This course will introduce students to the range of ways in which we use words to describe music. It is an important enabling course both for students wishing to pursue music research, and for those wanting to develop their skills in writing for the music profession. The course analyses particular examples of such writing such as music history, analysis, ethnomusicology, journalism, program notes, blogs, educational texts, and grant applications.  As well as giving practical examples and learning opportunities in these writing modes, the course also considers some of the theoretical issues in the positioning of discourse.  Learning and teaching activities will include lectures, tutorials and the preparation of a writing portfolio.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. describe various methods for writing about music in a variety of styles
2. apply these methods to a number of specific musical cases for a variety of audiences
3. demonstrate listening and observation/participation skills to discern how to write about specific kinds of musical works and events
4. demonstrate research, analysis, discussion and writing skills through written assessment tasks

Field Trips

Concert attendance is strongly encouraged during this course.

Recommended Resources

Bellman, Jonathan. A Short Guide to Writing About Music. New York: Longman, 2000.

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. 3^rd Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008.

Bowell, Tracy and Gary Kemp. Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide. London: Routledge, 2005.

Cowdery, James R. How to Write About Music: The RILM Manual of Style. 2^nd ed., New York: RILM, 2006.

Herbert, Trevor. Music in Words: A Guide to Researching and Writing About Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Royal, Brandon. The Little Red Writing Book: 20 Powerful Principles of Structure, Style and Readability. Cincinnati: F and W Media, 2007.

Sampsel, Laurie J. Music Research: A Handbook. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Tredinnick, Mark. The Little Red Writing Book. Sydney: UNSW Press, 2006.

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers. 7^th Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Wingell, Richard. Writing About Music: An Introductory Guide. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1997.

Staff Feedback

Feedback will be a combination of verbal/in-person and annotated/written.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lecture: Why do humans write about music?; Tutorial: Discussion of set readings
2	Lecture: Concert/Event Reviews; Tutorial: Discussion of Portfolio part 1	Writing portfolio part 1 due before tutorial
3	Lecture: Album reviews; Tutorial: Discussion of Portfolio part 2	Writing portfolio part 2 due before tutorial
4	Lecture: Interviews; Tutorial: Discussion of Portfolio part 3	Writing portfolio part 3 due before tutorial
5	Lecture: Academic Articles; Tutorial: Discussion of Reviews (Assessment 2)	Draft of review due before tutorial
6	Lecture: Newspaper/Magazine articles; Tutorial: Discussion of Reviews (Assessment 2)	Research topic must be approved this week
7	Lecture: Podcasts/Radio; Tutorial: Discussion of Research topics
8	Lecture: Sleeve/Liner Notes; Tutorial: Discussion of Portfolio part 4	Writing portfolio part 4 due before tutorial, Bibliography due
9	Lecture: Program Notes; Tutorial: Discussion of Portfolio part 5	Writing portfolio part 5 due before tutorial
10	Lecture: Blogs and Social Media; Tutorial: Discussion of Portfolio part 6	Writing portfolio part 6 due before tutorial
11	Lecture: Listicles and Playlists; Tutorial: PechaKucha presentations	PechaKucha in tutorial, Complete Writing Portfolio due
12	Lecture: Funding Applications; Tutorial: More on Funding Applications	Essay due

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Writing Portfolio	30 %	26/05/2019	09/06/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Concert/Event Review	25 %	07/04/2019	21/04/2019	4
Annotated Bibliography	10 %	05/05/2019	19/05/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Analytical/Critical Essay	35 %	02/06/2019	16/06/2019	1, 2, 3, 4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Students are expected to participate in weekly lectures and tutorials.

Assessment Task 1

Writing Portfolio

Students are to complete six short (350 word) pieces of writing reflecting on and critiquing set readings for the given week. The six pieces of writing which make up the portfolio are due progressively in weeks 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 (see course schedule). Each component should be uploaded to the course blog prior to attending the tutorial for that week. 

Students are required to present two of their pieces of writing during weekly tutorials. Sign up slots for tutorial presentations are available via the course Wattle site.  

Assessment Rubric:

The writing portfolio will be assessed in relation to the following criteria:

·      Demonstrated understanding of the purposes of different approaches to writing about music

·      Demonstrated ability effectively apply different approaches to writing about music

·      Demonstrated ability to disseminate ideas regarding musical works or ideas through words

·      Demonstrated ability to support ideas regarding music through research (Chicago style references)

HD 80-100

Work of exceptional quality, which demonstrates comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, mastery of relevant skills, sophisticated or original critical and conceptual analysis and interpretation, and outstanding quality in clarity, precision and presentation of work.

D 70–79

Work of superior quality, which demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, proficiency in relevant skills, and analytical and conceptual ability of a high order.

C 60–69

Work of good quality, which displays a good understanding of the subject matter and a sound grasp of relevant skills.

P 50–59

Work of satisfactory quality, which displays an adequate understanding of most of the subject matter and a sufficient grasp of relevant skills.

N 0–49

Work which is incomplete or displays an inadequate understanding of the subject matter or an inadequate grasp of relevant skills.

Word limit: 350 words each (total of six pieces)

Value: 30% (completed portfolio)

Presentation requirements:

·      Two assignments presented in tutorials (slots available on Wattle)

·      All assignments uploaded to the course blog before the tutorial each relevant week

·      Final document (all components in a single word document) uploaded to Turnitin

Due Date: Each week (see course schedule), with final complete document due 26 May

Assessment Task 2

Concert/Event Review

Students are required to write a detailed review of either a concert or another event in which live music is performed. Reviews should demonstrate a detailed consideration of the music involved, research into the music and its context as relevant, and an understanding of in-text referencing.

