MUS10150 Writing about Music

Academic Year 2020/2021

This module examines some of the key principles in writing about music. Those principles include style, tone, persuasive argumentation, and appropriate structure. In the initial part of the course students are instructed in these principles through the tasks of writing a review. Students will receive feedback on a draft version of each assignment and can then revise the draft before submitting it for grading. During the second half of the module students will develop these principles in an academic context through planning, researching, and writing an academic essay of 1,500 words. That task is divided into a number of steps: putting together an annotated bibliography and essay outline; drafting a section of the essay and finally completing it. Formative feedback for the first two steps step (including peer feedback by other students) is intended to improve the final product. In this way the module equips students both with a general understanding of the different ways of writing about music and the more specific techniques necessary to produce good academic work.

Show/hide contentOpenClose All

Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students will
• Analyse different genres of academic, journalistic and other texts on music to assess their structure and style;
• Practice how to find relevant information (and distinguish it from irrelevant information);
• Develop an understanding of different writing styles suiting different tasks;
• Practice writing in a clear, comprehensible, and informative style;
• Practice adherence to a given word count;
• Assess and compare the work of other students in class;
• Plan and structure an academic essay;
• Develop their stylistic security and versatility.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Tutorial

12
Autonomous Student Learning

76
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
- lectures
- case-based learning
- peer and group work
- critical writing
- reflective learning

The module will be taught as a mix of face-to-face and online classes. For the face-to-face classes the module will be divided into two groups (A and B) - Group A will have its classes on Wednesday, 2-3 p.m., Group B on Friday, 12-1 p.m.). You are in Group A if your student number ends on an odd numeral, or in Group B if it is an even number. This 50/50 division should guarantee that numbers in the lecture theatre will conform to current regulations (at least at the time of writing).

Face-to-face classes will take place in the Newman Building, Lecture Theatre P, on the following dates.
Wednesday, 30 September (group A) / Friday, 2 October (Group B)
Wednesday, 21 October (group A) / Friday, 23 October (Group B)
Wednesday, 4 November (group A) / Friday, 6 November (Group B)
Wednesday, 2 December (group A) / Friday, 4 December (Group B)

Online classes will take place on Wednesday, 2-3 p.m., for Groups A and B together (as there is no limit on numbers for an online class) on the following dates.
Wednesday, 7 October
Wednesday, 14 October
Wednesday, 11 November
Wednesday, 18 November
Wednesday, 25 November
There will be no class on Friday in these weeks.

There will also be a tutorial accompanying the classes in several slots to choose from. Most of them will be taught face-to-face, although at least one will also be online. These slots are not entirely finalized yet, but there are most likely to take place at different times on Thursday. The tutorials will commence in the second week of your studies.
Online teaching material will be made available in Brightspace in all weeks (regardless of whether teaching will take place face-to-face or online), usually about a week before the actual class.
Please contact the lecturer (Wolfgang.Marx@ucd.ie) if there is anything unclear about this!
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Song Review Week 3 n/a Graded No

30
Essay: Essay (1,500 words) Week 12 n/a Graded No

70

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Drafts will receive individual formative feedback from other students, and from tutors and the lecturer. Students will then revise their texts on the basis of this feedback. The final versions will receive summative feedback from tutors and lecturer.