—you will present a short oral review of assigned journals, again preparing a class handout.

 

VI. Rˇsumˇ (5%)—you will compile a listing of your personal information and experiences, and you will present it in a clear, easy-to-read format

 

VII.  Homework (5%)—will be assigned periodically; usually it will be ungraded, but it is mandatory for credit.  (Each "late" homework assignment will pull your initial "A" down a third of a grade.)

 

VIII. Prompt and Regular Attendance is Required.  If, through some unfortunate circumstance, you are absent or tardy, I ask that you provide me with a written explanation ASAP.  Absences or tardies for reasons that appear to be within your control will hurt your grade. Moreover, you need to be completely present Ņmentally,Ó so cell phones are to be turned off during class; laptops, tablets, etc., should have their wireless access turned off.

 

IX. Your Best Work—please note that class presentations are an important part of this course; you owe your very best effort to your peers.  If you fail a course presentation, its ŅweightÓ in your course average will be doubled.  (Note that a Ņno-showÓ for a presentation—without extremely compelling extenuating circumstances—will result in failure of the course overall.)

 

X.  All components of the course must be completed in order to receive a passing grade.


                                                                                320 Course Outline – Fall 2011                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                    Reading

Week 1      Sept. 20   Tues.        Introduction (and we're off!!)                                                                                 [Reader pp. 3-6]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                         Sept. 22   Thurs.     Home Sweet Home - Departmental Resources                   Hacker C & Tutorials 1-5

                                                                             Due:  Thesaurus & Dictionary Check                  Reader pp. 7-16; 29-33; 89-91

                                                                             [Bring Hacker & Bayne!!]                                                                          Bayne 1, 2, 9, 10

 

 

Week 2      Sept. 27   Tues.        Library - Room 111B - The Ground Floor                    Hacker G; Reader pp. 10-19

                                                                             PLEASE DONÕT BE LATE! [Bring Bayne]                Bayne 7.4, 11 (not 11.2)

                                                                             Due: Homework

 

                         Sept. 29   Thurs.     Writing Good  [Bring Hacker & Bayne!!]                         Hacker A; Bayne 5, App 2                                                                                 Due:  Listening Report 1 + Homework             Reader pp. 25-28; 92-94

                                                                                           

 

Week 3      Oct. 4        Tues.        Library - Room 111B - The Great Upstairs [Bring Bayne]                          Hacker R

                                                                             Due:  Research Topic Proposals                                                                Reader pp. 20-24

 

 

                         Oct. 6        Thurs.     What's the Score?                                                                                                                      Hacker CMS

                                                                             Due: Homework                                                                                           Reader pp. 54; 61-64

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Bayne 4, 6 (not 6.3-4)

 

Week 4     Oct. 10    Mon.       7 p.m. – citation & annotation of Mini-Presentation Item due to Dr. McLamore (via emailed Word document)

 

                         Oct. 11     Tues.        Library - Room 111B - But Wait!  There's More!                       Hacker S; Bayne 16

                                                                             Due: Research Progress Report 1                                              Reader pp. 35-43; 96-7

                                                                             Ungraded:  Mini Presentations (outline to Dr. McL)

 

                         Oct. 13     Thurs.     Rˇsumˇ Writing; Using Special Tools                                                                                Hacker P

                                                                                                                                                                                            Reader pp. 53; 59-60; 98-100

 

Week 5     Oct. 18     Tues.        Library - Room 111B - You're On!                                                       Hacker W; Bayne 15

                                                                             Presentations 1 - Library Resources

                                                                             Due:   Research Progress Report 2                                                                                                     

 

                         Oct. 20     Thurs.     More Than One Way to Say It: Peer Editing [Bring Hacker!!]                 Hacker M

                                                                             Due:  Listening Report 2 (THREE copies) DUE 11 a.m.              Reader p. 95

                                                                                            (Remember!  A score for the Report is in the reader!)

 

 

Week 6      Oct. 25     Tues.        The Analytical Eye [Bring Hacker!!]                                                        Hacker B; Bayne 8

                                                                             Due:  Peer Editing Assignment 1 (2 copies) + Homework   Reader pp. 55-58

 

                         Oct. 27     Thurs.     MIDTERM EXAM - Kennedy Library - Room 111H

                                                                             (Bring all your course materials; a laptop would be very helpful)

                                                                             Due:   Research Progress Report 3

 

Week 7      Nov. 1      Tues.        Program Notes; Other Amazing Resources                                                   Bayne 3, 7.2, 14

                                                                              Due: Research Progress Report 4                                          Reader pp. 65-67, 96-97

                                                                                           

                         Nov. 3      Thurs.     Presentations 2 - Journals

                                                                            

 

 

Week 8      Nov. 8      Tues.        Performance Practice Issues [Bring Music Paper]                             Reader pp. 68-86        

                                                                             Due: Research Progress Report 5

                        

                         Nov. 10   Thurs.     [no class meeting – work on Rˇsumˇ; Progress Report 6; Scarlatti Solutions; Homework]

                                                                            

 

 

Week 9      Nov. 15   Tues.        Bride of Performance Practice Issues                                                                                                                

                                                                             Due: Rˇsumˇ

                                                                                            Research Progress Report 6

                                                                                            Scarlatti "SolutionsÓ

                                                                                            Homework

 

                   Nov. 17   Thurs.     Peer Editing [Bring Hacker!!]

                                                                             Due:  Listening Report 3  (THREE copies) DUE 11 a.m.                                                                                          (Remember! Two recorded versions of the piece! Score in reader!)

                                                                            

 

 

Week 10   Nov. 22   Tues.       Recommendations; Interviews; Music Disciplines               Reader pp. 87-88; 92-94        

                                                                             Due:  Peer Editing Assignment 2  (TWO copies)

 

                         Nov. 24   Thurs.     [Thanksgiving Holiday]

                                                                            

 

 

Week 11   Nov. 29   Tues.       Presentations 3 - Research Projects

                                                                             Due:  Research Projects  (everyoneÕs materials are due)

                                                                            

                         Dec. 1       Thurs.     Presentations 3 - Research Projects

 

 

 

Finals           Dec. 6       Tues.       FINAL EXAM (4-7 pm) - Kennedy Library - Room 111B

                                                                             (Bring all your course materials)