Students are required to present a draft of their review for discussion in tutorial either week 5 or 6, before submitting their final draft at the end of week 6. Students should sign up for a presentation slot via the course Wattle site. 

 

Assessment Criteria:

The review will be assessed in relation to the following criteria:

·      Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate relevant information regarding works/performances through the written word

·      Demonstrated ability to support your statements through relevant research, with appropriate referencing (Chicago style, with footnotes)

·      Demonstrated ability to acknowledge, appropriate to the written context, sources used

HD 80-100

Work of exceptional quality, which demonstrates comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, mastery of relevant skills, sophisticated or original critical and conceptual analysis and interpretation, and outstanding quality in clarity, precision and presentation of work.

D 70–79

Work of superior quality, which demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, proficiency in relevant skills, and analytical and conceptual ability of a high order.

C 60–69

Work of good quality, which displays a good understanding of the subject matter and a sound grasp of relevant skills.

P 50–59

Work of satisfactory quality, which displays an adequate understanding of most of the subject matter and a sufficient grasp of relevant skills.

N 0–49

Work which is incomplete or displays an inadequate understanding of the subject matter or an inadequate grasp of relevant skills.

Word limit: 1000 words

Value: 25%

Presentation requirements:

·      Presentation of work-in-progress during either week 5 or 6 tutorial (slots available on Wattle) 

·      Final document uploaded to Turnitin

Due Date: 7 April

Assessment Task 3

Annotated Bibliography

Students are required to complete a bibliography of between 15 and 20 sources pertaining to their Analytical/Critical Essay (Assessment Task 4). The bibliography should be formatted in Chicago Style, and each reference should also include dot-points with some comments on the authority and the relevance of each source.

 

Assessment Criteria:

The bibliography will be assessed on the following criteria:

·      Demonstrated ability to make effective use of appropriate research resources in the collection of relevant sources

·      Demonstrated understanding of appropriate formatting of a bibliography in Chicago Style

·      Demonstrated ability to effectively evaluate and critique the authority and relevance of sources

HD 80-100

Work of exceptional quality, which demonstrates comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, mastery of relevant skills, sophisticated or original critical and conceptual analysis and interpretation, and outstanding quality in clarity, precision and presentation of work.

D 70–79

Work of superior quality, which demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, proficiency in relevant skills, and analytical and conceptual ability of a high order.

C 60–69

Work of good quality, which displays a good understanding of the subject matter and a sound grasp of relevant skills.

P 50–59

Work of satisfactory quality, which displays an adequate understanding of most of the subject matter and a sufficient grasp of relevant skills.

N 0–49

Work which is incomplete or displays an inadequate understanding of the subject matter or an inadequate grasp of relevant skills.

Word limit: 15-20 entries, with short dot-point comments on each

Value: 10%

Presentation requirements: Uploaded to Turnitin, and formatted in Chicago Style

Due date: 5 May

Assessment Task 4

Analytical/Critical Essay

Students are required to complete an analytical/critical piece of writing that examines a chosen musical topic (approved by the Convenor by the end of week 6). The document should present a detailed examination of the chosen topic, either from an analytical perspective, where relevant analytical techniques are applied to discuss the ways in which the work functions, or from a critical and contextual perspective, where relevant ideas, theories and historical perspective are used to discuss the work in a broader context. This assessment item is designed to emulate a real life writing situation, and as such, students may choose from a range of different formats of writing, based on their own interests.

 

Students may choose from:

·      Academic article

·      Newspaper/Magazine article

·      Blog post

·      Listicle

·      Podcast (transcript should include references)

·      Interview (transcript should include references)

·      Concert/Event/Album review

·      Funding application

·      Program note

·      Liner/Sleeve note

·      Other format, as approved by the Convenor

Students are required to present their research as a PechaKucha presentation (using PowerPoint) during the week 11 tutorial.

Assessment Rubric

The analytical/critical essay will be assessed on the following criteria:

·      Demonstrated ability to formulate a topic that facilitates the discussion of a chosen topic

·      Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate in words ideas pertaining to a specific musical idea, in the chosen format

·      Demonstrated ability to effectively formulate and organise ideas in terms of an argument

·      Demonstrated ability to appropriately support your arguments formally through reference to relevant sources

·      Demonstrated ability to reference appropriately, in Chicago Style

HD 80-100

Work of exceptional quality, which demonstrates comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, mastery of relevant skills, sophisticated or original critical and conceptual analysis and interpretation, and outstanding quality in clarity, precision and presentation of work.

D 70–79

Work of superior quality, which demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, proficiency in relevant skills, and analytical and conceptual ability of a high order.

C 60–69

Work of good quality, which displays a good understanding of the subject matter and a sound grasp of relevant skills.

P 50–59

Work of satisfactory quality, which displays an adequate understanding of most of the subject matter and a sufficient grasp of relevant skills.

N 0–49

Work which is incomplete or displays an inadequate understanding of the subject matter or an inadequate grasp of relevant skills.

Word limit: 1500 words

Value: 35%

Presentation requirements: PechaKucha presentation in the week 11 tutorial; final document uploaded to Turnitin (referencing in Chicago Style in footnotes, with bibliography)

Due Date: 2 June (topic and format approved by the Convenor by the end of week 6)

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) as submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Marked assessment tasks will be returned in class or electronically, as appropriate.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students