Critical Approaches to Popular Music
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Engl 334-001, Fall 2008


Course Syllabus

This is a tentative schedule by week for readings, assignments, and activities. Tentative means I can vary it as much as seems appropriate. I will post all additions to the syllabus on this web page. The updated web version will always override the initial printable PDF version. Readings and assignments bulleted under a day should be done before that class period unless otherwise indicated.



Week 1: Introductions

  • T 26 – in class, go over syllabus and set up class blog accounts: after class, write blog entry

    • Your first entry will identify the genre you will investigate over the semester, why you are interested in it (what is good about it), and why you want to examine it (what you want to get out of the examination).
    • If you want to set up an individual blog on Motime, see Blog, CSS, and RSS.

  • R 28 – in class, discuss various genre and criteria for their evaluation: after class, write blog entry

    • Your second blog entry will provide a list of resources you already have on the genre (these could be academic, journalistic, or popular—articles, books, web sites, blogs, myspace pages, DVDs, magazines/fanzines, etc.).

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Text

Week 2: Musicology

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Week 3: Voice and Lyrics

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Author

Week 4: Worlding/Creativity

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Week 5: Documenting Scenes

  • T 23 – before class, read first half of book below and do a blog entry: in class, discuss research approaches and final projects, discuss mid-term projects, sign up for mid-term presentation times, discuss book

    • Dance of Days (first half)

  • R 25 – before class, read second half of book below: in class, attend Andersen talk; after class, blog on the talk

    • Dance of Days (second half)
    • Fall for the Book: Dance of Days/DC Punk event with Mark Andersen. Provident Bank Tent, just outside the JC in the grassy area near the clock tower.
      • Mark will read from his book and field questions from 3:00-4:00.
      • DC area punk band, The Max Levine Ensemble, will perform in the same location from 4:00-5:00.

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Mid-term Projects

Week 6: Histories, Presentations

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Week 7: Presentations

  • T 7 – presentations (drafts of project/feedback); blog on one presentation

  • R 9 – *Mid-terms due* (final presentations of projects); blog on one presentation

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Audience

Week 8: Subculture/Reception

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Week 9: Sub/Fan Culture

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World

Week 10: Gender, Race

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Week 11: Industry, Technology

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Week 12: Mediation

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Final Research Projects

Week 13: Proposals, Research

  • T 18 – before class, write a proposal for your final argument/research paper, include the sources you have so far, and continue to do research/work on research blogs; in class, *proposals due,* discuss topics/arguments

  • R 20 – before class, continue work on research; in class, open lab to do database searches and/or to work on blogs, I will be there to give feedback on research and topics/arguments (proposals will be returned with comments)

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Week 14: Research

  • T 25 – No Class - Open research day

    • work on a rough draft of your paper
    • finish your research assignments

  • R 27 – No Class - Thanksgiving

    • *research projects due* (I will start grading blogs and Myspace pages, email annotated bibs to me)

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Week 15: Drafts and Peer Review

  • T 2 – before class, produce a first draft of your paper; in class, do peer reviews

  • R 4 – before class, do a quick turn around on your second drafts; in class, *do teacher evals,* do peer reviews, *rewrites on mid-terms due*

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Week 16: Finals Papers Due

  • T 9 – *Final papers due* Drop them in my box in the English department, RobA 487

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