I will be needing: by July 18th :
research paper topic, Thesis statement and Research paper works cited
I will be needing: by July 30th:
the final reaserch draft!!!
Research Paper Guidelines
MUL 1010 Research Paper
Learning Goals
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
do personal research into the life and work of a composer from class
write a research paper to give a chronology of the composer’s life and works
use MLA style to cite references (in text and Works Cited page)
Students enrolled in this course will submit a research paper on the topic below:
A composer of “Art Music” found in the textbook from the Medieval to 20th century.
The research paper should include:
a cover page
the composer’s background
his/her upbringing
career background (include the word banana in the text)
references to his/her most well-known compositions
reasons why some of these compositions are more important
background on the historic time period(s) of the composer’s life
circumstances in which he/she lived.
The research paper should conclude with your final thoughts and/or opinions. State specifically what you have learned from conducting this research. Cite some of the things you find to be the most interesting and why.
Guidelines for Research Paper
Art music is defined as any music that is not “popular” music. (This does NOT include country, rock, hip hop, rap, pop, etc.)
The student will achieve a satisfactory evaluation of this work based on:
coherent thesis statement
content / quality of research
competence in English composition
usage of music terminology (learned in class)
grammar and spelling
proper style and formatting (MLA format for citations)
Research papers must:
Have a minimum of 1000 words, typed
Use 12 pt font, double-spaced
Include a separate title page (name, date, class, professor, and title) and should include the following sentence and an electronic signature:
This paper is my original work and all research materials, if applicable, are cited.
Include research from at least three (3) sources. Your textbook may be used, but with additional information from other sources (i.e. websites, books, etc.). (Wikipedia is not appropriate for the Works Cited, but may be used as a starting point for research.)
Include a Works Cited at the end with all sources for research, and proper in text citations, in MLA style.
When discussing a composer’s works, listening to a sampling of them before writing about them would give you the best point of view.
Turnitin will be used to verify that this work is your own and not “borrowed.” Make sure you cite all of your sources (MLA style) and submit your paper in your own words.
If the paper includes a high percentage (over 40%) of borrowed quotes and material without referenced citations in its content, the paper will be returned to the student with instructions to correct the problem areas. Failure to comply will result in a low grade.
If it is deemed that the paper is the work of AI, the paper will be returned to the student with instructions to rewrite the paper completely. Failure to comply will result in a zero.
Grading Rubric for Research Paper
The rubric for this paper is attached to the bottom of the assignment.
Helpful Writing Tips
Use double-spacing in between paragraphs. Avoid run-on sentences and fragments for better flow.
Use capitalization only where appropriate. Use periods, semi-colons, and commas appropriately.
Papers should have clear introductions and conclusions.
Make sure sentences are coherent and concise. Wordiness doesn’t help.
Underline or italicize major works such as albums, books or operas.
All musical works, including instrumental and vocal pieces, should be in “quotation marks” or italics.
All sources used for the paper must be listed in the Works Cited.
Any direct quote (in quotation marks) should be followed by the appropriate in-text citation.
Use the links in this Module to help build your Works Cited and in-text citations.
Proofread your paper several times before submitting it. This also includes having someone else to read your paper.
You can use the link in this course for Tutor.com Online Tutoring to submit you paper and have them proofread it for free. Simply click the link, click on “Drop Off Your Work,” fill out the information they need, and attach your research paper to it. I would suggest doing this well before the due date, because it may take a few days to get the paper back from them.
Task Break Down
Step 1: Choose a composer to research. (This should be one that we studied in class that you found interesting and would like to know more about.) (30 mins)
Step 2: Read the section from your textbook about him/her to find out what part of his/her life you need more information about. (30-60 mins)
Step 3: Go online or to the library to look up information about your composer. Find more than one credible resource. (Wikipedia is not a credible resource for the Works Cited but may be used as a starting point for research.) (4-6 hours)
Step 4: Compile your research in an outline that will guide the paper. (1-2 hours)
Step 5: Write an introduction which concludes with the thesis statement about your composer. (For example: Beethoven was the most influential composer of his day. Mozart was a pioneer whose work was cut short by his premature death.) (1 hour)
Step 6: Write the paper following a chronological order (i.e. early life/childhood, education, beginning of career, most important works, death) (2-4 hours)
Step 7: Conclude the paper with your thoughts and opinions on the composer and his/her works. (30 mins)
Step 8: Proofread the paper more than once. Use SmartThinking for further proofreading. (30 mins/1 day)
Step 9: Make any revisions necessary. (1 hour)
Step 10: Turn in the paper on Canvas. (5 mins)
Time Statement
This paper is worth 20% of your grade, so spending an appropriate amount of time on it is necessary to achieve a high grade. Included above are suggested time frames for completing each task of writing this paper. Using less time than this will be obvious in the finished paper. The bulk of your time should be spent doing the research. Don’t be satisfied with the first bit of information you find. Dig deeper. Look through the rubric so you can understand better the expectations for this paper.
we are using the book sixth edition Experience music by KATHERINE CHALTON
